《Allison》 Volume 1 Prologue Volume 1 Prologue ----- Daytime, a certain location. The year 3256 of the World Calendar. Why? Why did I have to witness this? Why me? Why now? I am about to murder thousands of people in the cruelest way imaginable. Many people¡ªhusbands, sons, fathers, and brothers¡ª So many men will die in agony, writhing on the ground as they suffocate. I am about to become a murderer without equal. I anguished over this for a very long time before finally coming to terms with the fact. I know that there is no turning back now. So why did I have to witness something so beautiful now, of all times? Come what may, I must fulfill my mission. Will anyone set foot in this place again? Will anyone bear witness to such a wondrous sight? Everything I¡¯d believed in until now. And everything I must believe in from this point forth. Why? Why did I have to witness this? Why me? Why now? I don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t understand. Will I ever come to understand? I just don¡¯t understand. Volume 1 1 — Allison and Wil Volume 1 Chapter 1: Allison and Wil ----- The Year 3287 of the World Calendar. Early summer. The sky was a clear azure. The smooth earth was covered in green. In the distance loomed the Central Mountain Range. Some of its great peaks were still capped with snow. When the winds began to blow in from the south, summer would arrive upon this land in full force. There was a boy sitting on the grass, with his back against the red brick of the school building. He had light brown hair and brown eyes. He was of average height and build, and was wearing a summer uniform¡ªa white button-up shirt and a pair of navy pants. The little badge on his collar identified the boy as a fifth-year student at Lowe Sneum Memorial Secondary School. If he hadn¡¯t skipped a grade, he would be either sixteen or seventeen. He didn¡¯t look old enough to have failed two semesters in a row¡ªin other words, held back a year. The boy leisurely produced a book from the bag next to him. The book was small, but considerably thick. The school library¡¯s mark was stamped on the back cover. He turned to the page he had bookmarked. But he paused before he began reading. He slowly looked up. The sun shone brilliantly upon the boy and the open book. He closed the book, put it back into his bag, and stood. Taking about fifty steps towards the trees, he sat down under the shade of a full green branch. Once again, he took out the book and opened it. He began to read. Lowe Sneum Memorial Secondary School was situated between farmlands and plains. The grounds, large enough to fit a small village, were surrounded by coniferous trees. Five sturdy school buildings, made of red bricks, stood in a line. Around these buildings were a staff building, an indoor gymnasium, and a kitchen for making school lunches, among others. Also on the unnecessarily expansive grounds were a large running track, a field for ball games, a grove of trees, a small patch of farmland for educational purposes, and a wide-open area dotted with giant trees. This facility was originally an army post used by the cavalry. But it was sold to the ministry of education twenty-four years ago and converted into a school. Now, it was the most famous secondary school in the area¡ªa facility educating approximately a thousand students between the ages of twelve and eighteen. It was just when the boy had flipped through about five pages. The door on the side of the school building opened, and about a dozen students wearing first-year badges spilled outside in an excited chatter. Following after them was a tall, middle-aged teacher holding a portable blackboard under his arm. The boy looked up. The first-years approached him, still chattering. Some seemed surprised to see him, while others did not seem to care. Soon, the teacher spotted him and stopped. ¡°I see you¡¯re reading something interesting, Wil.¡± The boy¡ªWilhelm Schultz¡ªlooked up, greeted the teacher, and nodded. The teacher asked Wil about the book. Wil hesitated for a moment before showing him the cover. The teacher chuckled wryly. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to have to tell me what it says, Wil.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a book of children¡¯s stories, sir.¡± ¡°Children¡¯s stories?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a collection of stories from the West. A lot of them are known here, too, but some of the stories have completely different endings.¡± Wil answered. The teacher shrugged. ¡°I had no idea we had books like this in the library.¡± ¡°Were you giving remedial lessons to the first-years, sir?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s only the first term, but they¡¯re so full of energy. They¡¯re still stuck in primary school mode. Ah, that reminds me. Why don¡¯t you join us, Wil? We¡¯re studying history today. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be a wonderful teacher. And I¡¯m sure I could get some well-deserved sleep.¡± The teacher joked. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to decline, sir.¡± Wil laughed, shaking his head. The students decided on a spot three trees away, and called their teacher over. The teacher said goodbye to Wil and returned to the waiting first-years. He then set up the blackboard on the ground. ¡°Sir, is that upperclassman staying back for remedial classes, too?¡± One of the first-years asked quietly so Wil wouldn¡¯t hear. The other students laughed. It had been three days since the beginning of summer break. The students at Lowe Sneum Memorial had gone back home for the first time in half a year. The only ones who remained were those students whose marks were so low that they needed to take remedial classes, kept behind at school for about ten more days. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± The teacher said, shaking his head. ¡°Was he the one who was at the festival?¡± One of the students asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. And his marks are actually not bad at all. In fact, with his academic record, he could probably skip a grade.¡± ¡°Oh. So why¡¯s he here?¡± Another student asked. A shadow passed over the teacher¡¯s face. Without answering his pupil¡¯s question, he picked up a chalk and drew a large potato shape on the board. ¡°Let¡¯s begin the lesson, everyone. Make sure to pay attention, or you¡¯ll have to wait a very long time to eat your mother¡¯s home cooking. We¡¯ll start with geography.¡± It was the shape of a potato¡ªa circle slightly stretched out horizontally. This was the shape of the only continent on this planet. The drawing on the board soon began to grow more and more like the image of the map of the world, accurate perspective and all. The lower tip of the potato was skirting the equator. The upper tip was jutting just past 60¡ã N. The teacher began to draw mountain symbols at the bottom of the center of the oval. He slowly moved upwards, stopping about midway. He then drew two parallel lines on either side of the mountain range. The lines connected at the top of the range, and continued north until they hit the ocean at the top. ¡°Let¡¯s start with a review. Sorry for the awful drawing. The mountains here are the Central Mountain Range. The lines are the Lutoni River.¡± The continent was bisected by the river and the mountain range. The Central Mountain Range was the longest and largest mountain range in the world, with several peaks that stood over ten thousand meters tall. The mountain range started at the very bottom of the continent, and reached straight up to 30¡ã N. In other words, it ended at about the center of the continent. It was here that the Lutoni River took over as the border. The East and West Lutoni Rivers, running parallel to each other on either side of the mountain range, converged and widened, swallowing countless tributaries along the way. The river flowed in a nearly-straight line towards the ocean in the north. What is the name of the nation on this side?¡± The teacher asked, indicating at the eastern side of the perfectly bisected map. ¡°Roxche, sir.¡± One student answered immediately. The teacher asked for the official name. A girl spoke up. ¡°The Roxcheanuk Confederation. The nation we live in.¡± ¡°Correct. It¡¯s a bit of a mouthful, but it¡¯s important to remember our official name.¡± The teacher said, labeling the east side ¡®Roxche¡¯. Some of the students complained about the teacher using the short form, but the teacher replied that he had no room to write the full name on his diagram. He then pointed at the western side. ¡°What about this side?¡± ¡°The Evil Empire!¡± One of the students cried out jokingly. The others burst into laughter. ¡°Yes, some people call it that. But what about its official name and shortened name?¡± The mischievous student could not answer. Another student spoke up. ¡°The Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa, sir. Sou Be-Il for short.¡± ¡°Excellent. And just to warn you¡ªif I see ¡®Evil Empire¡¯ on any of your tests, I will penalize you. Now, there¡¯s another, unofficial word we use to refer to Sou Be-Il. Can someone tell me?¡± ¡°Cross-River!¡± Several students answered at once. ¡°Yes. They are across the Lutoni River, so we call them ¡®Cross-River¡¯. Simple. Now, do you know what the people Cross-River call Roxche?¡± The teacher asked. This time, no one could answer him. Several nonsense answers were suggested, before the students finally went quiet. ¡°Cross-River.¡± Wil whispered the answer to himself, reading his book. ¡°Just like all of you have come from many different countries, Roxche is made up of sixteen countries and territories on the eastern side of the continent. Sou Be-Il is made up of the two large kingdoms on the western side, along with several small countries. In primary school, you¡¯ve probably only been taught the history of Roxche. But our relationship with Cross-River becomes important now.¡± ¡°Is it about the war?¡± A student asked. The teacher nodded. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± The history of the relationship between Roxche and Sou Be-Il was synonymous with the history of warfare. In the distant past, when civilization was in its infancy, the World Calendar was still in its first digit. East and West were isolated from each other, cut off by the mountain range and the river. They were essentially two different worlds. Eventually, civilizations grew mature, and countries were created. And after countless battles and wars, East and West were each united into an empire. Wars between countries turned into wars between the two empires. It was recorded in history books from the distant past that dozens of great wars were fought between the empires of the East and West. To attack and annihilate the land across the river soon became the goal of both empires. But geography made dust of these ambitions. They had crossed the river and claimed territory on the other side for short periods of time, but they were quickly driven back across. Nearly a thousand years passed. The great empires, which had been unified powers, scattered into countless small countries. For centuries these small countries of the East and West crumbled and revived over and over again. With the Middle Ages came the era of kings and knights. Approximately four hundred years ago, the kingdoms of the West forged an alliance. And in order to fulfill the ambitions of the emperors of old, they attacked the troubled East, which was still in the midst of a civil war. The East put a temporary hold to the in-fighting and united against their loathed common enemy. With the Lutoni river in the center, a long, monotonous century of back-and-forth battles were fought. Afterwards, a frightening pandemic spread across the world, putting a hazy end to the war. The border drawn down the Lutoni river was never changed. Even in relatively modern times, when firearms were first deployed, the back-and-forth over the river continued. In the midst of the battles, both sides reached the same conclusion. ¡®What if the countries Cross-River join forces for one massive invasion?¡¯ And so, at the same time, for the same reasons, East and West chose unification. The ancient empires had been revived as a confederation and an alliance respectively. And so, a cold war began. ¡°The cold war lasted for 130 years before it became openly hostile. War broke out between Roxche and Sou Be-Il. This was the Great War. Can someone tell me what year it started?¡± ¡°3252, sir. Exactly thirty-five years ago.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. This was the first and largest war fought between the two nations in contemporary times. The main area of conflict was¡­¡± The teacher drew several ¡®x¡¯s around the mouth of the Lutoni River. ¡°The north. Near the country of Lor and the Republic of Niasham. This is where the river widens and leads into the ocean. It was a constant battle over the vicinity of the river. Countless people were killed, and many lost their homes. But in ¡¯56, the Sou Be-Il military caught us off-guard by invading a point that was further to the south. Can anyone tell me where?¡± The students did not answer. The teacher drew a circle near the point where the rivers converged and the mountain range ended. ¡°The Neit region in the Republic of Raputoa. In other words, this very area.¡± The teacher said, pointing at the ground. ¡°This very place we¡¯re sitting in. The area around our school was a key location at the time. There was one very clever Sou Be-Il general, you see. He realized that the weak link in the Roxche line of defense was this area, where the mountain range ends and many rivers crisscross the land in complex patterns. So he pretended to launch an attack on the north, while instead attacking Neit. He was going to cross the river and take over with one great push, using this area as the foundation for more invasions.¡± The students listened without so much as a word. Some of the boys, who knew how the story went, listened excitedly. ¡°We were taken by surprise. We were panicking. At the time, we didn¡¯t have the kind of forces we needed to fight off such a large-scale invasion. After all, everyone was busy fighting up north. The way things were going, both Raputoa and our neighbor Kerena would be conquered in a moment¡¯s notice. Then, the Roxchean forces fighting in the north would be attacked even from the south. Everyone desperately tried to think of a way to stop the general¡¯s forces. But we just didn¡¯t have enough soldiers, and there was no time to call for reinforcements. That was when one man gave us a miracle.¡± The teacher¡¯s story continued. ¡°Lieutenant Colonel Walter McMillan. With just about a dozen men under his command, the lieutenant colonel snuck into the enemy base in the dead of night. That¡¯s where he got them with poison gas. Anyone who took so much as a whiff died. The enemy general, his subordinates¡ªall of them were killed. The enemy had no choice but to retreat. For years afterwards, this attack was condemned as being an inhumane act on Roxche¡¯s part. But if that attack had never succeeded, there would have been many more casualties¡ªboth on our side and theirs. Roxche might even have lost the war. At the time, I was younger than you all are now. But I still remember it like it was yesterday. I remember thinking to myself, ¡®Oh. Roxche isn¡¯t going to lose now¡¯.¡± ¡°What happened that amazing man, sir?¡± One of the boys asked. ¡°Of course, Lieutenant Colonel McMillan became a hero. But all of his men were killed in the battle. He was the only one to make it back alive. Afterwards, he refused all medals and promotions, and retired. He went back to his hometown to live in peace. I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s even alive anymore.¡± ¡°Whaaaat.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°Cool.¡± ¡°An armistice was signed in the year 3257. But an armistice is different from a termination of hostilities. To be specific, Roxche and Sou Be-Il are technically still at war. Fifteen years ago¡ªthat would be in 3272, there was a skirmish in the North Sea that ended very quickly. But the Lestki Island Conflict ten years ago lasted an entire year. You all must have been about two at the time, so I suppose you wouldn¡¯t remember.¡± The teacher drew a close-up of a section of the Lutoni River and drew in the middle a long, thin island. ¡°Now, the conflict was over sovereignty of Lestki Island. This particular battle was only fought on the island and the surrounding areas. It lasted for an entire year, but in the end, it was decided that neither Roxche nor Sou Be-Il would possess this land. This was an incredible development. Until that point, the border between the nations was considered the middle of the Lutoni River, but after this conflict, the river and the thirty-kilometer area adjacent to its banks became demilitarized. This is called a buffer zone. It¡¯s a sort of cushion that prevents us from bumping into one another. And this buffer zone still exists today. Only fishermen who¡¯ve received special permission are allowed to approach the river. And so, we¡¯re spared the risk of battle breaking out over unforeseen accidents.¡± The teacher took out his pocket watch and glanced at it. Then, he continued. ¡°There was another historical development concerning the Lestki Island Conflict. This is actually material for later years, but since I¡¯m on the topic, let me tell you. This battle marks the first use of aeroplanes in battle. The first instance of manned flight was twenty years before the conflict¡ªin other words, in the direct aftermath of the Great War. At the time, of course, no one thought we could use aeroplanes for war. But they slowly grew more and more advanced, and played a critical role during the Lestki Island Conflict. They acted as scouts, bombers, and fighter planes that took down enemy aircraft. And from now on, they¡¯ll play even more important roles in battle. Having more aeroplanes might become better than having more cannons. Warfare itself could undergo a complete paradigm shift.¡± Wil looked up and glanced at the teacher. Then, he returned to his book. ¡°There hasn¡¯t been a single war between Roxche and Sou Be-Il in the last ten years, and trade between the two nations is becoming steadily more frequent. So I suppose you could call this peacetime. But you never know what¡¯s going to happen. It¡¯s impossible for Roxche and Sou Be-Il to get along, you see, so it wouldn¡¯t be strange for war to break out at any time. Don¡¯t forget. We always have to be prepared in case they invade us. We have to be ready to defend our nation. This is why everyone is conscripted at age eighteen.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t we get along? I mean, I wish we could be friends, just like our class.¡± One of the girls asked. ¡°Excellent question. And it¡¯s certainly a good thing for you to get along with your classmates. You mustn¡¯t hate or despise others. But Roxche and Cross-River can never get along.¡± The teacher said firmly to the many sets of eyes fixated upon him, ¡°This is because both sides claim that their ancestors were the ancestors of humanity. In the Two Empires Era, both sides believed that humans were made by God. They believed that they were the first humans to be created, and that they were the ancestors of all people. This was why East and West could never get along on equal terms. That line of thought continued into the Middle Ages.¡± The teacher stopped for breath, and continued. ¡°But recently, research has shown that, in the distant past, humans evolved from monkeys. I¡¯m sure all of you have seen that diagram of the little monkey slowly walking on two legs and becoming a human.¡± The students nodded. ¡°In that case, even if people weren¡¯t made by God, from which side did the first humans emerge? Which side had the longest history? Which side were the ancestors from? That¡¯s what everyone began to wonder. And both sides claim to be the ancestors. You¡¯ll learn much more about this topic in your third year.¡± ¡°Which one do you think is right, sir?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Where do you think the ancestors of humans came from? Roxche, or Sou Be-Il?¡± The teacher was silent for about five seconds. Then, he said firmly, ¡°Of course they came from Roxche. After all, it¡¯s objective truth that we¡¯re much more developed in many aspects. We have a larger population, and we have fewer poor countries and territories. This means that so many more people are living good lives here in Roxche. And historically speaking, the greatest artists and inventors were mostly Roxchean. We must be proud of the fact that we¡¯re from the East. Never forget that we, and our ancestors, are superior to those mistaken people from Cross-River. This is what you¡¯re here to learn, and this is what we teachers are here to teach.¡± The teacher¡¯s voice was carried on the wind to Wil as he remained glued to his book. He moved once during his reading to follow the shade of the tree as it shifted under the sun. There was a light breeze. His hair shook. At the same time, Wil heard the low-pitched hum of an insect at his left ear. He waved his hand to drive it away. ¡°?¡± But the hum did not cease. Wil placed a bookmark on the page he was reading and stood. He then stepped out of the shade and looked up at the sky. ¡°Sir, over there!¡± One of the first-years cried, spotting the source of the sound. The students looked up into the sky all at once. There were two small aeroplanes in the air. Propellers were spinning at their noses, and they had two wings¡ªone atop and one underneath the fuselage. Jutting out from the lower wings were sturdy sets of landing gear. The two planes flew side-by-side at low altitude against the backdrop of the blue sky, the rhythmic hum of their engines drawing nearer as they skirted the school grounds. ¡°Wow! Real aeroplanes!¡± The first-years broke out into excited chatter once more. Although aeroplanes were now being used for civilian travel and transport purposes between the larger cities, not many people had yet seen one in person. The teacher and the students put a temporary hold on their outdoor lesson to leave the shade of the tree and look up at the approaching aircrafts. ¡°Look at the fuselage, everyone. See the emblem with the Spear of Seron? Those aeroplanes belong to the Roxchean Air Force.¡± The teacher said, brimming with excitement. Just as he said, there was an emblem with a spear on the left side of the fuselage. The spear was black, and had a pointed tip like an arrowhead. There was a thicker section at the top of the shaft, which was presumably the grip of the spear. And on either side of the very top were red markings that looked like an arrow¡¯s fletches. The Spear of Seron, the official crest of the Roxcheanuk Confederation. It was an ancient motif that had been carved onto pottery and the like from antiquity. During the Two Empires Era, the spear¡ªthen known as a demon-slaying spear¡ªwas used as the crest of the emperors. The motif survived the fall of the empire, and was carved and painted onto the middle of shields and flags borne by kings and knights in the ages that followed. After the establishment of Roxche, it was placed on the upper-left corner of the Roxchean national flag as a symbol of unity. ¡°The air force¡­¡± Wil muttered to himself. The two aeroplanes continued their slow approach, as though parading the two spears to the students. Each plane had two seats, both exposed to the air. And at the pilot¡¯s seats could be seen pilots wearing aviator hats. The first-years waved energetically at the planes. As though in response, one of the aeroplanes moved its flaps. The second plane followed suit. At this point, students were practically hanging out of some of the classroom windows for a look at this unusual sight. The hum of the engines soon grew quiet. The two planes flew over the running track, showing the left sides of their tails, and¡ªdid not disappear from view. The aeroplane that had first greeted the students suddenly made a sharp left turn. The top of its fuselage was clearly visible from the ground as it swerved in the direction of the students. It then began to descend and move faster. Right in front of Wil, the students, and the red brick building, the plane swerved ninety degrees to the left. It passed between the students and the building at extremely low altitude, angled as though about to make a landing on the school wall. Several girls screamed, spooked by the roar of the engine. The students who were looking out the windows quickly drew back for fear of being run over. The two pilots sitting in the plane were clearly visible to Wil and the students. They were wearing brown aviator hats, goggles, and mufflers over their faces. The first-years let out shouts of shock and excitement. ¡°I was so sure they would crash¡­ What an incredible show of acrobatics.¡± The teacher gasped. The plane once more swerved sharply to the left. It then oriented itself towards Wil and the others from the end of the running track. This time, however, it began to descend and slow. The aeroplane landed square in the middle of the track, sending dust flying everywhere. It continued to cruise along the ground. ¡°It landed! It landed!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°This is awesome!¡± ¡°C¡¯mon!¡± The first-years cried out eagerly. ¡°No, everyone! Wait! You could die if you get caught in the propellers!¡± The teacher shouted anxiously, scolding the students who were already running for the plane. ¡°So don¡¯t get there before I do, you hear?!¡± With that, the teacher briskly walked over to the aeroplane. Wil hesitated for a moment, before following the teacher at his usual pace. When he glanced back, he saw a dozen or so boys running out of the building. One of them came up to Wil and lightly punched him on the shoulder. It was Wil¡¯s classmate, a boy who was unfortunately taking remedial classes to improve his dismal marks. ¡°Did you see that, Wil?! Real aeroplanes! From the Roxchean Air Force! And one landed right on the grounds!¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s amazing¡­ Hey, what about remedial classes?¡± ¡°As if anyone¡¯s gonna pay attention now. C¡¯mon! Let¡¯s go take a look!¡± With that, he pushed Wil forward. Wil had no choice but to run now. The aeroplane had come to a complete stop. Even its engine had been shut off. A well-built pilot¡ªa man of about thirty¡ªstood there with his arms spread out, as though telling the first-years to stay back. He was wearing a grey set of coveralls and a pair of military boots. He was also wearing a leather jacket, on the left arm of which was emblazoned the crest with the Spear of Seron, the mark of the Roxche military. On either side of his collar was his badge of rank. All the students told the pilot how much they admired him and the aeroplane. The man put on an embarrassed grin. The second plane leisurely circled the sky overhead. By the time Wil had approached the plane, the teacher was showering the pilot with questions. Was this an emergency landing? No. Was this part of some training mission? No. Was this part of a secret air force mission? Of course not. Soon, the other pilot, who had been fiddling with something at the pilot¡¯s seat, approached the first pilot with a small suitcase in hand. The second pilot had a small build, and was also wearing grey coveralls and a jacket, topped with a thick aviator hat, a pair of goggles, and a muffler. The two pilots exchanged words before standing up straight and saluting one another. The larger of the two returned to the plane. He climbed up the fuselage and took the back seat. Then, he put on his hat and goggles and pulled the muffler over his mouth. The engine came to life with an explosive noise. It was quickly followed by the sound of the propeller spinning. The aeroplane began to move as though gliding, swerving left and doing a 180 in an instant. The students could no longer help but turn their backs on the dust cloud kicked up by the propeller. The plane began to cruise along the field, and quickly took off into the air. As the students watched in awe, the aeroplane joined its companion in the air, and the two flew off into the distance in formation. The dust settled, and the grounds were quiet once more. Only the smaller of the pilots was left standing there. Naturally, all eyes were on this pilot. The pilot took off their hat and goggles, and pulled down their muffler. A small commotion broke out among the people on the field. The pilot was a woman. A girl not yet twenty, who would not be out of place among the students of Lowe Sneum Memorial. She had a small build and pleasant features, with large blue eyes. Her long, straight hair shone a brilliant blond. ¡°Whoa¡­ She can¡¯t be from Cross-River, can she?¡± Wil¡¯s friend whispered. The combination of blue eyes and blond hair was almost unheard of in these parts. Most people had black, brown, or chestnut hair, with grey, brown, or green eyes. This girl¡¯s coloring was more common, but still extremely rare, in colder areas like parts of northeastern Roxche. However, the residents of the capital of Sou Be-Il¡ªthe city of Sfrestus in the northern region¡ªwere also said to have blond hair and blue eyes. The girl slapped the dust off her jacket and pulled out her long hair from under it. It fell down all the way to her back. She tied it into a ponytail at her neck. ¡°B, but¡­ she can¡¯t be an enemy, right? She¡¯s in the air force¡­¡± Wil¡¯s friend said. At that very moment, the girl looked in their direction. She placed her hat atop her suitcase and walked straight towards them. The first-years cleared the way for her without a word. The teacher made to speak to her as she passed him by, but he lost his chance. Wil¡¯s friend grabbed Wil by the sleeve and asked in a panicked tone, ¡°Did I¡­ say something insulting just now? Yes? She¡¯s not gonna shoot me, is she?¡± But the girl stopped in front of Wil, and looked into his face. Wil was very slightly taller than her. His friend let go of his sleeve and staggered backwards. Wil looked at the girl. The girl slowly smiled and said gently, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Wil. How are you?¡± ¡°Allison?¡± Wil asked. ¡°The one and only.¡± The girl¡ªAllison Whittington¡ªnodded with a grin. ¡°What, were you expecting someone else?¡± * * * Like other secondary schools, Lowe Sneum Memorial Secondary School operated on a dormitory system. But the dorms, in this case, were not located on the school grounds. Instead, they were in the nearest settlement in the area¡ªthe town of Makkaniu. Of course, it was still fifteen kilometers away from the school. This was because, when the school was first founded, the townspeople feared that they would not profit in any way from the school and demanded that the dorms be located there. The students commuted to their classes via school buses operated by the town¡¯s bus company. During the school year, school buses ran frequently all day long in time with the school schedule. But fewer buses ran during the breaks, when the remedial classes were in session. Once the remedial classes were finished, bus service to and from the school was cut altogether. Students and staff who remained in the dorms and went to the school building during the breaks were allowed to borrow motorcycles equipped with sidecars, or bicycles. Of course, not everyone could borrow the former. Only students past their third year with good grades who had taken driving lessons were allowed to use them. About four kilometers south of the school was a lake and a wetland. Groundwater from the Central Mountain Range created a lake in a large hollow in the plains, which was surrounded by a marsh. Allison and Wil were sitting on a low hill, from where they could see the entire marsh. Wil was wearing a light summer jacket over his button-up shirt, and Allison was in a comfortable pair of pants and a thick shirt. ¡°Yeah, this is the place. I thought it looked really beautiful when I was passing overhead.¡± Allison said as she looked down at the landscape. She then turned to Wil. ¡°Do you come here a lot?¡± Wil shook his head. ¡°Not really. Maybe because it¡¯s too close to the school.¡± Behind the two of them stood one of the school¡¯s sidecar-equipped motorcycles. Two seats were on the motorcycle, one behind the other, and the sidecar was attached to the right side of the motorcycle. On the sidecar, composed of a simple seat and a handle, was the crest of the school administration and the vehicle registration number. ¡°You came so suddenly¡­ I was really surprised.¡± Wil said. When his friend and the teacher realized that Wil and the pilot knew each other, they bombarded him with one question after another. Wil managed to worm his way out with vague answers, and as Allison changed out of her coveralls in the infirmary, he signed out a school motorcycle. They left the school as though in escape. ¡°Really? But I wrote saying I¡¯d come see you sometime during your summer break. And you said you were just going to stay at the dorms since you didn¡¯t really want to go anywhere. I can stay at the dorms even though I¡¯m not a student, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, but¡ªI mean, sure, you can stay at the dorms¡ªbut I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d arrive on an air force aeroplane. I was expecting you to come by train. I was going to come pick you up at the station once you sent me a telegram. How¡¯d you arrange for the ride?¡± ¡°Would you believe me if I said it was a special reward for good workplace behavior?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­Remember I wrote to you before saying I was placed into a unit that transports aeroplanes?¡± ¡°Yeah. Last fall.¡± ¡°I was deployed on a mission to transport these new practice planes from the factory to Kinani. We were going to pass by Neit on the way, so I decided to take a few days off.¡± ¡°I see. So you got a lift all the way here.¡± ¡°Actually, I flew it all the way here. Although we were delayed two days because of some awful weather.¡± ¡°So you really can pilot those machines and fly through the air, Allison¡­ That¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it awesome how I just skirted over the school before? The first lieutenant on board with me told me to stop it, though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just like you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Allison said, sounding slightly angry. Then, her tone dropped. ¡°Are things going well with you, Wil?¡± ¡°More or less. I¡¯m just going to school, reading books at the library during the breaks and stuff. Things are pretty relaxed here. What about you, Allison?¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s going well¡­ or not. It¡¯s not great. I¡¯m flying almost every day. Sure, that¡¯s fun. But no matter what I do, they just won¡¯t let me on a fighter plane.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you write saying you were on one not too long ago?¡± ¡°Yeah, but that was just for a little bit on a transportation mission. I mean, I got to pilot it all I wanted. But what I¡¯m saying is that they won¡¯t transfer me to a combat unit. For stupid reasons like ¡®Because you¡¯re too young¡¯, or ¡®Because you¡¯re a girl¡¯.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I see.¡± Wil said. At that moment, a waterfowl skidded across the surface of the lake and flew into the air. Allison and Wil watched it together. And suddenly, they looked at one another. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± For some time, they stood there in silence. Then, Allison said in a slightly annoyed tone, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say? We haven¡¯t seen each other in half a year.¡± ¡°Um¡­ Not really. What about you, Allison?¡± Wil asked. ¡°...Hm¡­¡± Allison was lost for words. She stared blankly into the air for a moment. ¡°Oh! Something funny happened to me the other day. I couldn¡¯t wait to tell you!¡± She said suddenly, amused. She then stuck up her index finger at Wil. ¡°The other day, I got a love letter!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°¡®Oh¡¯? That¡¯s it?¡± Allison glared. ¡°No, well¡­¡± This time, it was Wil¡¯s turn to stare blankly into the air. ¡°But it¡¯s a funny story, so I¡¯ll tell you the rest. You won¡¯t believe this¡ªthe letter was from a man from Cross-River.¡± The term ¡®Cross-River¡¯ shocked Wil. His gaze returned to Allison. She looked at him, entertained by his reaction. Their eyes met. ¡°How did that happen?¡± Wil said without an ounce of humor. ¡°Did you hear about the joint rescue training the Roxchean Air Force did with Sou Be-Il about two weeks ago?¡± Wil nodded. ¡°I heard about it on the radio. And I read about it in the papers, too. Apparently it was the first time both armies were involved in something where there weren¡¯t any casualties. It was written in a really sarcastic tone.¡± ¡°Yeah. We were training to use seaplanes to rescue sailors from the water. It was on an island in a wide section of the Lutoni River buffer zone. Officially, it was supposed to be because of that recent fishing agreement they signed. Since more fishing ships are going to go out into the river now, we were supposed to be jointly deciding on methods of communication, emergency signals, and rules in case some of those fishermen end up in an accident. Trying to prevent battle from breaking out from misunderstandings, you know? But really, both sides were actually trying to figure out ways to save allied pilots who end up making an emergency landing in the river. But since both forces are in a honeymoon period, they went through with the joint training. Some people from our unit transported the aeroplanes, and I begged them to let me join in, too. That¡¯s when this young second lieutenant from Sou Be-Il suddenly came up to me and started talking in broken Roxchean.¡± ¡°Really? ¡°This is the first thing he said. ¡®Good day. Are you the daughter of Colonel Rosemeitz?¡¯. Oh, Colonel Rosemeitz is our commander. It¡¯s like he thought this was some sort of a vacation. He brought his family to the village nearby! I got so mad, I ended up half-lying and told him, ¡®No, I¡¯m a pilot¡¯.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°Then he got all impressed and apologized, and then asked me out to tea. Although really, the closest thing to a cafe they had was a table and a couple of chairs set up under a tarp.¡± ¡°Then what happened?¡± ¡°I thought it might be interesting, so I followed him. The soldiers from Cross-River were all looking at me, and I had a lot of fun talking about aeroplanes with him. That was all. But four days after the training session, he sent me a letter addressed to our unit¡¯s captain. Apparently he wanted to court me officially and exchange letters with me.¡± ¡°...They inspected that letter before you got it, right?¡± ¡°Definitely. But it got to me properly. My unit wouldn¡¯t stop talking about it for a while. About how brave that officer from Cross-River was or something. But I ended up writing to him to politely decline. He was pretty cool, though.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wil said nothing. ¡°Surprised?¡± Allison asked, sounding a little proud. ¡°I am. I¡¯m really shocked. And¡­ I¡¯m honestly amazed. It really is a surprise.¡± Wil replied, looking at Allison. ¡°Right?¡± Allison said, flicking her golden hair. But Wil¡¯s thoughts lay someplace different. ¡°You¡¯ve gone really far, huh¡­¡± ¡°Hm? What do you mean?¡± ¡°The relationship between the two forces. It¡¯s surprising enough that they¡¯re interacting at all, but I had no idea soldiers were free to talk, and even write to one another like that. Allison¡­ you should have at least asked to keep exchanging letters with¡ªOuch.¡± Allison punched him. * * * On the motorcycle, Wil and Allison were going down a path that cut straight through a farm. The path was a level higher than the field around it, but it was a dirt road that had not been paved. Allison was sitting in the sidecar, lazily watching the scenery pass them by. The crops growing in the fields, the horizon, and the peaks of the Central Mountain Range in the distance. Wil slowed down in the middle of the path. He kept his eyes forward as he mentioned to Allison, ¡°Oh, I went to Kaashi last month.¡± ¡°Last month? You went to the festival?¡± Allison looked at Wil. He nodded. ¡°I¡¯m jealous. Did you have fun?¡± ¡°Actually¡­ I wasn¡¯t there to play. I was part of the Shooting Competition.¡± ¡°You were? Really?!¡± Allison asked, surprised. Wil responded matter-of-factly as he continued to drive. ¡°Back in spring semester, one of my friends recommended the shooting experience class to me. It¡¯s part of the military sciences officers¡¯ program. I thought it might be fun, since I¡¯d never used a gun before. Then they suddenly said that I have a knack for shooting, and dragged me into the shooting club. I didn¡¯t really mind it, but then they told me to enter the Kaashi Competition as the school representative. Thanks to that, I ended up having to deal with an upset upperclassman who just graduated recently.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not surprising. Every shooting club in Raputoa lives to fire a shot in front of everyone at that competition.¡± Allison said. Her tone then brightened. ¡°So how¡¯d you do? Did you win anything?¡± ¡°I was sixth place.¡± Wil said quietly. ¡°What?! Sixth place?!¡± Allison gasped, taking to her feet. Wil glanced up at her. ¡°Don¡¯t stand up, Allison. It¡¯s dangerous. Anyway, I don¡¯t know if it was just a coincidence or if I was just in really good condition that day. I was so nervous that it all went by before I knew it. But everyone congratulated me, and that upperclassman I told you about was back in high spirits¡­ It was a lot of fun.¡± Allison slowly sat back down. ¡°It really must have been. I¡¯m really surprised, Wil. Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± ¡°Because it might have sounded like I was showing off.¡± Wil said quietly. Allison pointed accusingly at him. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you, Wil?! You should be more proud of yourself. A little bit of showing off is nothing to be ashamed of!¡± She then spread her arms and raised them to the sky. ¡°But then again, I guess that¡¯s just not you. It¡¯s all right. From now on, I¡¯ll show off for you. I¡¯ll tell everyone, ¡®Wil here placed sixth in the 3287 Kaashi Shooting Competition¡¯! Okay?¡± Wil smiled, his expression a cross between embarrassment and self-deprecation. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ve really got a talent for shooting, Wil. They say that the calm ones are usually the best marksmen.¡± ¡°Including you, I¡¯ve heard the same thing from twenty-seven people, Allison.¡± ¡°Were you counting?¡± Allison asked. ¡°No. I just remember.¡± Wil replied matter-of-factly. ¡°I¡¯m so jealous, Wil. When we were learning to shoot handguns in the military, I couldn¡¯t even hit a watermelon from five meters away. The captain said, ¡®If we put you on a fighter plane, you¡¯d only waste your bullets¡¯ with this really astonished face. But you know, shooting with a gun in hand is completely different from shooting from an aeroplane! Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you, Allison¡­¡± As the narrow path neared an irrigation canal, it gave way to a bridge. An elderly man sat on the railings of the stone bridge, looking into the sky. Sticking up underneath the skies were the peaks of the Central Mountain Range. The old man was probably well past seventy. He had gone mostly bald, and even the remaining hairs on his head were completely white. He wore a patched-up checkered shirt with a set of overalls commonly worn by farmers. The old man looked at the motorcycle as it approached from a distance. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s him.¡± Wil said, looking at the old man waving his hand on the path ahead. He lowered the gear and slowed down. ¡°Do you know him?¡± ¡°Sort of. Everyone in our school knows about him. He lives by himself at the edge of town, but nobody knows what he does. He¡¯s always wandering the village or the plains, and sometimes he stops students on their way and talks about the strangest things.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°All kinds of stuff. About how he was once a royal butler, how he owns a diamond mine, how he used to be the captain of a luxury cruise liner, how he¡¯s a famous author, or how he¡¯s a prolific inventor¡­¡± ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°My upperclassman says¡­ he probably escaped from some hospital. Everyone at school just calls him ¡®The Lying Old Man¡¯.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably going to ask for a ride home. He asked me once before, too.¡± Wil stopped the motorcycle just before the old man, who stood waving in the middle of the path. The latter ran up to Allison and Wil with surprising speed for a man of his age. ¡°Hello there! You¡¯re the clever young man from the secondary school. And what¡¯s this? A beautiful young lady with golden hair. I¡¯m sorry to bother you, but could you spare some time to take me back home? I was just out on walk, you see, but I suddenly felt very tired. My house is very close¡ªjust down there. I promise I won¡¯t get in the way of your date. And if you¡¯d like, you can stop by at my house for a short rest.¡± Wil looked around. There was nothing but plains all around them. He turned to Allison for her opinion. She had already climbed out of the sidecar. ¡°Here you are.¡± She said, offering her seat to the old man. ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± The old man sat in the sidecar, and Allison sat behind Wil. ¡°Is this all right?¡± Wil asked, looking back at her. ¡°You were going to give him a ride anyway, weren¡¯t you? You¡¯d never turn down someone¡¯s request, Wil. And besides¡­¡± She smiled, ¡°he even gave you a compliment.¡± ¡®Just down there¡¯ turned out to be a full ten kilometers from the bridge. They diverged from the street where the buses ran and rode through a narrow road that no one seemed to have used. Soon, they spotted a house surrounded by several trees. It was a little red house made of brick. So small was the building that it probably contained only the bare essentials, and did not even receive electricity. Propped up in front of the well was a little motorcycle that looked rather like a bicycle equipped with an engine. Wil parked the school motorcycle next to it and shut off the ignition. ¡°I¡¯m very grateful. Thank you. And you drove so carefully, too. I¡¯m impressed.¡± The old man said, climbing out of the sidecar. At that moment, a woman wearing a navy skirt and an apron ran out of the house towards them. She was the housekeeper, in her late forties. ¡°Sir! Where have you been all this time?!¡± She cried, pulling off her apron. ¡°You¡¯re always wandering off and driving me up the wall! Try to be more considerate¡ªdon¡¯t go out so far that you can¡¯t come back alone! Now I won¡¯t have time to go get the groceries!¡± ¡°I¡¯m very sorry.¡± The old man said, not sounding apologetic in the least. ¡°Ah, this young man and his friend gave me a ride back. Young man, young lady, this here is my fussy housekeeper.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to call me fussy, sir. I¡¯m going to go into town for a bit. If you¡¯d like to serve the students some tea, everything should be in order inside. You can do that much on your own.¡± The housekeeper said, climbing onto the small motorcycle and starting the engine. ¡°Take care.¡± The old man said. The woman looked up at the man in shock. ¡°I will.¡± With that quiet answer, the woman departed on the motorcycle. And the old man offered Wil and Allison some tea. ¡°Since we¡¯re here, let¡¯s take a load off and have a relaxing cup of tea. We don¡¯t have anything to do, anyway.¡± Allison said, stepping inside first. Wil followed after her. When they opened the door, they saw three chairs around a small table. Against the wall stood an old sofa. In the middle of the room was a fireplace, steam rising from above it. Prepared on the shelf was a teapot, some cups, and a container filled with tea leaves. ¡°Take a seat, both of you. I¡¯ll have the tea ready soon.¡± The old man said, expertly brewing the tea and bringing it to the table. Allison and Wil thanked him and accepted the cups. The old man poured himself some tea as well and took a seat. ¡°Ah, yes. There¡¯s nothing like a cup of tea after a long, tiring day.¡± He said with a smile. ¡°This is great! I¡¯ve never had such good tea before!¡± Allison said after a single sip. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± Wil agreed, nodding. The old man clapped his hands together. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. This tea¡¯s usually only served to members of the Royal Family of Staatz. Most commoners never even get to drink a sip, but they made a special exception for me because I worked at their summer palace as a gardener when I was young.¡± ¡°That sounds wonderful. By the way, is this another one of your lies?¡± Allison asked. Wil choked on his tea. ¡°Allison¡­¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Haha! You caught me, young lady. I¡¯m sorry, but I have nothing to do with the royal family. And on that note, I¡¯ve never worked as a gardener before.¡± The old man said jovially, not sounding sorry at all. ¡°I knew it.¡± Allison said, sounding just as cheerful. Wil turned to the old man. ¡°Last time I came here with my upperclassmen, you served us this same tea, saying it was the most popular brand in the capital. You said it was so popular that we couldn¡¯t get any here in the countryside.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m surprised you remember that. It must have been more than a year ago.¡± The old man said, astonished. ¡°Yes. Were you telling the truth then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say that I wasn¡¯t.¡± Allison burst into laughter at the old man¡¯s sincerity. ¡°Are you a student at the secondary school too, young lady?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not that smart, so I went straight into the workforce. I¡¯m just visiting Wil because I¡¯m on vacation.¡± The old man nodded. ¡°Oh, but Wil¡¯s a student. He¡¯s really smart, and he even placed sixth in the Kaashi Shooting Competition.¡± Allison said, lightly slapping Wil on the back. ¡°That¡¯s impressive. It¡¯s certainly worth bragging about.¡± The old man said, his eyes widening. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll do you one better. When I was young, I won the competition four times, and placed second twice. Why, I swept the awards so often that, after a while, they told me to stop entering!¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing. Wil, I think he beat you, even if he¡¯s lying.¡± Allison said, pointing at Wil. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just have to practice more.¡± Wil said with a wry grin. Allison and the old man laughed. ¡°You¡¯re a funny young lady. I¡¯d never be bored if all the students were more like you. More tea?¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± The old man poured Allison another cup of tea and offered some to Wil as well. But Wil declined, showing his still-unfinished tea and saying he wasn¡¯t very good with hot food and drinks. ¡°By the way, you two. Let me tell you one more story, to pass the time. Now, I haven¡¯t told this one to very many people. What would you think of it, I wonder? Actually, the truth is¡­¡± The old man paused dramatically, before continuing. ¡°...I know where you can find an amazing treasure.¡± ¡°A treasure?¡± Allison repeated, and turned to Wil. Wil shrugged, sipping his tea with an uncomfortable look. ¡°Yes. A treasure. Are you curious now?¡± The old man asked, leaning closer. ¡°Is this true?¡± Allison asked. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve been telling you all kinds of lies until now, but this story alone is completely true.¡± The old man replied. He didn¡¯t sound any more trustworthy than he did before. ¡°And if you find out that I¡¯m lying, you can take my life. Not that there¡¯s much left of it now.¡± Allison stared at the man for several seconds. Then, ¡°I see. I¡¯m interested. What kind of treasure is it?¡± ¡°Something amazing.¡± ¡°How much is it worth?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something you can put a price on. It¡¯s just too valuable. But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± Wil watched the conversation as he lazily sipped his tea. ¡°This really is delicious.¡± He mumbled to himself. ¡°But¡­¡± The old man continued, with a sharp look at Allison. She returned the stare. ¡°This treasure I¡¯m telling you about is something that can end the war between Roxche and Sou Be-Il. That¡¯s how valuable it is.¡± The old man said. Wil looked up at him. ¡°Isn¡¯t it the most unbelievable story?¡± The old man said proudly. ¡°It¡¯s really amazing, if you¡¯re telling the truth. But how did you find that treasure?¡± Allison asked. Wil put down his cup and began to listen in earnest. ¡°By pure chance. Do you know about the poison gas attack on Sou Be-Il forces that took place during the war in this area?¡± Allison nodded. ¡°Something about a lieutenant colonel and his special unit. Dad told me about it a long time ago.¡± ¡°Ah. You see, I was a member of that very unit. We stumbled upon this treasure on our way back from the mission. We were all shocked. But it was impossible for us to just bring that treasure back. So we vowed to keep its existence a secret and left it where it was.¡± ¡°But they told us in history class that Lieutenant Colonel McMillan was the only survivor from that unit.¡± Wil pointed out. ¡°That was a lie spread by the army to protect the members of the unit from retaliation by enemy spies. And to add to that, there was never anyone called Lieutenant Colonel McMillan. He¡¯s a fictional character who was made to avert responsibility for the poison gas attack from the people involved. Surprised?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re right, then we¡¯ve been learning lies from the teachers all this time.¡± Wil replied. The old man laughed. ¡°That¡¯s what history is. The most important thing isn¡¯t ¡®how to convey the truth¡¯, but ¡®how we convey only certain facts for the most advantageous conclusion¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you announce that you found the treasure?¡± Allison asked. ¡°Hm¡­ The treasure was so stunning that everyone must be too scared to say. And no one would have believed us if all we did was announce the discovery. Not without proof, anyway.¡± The old man¡¯s words began to grow vague. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you go back for it?¡± ¡°Well¡­ There was so much happening during the war and right afterwards. And the treasure was in Sou Be-Il territory.¡± ¡°What about now?¡± ¡°Inside the buffer zone, where no one lives. I¡¯m quite relieved. After all, no one is going to stumble on it now. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t particularly mind if someone did find it. It doesn¡¯t matter now. There¡¯s nothing I want anymore. What would I do with a fortune at my age? Just knowing where I can find that treasure is enough for me. I¡¯m just waiting for the day that someone discovers it. What do you think? Wasn¡¯t that an interesting story?¡± ¡°It was! But is it really there? If I go there, will I really find this amazing treasure?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The old man nodded. ¡°And will whoever finds it become a hero?¡± ¡°Without a doubt.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Allison muttered, falling into thought. ¡°Do you believe me?¡± The old man asked. Wil said nothing, only looking at Allison. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m happy to hear that. More tea?¡± The old man asked, holding up the teapot. Allison waved her left hand. ¡°No thank you. Now, about that treasure¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll believe you, so please tell me where it is. I¡¯ll take you there, sir. And I¡¯ll make the announcement under my name and Wil¡¯s.¡± The old man froze. ¡°...Y, you can¡¯t get there on a motorcycle¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a problem.¡± Allison replied, taking out her jacket from her bag. ¡°Look at this.¡± She spread out the jacket and held it up to the old man. On the collar was her badge of rank, identifying her as a staff sergeant. Emblazoned over the right and left breasts were the name and emblem of the Roxchean Air Force. On the left shoulder was the Spear of Seron. The old man¡¯s wrinkled eyes turned to dinner plates. ¡°Unbelievable¡­ So you¡¯re a soldier, young lady?¡± ¡°I¡¯m from the air force, to be exact. My unit transports aeroplanes from place to place. If we ever have to fly in the area, I¡¯ll sneak you and Wil along and take you to the treasure.¡± ¡°Allison¡­ Is that even allowed?¡± Wil asked. Allison shot him a look. ¡°No.¡± ¡°No...?¡± ¡°I¡¯d definitely get jail time, no two ways about it. But if we manage to find something that valuable, they¡¯ll let me off easy, and things will turn out for the better. What do you think, sir?¡± Allison asked, turning to the old man. He was still looking at her jacket. ¡°Incredible¡­ to think that there were soldiers like you, young lady¡­ Times truly have changed. May I touch this jacket?¡± The old man reached for the jacket. Allison handed it to him. The man looked at the Spear of Seron emblazoned on the shoulder, and placed a hand on the collar, where the badge of rank was. ¡°¡®Ah, the bird that knows not its parent soars without limit¡¯.¡± He mumbled to himself, stroking the badge with his fingers. ¡°So, what do you say?¡± Allison asked, leaning forward. The old man returned her jacket and nodded slightly. ¡°You really are a curious pair. It might be interesting to tell you more.¡± He cleared his throat. Volume 1 2 — Kidnapping, Arson, and Theft Volume 1 Chapter 2: Kidnapping, Arson, and Theft ----- ¡°Now¡­ where to begin¡­ Hm?¡± Just as the old man began to speak, they heard the sound of a vehicle coming to a stop in front of the house. Then, they heard a car door opening and closing. The old man stopped and looked at the door. There was a knock. ¡°What is it? The door is open.¡± ¡°Please excuse me.¡± Said a suit-clad man in his thirties as he entered the house. ¡°¡­!¡± The man froze for a moment at the sight of Allison and Wil staring at him. Then, he cleared his throat and politely addressed the old man. ¡°Pardon the intrusion, but are you the owner of this house?¡± The old man nodded. ¡°I¡¯m from the tax office. I¡¯m here to discuss something about your property tax¡­. And who would these two be? Your family?¡± The man asked, gesturing at Allison and Wil with an open palm. ¡°No, they are my guests. Don¡¯t be alarmed, now.¡± ¡°I see. I was told that you lived alone.¡± The man said with a nod. Wil paled slightly. The man¡¯s eyes grew ever-so-slightly sharper. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry about this, sir, but I¡¯m going to have to ask you to accompany me to the office. There¡¯s some technical details I can¡¯t get into here¡­¡± ¡°Wait! We haven¡¯t finished talking yet.¡± Allison butted in. The man¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Do I have to go today? What if I say no?¡± The old man asked. ¡°I was told to bring you to the office by today. I¡¯ve even got the proper documentation, if you¡¯d like to see.¡± The man shook his head reluctantly and reached into his jacket. The old man sighed, his shoulders dropping. ¡°All right, I understand. I¡¯ll go with you. I suppose you can hear my complaints at the office.¡± ¡°Thank you for your cooperation.¡± The man said. The old man stood up, and the suit-clad man put a hand on his back. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry I have to cut things off here, young man. Young lady. I¡¯ll have to tell you the story some other time. Stay awhile and relax. You don¡¯t need to lock the door; there¡¯s nothing to steal here, anyway.¡± The old man said, looking a little sour. He began heading for the door. ¡°W, wait¡­¡± Allison tried to stop them, but the old man and the suit-clad man walked away. They stepped outside. Allison followed them out. Wil also stood from his seat and joined her. There was a black car parked outside the house. It was the latest model with white lace curtains draped over the windows of the back seat. The old man sat down in the back, as the suit-clad man instructed. At that moment, the old man looked at Allison and Wil and waved at them with a smile. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse us.¡± The suit-clad man said, taking the passenger seat. The driver started the car. It departed along the left side of the narrow road. Then, it veered heavily to the right and disappeared. ¡°Who was that guy? I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s some official from the tax office. That was just plain rude.¡± Allison spat angrily. The car was now a tiny speck in the distance, occasionally dipping in and out of sight each time it hit a bend in the road. Allison looked up at the sky to estimate the time based on the position of the sun. She glanced at her wristwatch for confirmation. Afternoon was already half over. ¡°Let¡¯s lock the door and go back, Wil.¡± She said, prepared to leave, but the gravity in Wil¡¯s expression stopped her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s strange.¡± Wil said, eyes on Allison. ¡°What is?¡± ¡°If that man really was from the local tax office, why was he so surprised to see us? Why did he ask if we were the old man¡¯s family?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Will pointed at the school motorcycle parked next to them. ¡°Anyone from Neit would have known from the motorcycle that someone from our school was in here with-¡± Before Wil could even finish, determination rose to Allison¡¯s face. She rushed into the house and came back outside, pulling on her jacket and carrying two bags and Wil¡¯s jacket. She tossed Wil the latter, threw the bags into the sidecar, and produced a pair of goggles from her own pocket. ¡°Allison?¡± As Wil came up to her in confusion, Allison climbed onto the motorcycle and cried, ¡°Key!¡± The motorcycle was racing down the road. Driving the vehicle was Allison, wearing her jacket, aviator hat, and goggles. And sitting in the sidecar was Wil, hanging onto the handle for dear life. Through the roar of the engine, the whooshing of the wind, and the bumping of the motorcycle, Wil shouted loudly, ¡°Allison! What good is chasing them going to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to them!¡± ¡°¡­And then what?¡± ¡°And¡­ and¡­ I¡¯m just going to get their story! From that official guy! I¡¯m going to ask for ID, too!¡± Wil was about to say something, when Allison sped up even more. The shaking intensified. ¡°Slow down, Allison!¡± Wil cried without thinking, holding tightly onto the handle. Allison complied. ¡°Thanks.¡± Wil said, relieved. At that moment, ¡°There!¡± Allison yelled. Wil asked where ¡®there¡¯ was. Allison pointed at some point ahead of them, to the left. But no matter how much Wil squinted, he could not see them. Allison slowed down and swerved left onto an even narrower path. She sped up again. Wil could finally see a little speck driving in the distance. It was the same car from before. ¡°I wonder where they¡¯re going.¡± ¡°Definitely not Makkaniu. That¡¯s the opposite direction. That way¡­ there shouldn¡¯t be anything but farmland.¡± ¡°That¡¯s even more suspicious.¡± Allison said excitedly. By the time the motorcycle caught up with the car, the car began to slow. About ten meters behind the car, Allison sounded the klaxon several times. The car slowed down even more, but it continued to cruise, not stopping. ¡°What¡¯s he up to? I¡¯m going to overtake him and make him stop.¡± Allison declared angrily. ¡°You can¡¯t. The road¡¯s too narrow.¡± Wil pointed out. The road was about the width of a car and a half. The shoulder led down a slope to an unused patch of farmland about a meter below. ¡°¡­Urgh.¡± Allison angrily sounded the klaxon once more, but the car continued cruising at minimum speed, as though taunting her. ¡°I¡¯ll chase you down as far as this fuel tank takes us!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so ra-¡± The moment Wil spoke, the car suddenly veered into the middle of the road. Up ahead was a narrow bridge. Allison continued to sound the klaxon, following the car into the middle of the road. ¡°Huh?¡± Wil noticed something sticking out of the rear window on the right side of the car. It was a person¡¯s hand. It was gripping something black, small, and thin. The round cylinder of the object was pointed in their direction. ¡°¡­! Allison! They¡¯ve got a gun!¡± Wil cried, getting to his feet in the sidecar and pulling Allison over to him by the jacket. ¡°Whoa!¡± Allison moved across into the sidecar, taken by surprise. The motorcycle without a driver began to tilt off-balance. Wil tightly held Allison and leapt onto the shoulder. They tumbled down the hill through overgrown weeds. The blue of the sky and the green of the earth spun in their vision in turn. The riderless motorcycle continued, leaning away from the sidecar, before the sidecar hit the railings of the bridge. The motorcycle spun from the impact, flipping over halfway and landing on its side, scattering Allison and Wil¡¯s belongings everywhere. The hand disappeared back into the car. The car sped off. Allison was lying on the boundary between the shoulder and the farmland. Grass covered her goggles, filling her vision with green. She tried moving her arms and legs. Everything seemed to be working, and she didn¡¯t feel any pain. ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly, she realized that there was something on top of her. Her jacket had come undone, and there was something pressing down on her chest. Allison slowly brushed away the grass. ¡°Wil¡­?¡± Her vision was clear again. Allison raised her head and looked over her body. ¡°¡­¡± With a disappointed look, she pushed away her bag from atop her chest. ¡°Wil?¡± Allison leapt to her feet and called for Wil. She looked around. He was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Wil!¡± ¡°Over here¡­ I¡¯m over here, Allison¡­¡± She could hear Wil¡¯s feeble voice. Allison walked over in his direction. He was in the creek, sitting in the water as though he had landed that way. His lower body was soaked. ¡°Are you all right, Wil? You¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡± Wil looked up. ¡°I hit my leg on something, but I think I¡¯m fine. What about you, Allison?¡± ¡°I¡¯m all right. Thanks for asking.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Did you see the gun they were aiming from the car?¡± Allison shook her head. ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°Here.¡± Allison held out her hand. Wil took it and rose to his feet, dripping wet. He sat on the bank of the creek. ¡°What about the car?¡± He asked. Allison leapt onto the shoulder and looked into the distance. The car was long gone. ¡°Damn it!¡± She swore. * * * The student dormitories of Lowe Sneum Memorial Secondary School were a distinctive structure in Makkaniu. On the edge of the village of narrow roads and wooden buildings was a long, large, three-story building made of reinforced concrete, something straight out of the streets of the capital. Four such buildings were clustered together in two lines. In the middle of the structures was a large cafeteria, the dormitory office, and lodgings for visitors. During the school year, over a thousand students lived in these dorms; it was constantly lively and brimming over with energy. But now that the break had started, only one of the buildings was in use. It was evening. Wil¡¯s room was dark. Only dim light filtered in through the glass pane on his door. Wil had moved to this room from another building for the break. This room in particular was technically a double, so it was rather large. There were two desks, chairs, and closets. Inside one of the closets was Wil¡¯s leather suitcase. It was a large traveling case, where Wil usually put most of his belongings. In a corner of the room was a hot-water pipe used for heating (which was not currently in use), which ran along the wall. There were two beds. One was bare of its mattress, its pipe structure and springs exposed to the air. On the other bed lay Wil, dressed in his pajamas. But Wil was not asleep. ¡°¡­¡± In the dark, he lay with his eyes open, deep in thought. It was afternoon, jus after they had lost the car. Wil borrowed a towel Allison had on hand to dry off, and wrung out his clothes. The motorcycle¡¯s handle was slightly bent, and the sidecar was dented. But it still worked without issue. They headed for the village with Allison driving, and made straight for the police station. Of course, the station was a single humble building, and there were only three police officers in the village (barring unusual circumstances). One was currently on vacation, and another was on patrol at the time. The middle-aged officer who greeted Allison and Wil was initially shocked by their claim of an old man being kidnapped by a fake official. Allison explained the situation, leaving out the part about the treasure. But the officer seemed to have decided that this kidnapping plot with the fake official and the gun wasn¡¯t very credible. His reacted with disinterest. ¡°That was no help at all!¡± Allison complained as she returned to Wil, who was waiting outside because he was still wet. In the end, the officer had asked Allison for her name and the address of her lodgings for the night. He was laid-back to the end, telling Allison that he¡¯d call the tax office and speak to the old man¡¯s housekeeper tomorrow. Allison and Wil returned to the old man¡¯s house and left a note for the housekeeper. They didn¡¯t know what to tell her, so they wrote, ¡®he left somewhere with someone from the tax office¡¯. It was already well past sundown and dinnertime (which doubled as a curfew) when they finally made it back to the dorms. Wil¡¯s clothes were completely dry. The infamously strict dormitory matron scolded Wil, demanding to know why he had broken both the curfew and the motorcycle. Because Wil could not tell her the truth, he claimed that he was late because he had ended up going too far, and that the sidecar was dented because he swerved to avoid an animal that had leapt into the road. The matron expressed her disappointment in him. And for the first time in his student life, Wil was forced to write an apologetic essay reflecting on his actions. Allison confidently strode up to the visitors¡¯ lodgings and rented a cheap room as a guest. And as for dinner, they had to make do with bread with jam and milk in the only lit corner of the cafeteria. ¡°This isn¡¯t too bad.¡± Wil reluctantly bit down on his food, while Allison commented that she had eaten worse during training. In the dorms, it was not permitted for boys and girls to meet past dinnertime. Allison and Wil said goodnight at the cafeteria and returned to their own rooms. ¡°There you are Wil you¡¯re finally back seriously who was that girl¡ªI mean, pilot¡ªand what kind of relationship do you two have and what were you doing all this time you¡¯re going to tell me because we¡¯re buddies right?¡± Wil shook off his friend, claiming he had to work on the essay he was assigned, and returned to his room. And he really began to write his essay. It was nearly midnight when, with lingering guilt, he finished organizing these unfamiliar sentences conveying made-up excuses. ¡°¡­¡± Wil looked up at the ceiling. ¡°A treasure, huh.¡± The moment he mumbled to himself, there was a gust of wind. His window rattled in its frame. And again. And again. ¡°¡­Huh¡­?¡± When the window rattled for the sixth time, Wil finally got off his bed and turned on a small lamp. He went up to see if the window was slightly ajar, and found his jaw dropping. ¡°!¡± Overlapping with his reflection in the window was Allison¡¯s smile. She gestured at him to unlock the window. The moment Wil pushed up the pane, she poked inside and slid into his room without a sound. Just like that afternoon, she was wearing her jacket. Around her waist was a belt made with a small canvas bag sewn into the back. ¡°A, Allison?¡± ¡°Hey, Wil. Were you awake? I needed to talk to you about something.¡± Allison said, putting her index finger to her lips. ¡°Allison, this is the third floor.¡± ¡°As if a pilot¡¯d be scared of heights.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not an answer¡­¡± ¡°I used the rain gutters. They drive rain gutters into reinforced concrete buildings to strengthen them, you know.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are we okay to talk here?¡± ¡°Hm¡­ We won¡¯t be okay if someone hears your voice from the halls.¡± ¡°Right. Can we go to the rooftop, then? Let¡¯s go someplace higher up.¡± Wil nodded slightly, before remembering something. ¡°I¡¯m not using the rain gutters.¡± ¡°Then take the stairs. Make sure no one sees you. And get changed before you come.¡± On the flat roof of the dormitory building stood laundry hangers used for large quantities of bedsheets. Allison and Wil were standing by the railings, which were about as tall as they were. Wil was dressed in long pants and a button-up shirt, and he was carrying a light jacket. Ahead of them was an empty building¡ªa black mass over the dormitory office and the visitors¡¯ lodgings. ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± Allison said, pointing at one of the rooms. The curtains were open, and the desk lamp was turned on. There was something in the bed, under the blankets, as though someone was lying there. ¡°¡­Is that a rolled-up blanket?¡± ¡°Yeah. The trick is to shape the legs and waist to make them look thinner instead of just rolling up the blanket into a cylinder. And also to half-cover the pillow with cloth the same color as my hair. It looks just like a person in the dark.¡± ¡°Where¡¯d you learn how to do this stuff¡­?¡± ¡°The Air Force Academy. For training after lights-out¡­ But most people use this trick to sneak out for some fun. You can¡¯t graduate until you master it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?¡± Allison pulled out a flat cylindrical tin from her bag. ¡°Here.¡± She opened the tin, took out a blackish chunk of food, and held it in front of Wil¡¯s mouth. It was too dark to make out what it was. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know once you try. Try it. It¡¯s not spicy or anything.¡± Wil, who disliked spicy food, put the chunk into his mouth. He grimaced. ¡°Urgh¡­ What is this? It¡¯s really sweet¡­¡± ¡°Dry chocolate. I bet you¡¯ve never tried it.¡± ¡°So this is chocolate? I¡¯ve heard about it before, but I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be this sweet. The inside of my mouth feels all sticky¡­¡± Allison watched Wil¡¯s reaction with amusement. She also helped herself to some chocolate and licked her fingers. She then held out a small water bottle to Wil. ¡°Thanks.¡± Wil said, after taking two gulps. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Allison also drank some. ¡°Isn¡¯t this expensive?¡± ¡°Who knows? They give this stuff to pilots. In case we get tired or we have to make an emergency landing.¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s really nutritious.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what they say. Anyway, we can save the chocolate discussion for later. I want to talk about the treasure.¡± ¡°The treasure?¡± Allison nodded. ¡°If some mysterious armed group is involved, that story has to be real.¡± ¡°You mean you really believe the old man?¡± ¡°Yeah, but not until he was kidnapped. And then that guy tried to shoot us when we followed the car. I mean, until then, I just wished it was a real story.¡± ¡°Right. But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit weird to say this, since I was the one who pulled you off the motorcycle, but I can¡¯t say for sure if that was a real gun or not. Maybe I just saw it wrong. Maybe I just made a bad guy of someone who has nothing to do with any conspiracy.¡± Wil said, cradling his head in his hands. Allison gently put a hand on his back. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I trust you.¡± ¡°Allison¡­¡± ¡°So I know that treasure¡¯s got to exist.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s find that old man and ask him where the treasure is. And we¡¯ll discover it before anyone else does. You and me.¡± ¡°¡­A treasure that can end the conflict, huh.¡± Wil mumbled, and looked into Allison¡¯s indistinct face. Allison, meanwhile, could clearly see Wil¡¯s grave expression. ¡°What do you say?¡± A moment later, Wil shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, but there¡¯s a few reasons I can¡¯t go along with your idea.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°The first reason is that old man. He might have been lying to us like the usually does, or maybe he¡¯s gone so senile he can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s telling the truth or not. Another reason is that the treasure he¡¯s talking about is too incredible. Something that can help Roxche and Sou Be-Il get along? Do you really believe something like that could exist?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Allison said, shaking her head. Then she added, ¡°Maybe he was just using a metaphor?¡± ¡°Maybe. But¡­ my last reason is that I can¡¯t believe someone would really believe his stories and go so far as to kidnap him under a disguise.¡± ¡°But that man was really suspicious, weren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. We have to at least follow them.¡± ¡°¡­All right. But what are we supposed to do? We can¡¯t go after them if we don¡¯t know who they were or where they went. And we can¡¯t even ask-¡± Allison held up a finger. ¡°Exactly, Wil. I had an idea.¡± ¡°Sounds great, but-¡± Wil was cut off by an ear-splitting alarm. The sound grew louder and louder, as though it was traveling from the ground floor up. Allison turned to Wil. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The fire alarm.¡± ¡°A fire? Today¡¯s just full of excitement, huh? ¡­Hm? Wil, look over there.¡± Allison was pointing at her room. Someone was inside. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell.¡± ¡°Are they¡­¡± ¡®Are they there to evacuate her¡¯, Wil was about to say, when the figure tossed something onto Allison¡¯s bed. The bed burst into flames. ¡°!¡± ¡°What?!¡± The flames lit up the entire room, and the figure. It was a man, who was dressed in a black coat despite the fact that it was summer. The man turned away and left the room. ¡°What¡­? That¡¯s arson.¡± Wil said blankly. ¡°Wil!¡± Allison cried, ¡°it¡¯s him! That useless officer I met this afternoon!¡± Wil turned in shock. Allison¡¯s face was clearly visible now, lit up by the flames. ¡°He must be trying to kill me because I witnessed the kidnapping. Erasing the evidence. Now I¡¯m even more sure about this. Perfect. We¡¯ll go ask that man.¡± ¡°Allison¡­ If you want to smile or get angry, please don¡¯t do both at the same time. You¡¯ll scare people.¡± There was a parking lot next to the dormitories, used by guests and people dropping off luggage. Because the building right next to it was currently not being used, there were no lights around and no streetlamps were turned on. Only the faint sound of the fire alarm rang in the darkness. There was a car parked in the lot. Soon, a man appeared, accompanied by the sound of rushed footsteps. He stopped beside the car, out of breath. The moment he placed a hand on the door of the car, a beam of light illuminated him. The man was middle-aged, wearing a police uniform, and holding a rolled-up black coat under his arm. The car in front of him was the village police cruiser. ¡°Wh, wh?! Wh, who are you?!¡± He cried in a panic. Wil, holding a flashlight, answered him. ¡°Sorry if I scared you, officer. I¡¯m a student at this school.¡± He said, turning the flashlight to illuminate himself. ¡°O, oh. I see. Young man, the fire alarm¡¯s gone off. Y, you have to evacuate. I¡¯ll go contact the fire-¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know that arson is a felony.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why would you do something like this?¡± Wil asked calmly. Next to the car, Allison quietly snuck up to the officer from behind. ¡°I, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± She pulled down the officer by his legs and kneed his back as he lay face-down in the gravel. ¡°Urgh!¡± As the officer writhed in pain, Allison grabbed his arms and took his handcuffs from his belt. She bent back his arms, put the handcuffs on his wrists, and sat him up. ¡°Hello there. I¡¯d like to ask you a few things.¡± She said. The officer¡¯s eyes turned to dinner plates at the sight of his victim talking to him. ¡°Wh, wha¡­¡± ¡°Who was the one who kidnapped the old man? Considering the scale of this cover-up, I¡¯d guess it was some very powerful-¡± ¡°I, I, I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Allison reached for the bag behind her back and drew something. ¡°Light, please.¡± Wil did as he was asked. In Allison¡¯s hand was a small handgun. It was a 6-shot automatic pistol, issued to pilots and officers in the Roxchean Air Force. ¡°Eyaaargh!¡± ¡°Wait!¡± The officer and Wil cried at once. Allison showed to Wil, but not the officer, the base of the black gun. ¡°¡­¡± There was no magazine. Wil sighed uncomfortably. Allison deliberately lowered her voice and threatened the officer. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you this earlier, but I¡¯m actually a soldier. And like my friend just told you, arson happens to be a felony. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll give me a medal for catching a-¡± ¡°W, wait! Wait, please! Ouch¡­!¡± The moment the man tried to stand, Allison went around his back and stomped down on his handcuffs. ¡°But even though I¡¯ve found the culprit behind this awful crime, there¡¯s just no way to prevent him from escaping¡­¡± Allison whispered coldly into his ear, ¡°so it looks like the reason behind this police officer setting fire only to a single bed is going to be lost forever-¡± ¡°I, I, I¡¯ll talk! I¡¯ll talk! So please, don¡¯t shoot me! I¡¯m begging you, please!¡± ¡°Really? Tell me, then. You weren¡¯t trying to do something bad, were you? Who told you to do this?¡± Allison asked, quickly switching to a gentler voice. The officer nodded to her over and over again. ¡°Y, yes. That man told me he had something to talk about with the old man. Th, that he¡¯d take him away in secret, so I shouldn¡¯t investigate. I, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong¡­¡± ¡°Why did he take the old man? Who was he?¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°How did he know about the old man?¡± ¡°P, probably¡­ probably at the village gathering two months ago¡­ All kinds of people were there from all kinds of places. One of the other officers was telling everyone about the headache of an old man we had here.¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°Everything the old man always said. About how he used to be part of some royal family, how he¡¯s actually an author, how he became rich overnight through a mining business, how there¡¯s an incredible treasure hidden at the border-¡± Allison and Wil exchanged glances. The officer went on to list more of the old man¡¯s lies, but neither Allison nor Wil were listening. Allison only mumbled, ¡°I knew it,¡± to herself. ¡°About ten days ago, someone I don¡¯t know contacted me. Said he wanted to look into something, and that he needed to take the old man along.¡± ¡°And they told you to ignore anyone who came to you about a kidnapping? And they paid you in exchange?¡± Wil asked. The officer was silent. ¡°That¡¯s the most logical answer. You were so shocked because I happened to see it. Did you contact that man this evening? They must have told you to cover up what happened, or risk having your dirty secret exposed. So you committed arson and made it look like an accident. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You must have been in a very tight spot. So where did those kidnappers take the old man? The next village?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°You might want to start knowing.¡± Allison said, poking the man in the head with the barrel of her gun. Each time metal met his skin, the officer shook. Wil, cringing at Allison¡¯s actions, suddenly remembered something. ¡°Officer, is there something northwest of the village?¡± ¡°What? Th, there¡¯s nothing-¡± The moment Wil heard the officer¡¯s answer, he opened the door of the police cruiser and went inside. He pulled out several maps lying next to the driver¡¯s seat, and scanned for a map of the vicinity of the village. ¡°There,¡± he said, unfolding one of the maps next to the car. With their eyes, they followed the road heading northwest. There were several small lakes, and farmland labeled with the names of their owners. Eventually, the road hit a vast tract of land filled in one solid color. Written in large letters over it were the words ¡®Private Property¡¯. ¡°I get it.¡± Allison declared. ¡°They didn¡¯t take him to the next village; they went to this piece of land here.¡± ¡°N, n, n, n, no! Th, th, they didn¡¯t!¡± At the officer¡¯s panicked reaction, Allison said triumphantly, ¡°Apparently they did.¡± Bright headlights and wailing sirens approached the dormitory parking lot. They were the village fire trucks, painted red and carrying tanks of water. One of the four trucks came to a stop in front of the police cruiser. The two firefighters hanging from beside the driver¡¯s seat leapt onto the ground and approached the police car. They were shocked to find a man handcuffed and bound to the car door. They were floored when they realized that the man was a police officer. The firefighters approached the police officer, who stood hanging his head. Next to his head¡ªon the doorframe¡ªwas posted a note. [I set fire to an empty room and decided to arrest myself. I¡¯m sorry for all the trouble. I must have gone crazy for a moment. I¡¯m very very very very very very sorry.] The firefighters silently exchanged glances. Opposite the parking lot. The students were lined up at the main gates to the dormitory, having been loudly woken by the matron and the dormitory manager. The students chattered excitedly at their midnight evacuation and the rare sight of the fire trucks. The flames in the visitors¡¯ lodgings were extinguished by the firefighters who first arrived on the scene. They already confirmed that there was no one inside the burning room, and now the matron and the dormitory manager were counting all the students. Soon, they realized that fifth-year student Wilhelm Schultz and his friend were gone. A small commotion broke out. As everyone raised their voices, Wil¡¯s friend mumbled to himself, ¡°You¡¯ve gone and done it now, Wil. Or are you just getting started?¡± There was a lone headlight illuminating the darkness. The motorcycle was moving along the road headed northwest. Allison was driving; Wil was clinging to the sidecar. Allison had abandoned the officer and headed for the motorcycle parking lot. When Wil asked her what she was planning to do, she replied that she would borrow a motorcycle for a while. That she would take it to the private property to rescue the old man. Wil pointed out that they didn¡¯t have a key. Allison replied, ¡°That¡¯s not a problem.¡± The moment she stepped into the deserted lot, she began tapping on fuel tanks. She picked out the one that made the dullest sound¡ªin other words, the one with the most fuel. She checked the two wires sticking out of the keyhole, and cut them with a small knife. She then stepped down on the kick start lever and started the ignition at once. Wil asked her if this was another trick from the Air Force Academy. ¡°No, I learned this from a sergeant in my unit who knows a lot about stealing cars. It¡¯s a technique for stealing vehicles in case we have to make an emergency landing. I learned a lot of other things from my unit, too.¡± Allison said matter-of-factly. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s go!¡± Allison slowed down the motorcycle. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s five kilometers. Which way now?¡± ¡°There should be a bridge ahead. If you turn right, we¡¯ll hit a narrow road. It¡¯s almost parallel to the river.¡± Wil instructed, looking at the map with a flashlight. Allison spotted the road he was talking about and made a turn. The motorcycle drove along a narrow gravel path. Allison had to drive carefully at minimum speed. ¡°Allison.¡± Wil said. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t they teach you that you should never aim a gun at someone? Even if it¡¯s not loaded?¡± ¡°No,¡± Allison answered, looking ahead. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s how they taught you, but when I was learning to use a gun, they said I shouldn¡¯t hesitate to shoot if it meant protecting myself or my comrades.¡± ¡°¡­To protect someone, huh.¡± Wil said, falling into thought. The sound of the engine and the crunching of gravel echoed in the darkness. ¡°I wonder which one is the right answer, Allison.¡± Wil said. ¡°What do you think, Wil?¡± Allison asked. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know.¡± Wil replied. Allison chuckled. ¡°Me neither.¡± ¡°Keep going down this road. About ten more kilometers.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The moon came up. The eastern sky began to glow a faint white. The half-moon peeked above the horizon and silently rose higher and higher into the air. The moon was this planet¡¯s only satellite, making a full orbit around the planet once every eight days. It was quite close to the planet, and its surface was white in color. It reflected a great deal of the sun¡¯s rays. When the moon was full, it became so bright that it was possible to do farm work in the middle of the night. In the past, people did, in facts, do farm work at night as a career. And on snow-covered landscapes, a night under the full moon was little different from daytime. One could supposedly even read books in such conditions. At the moment, the moon was only half-full. But it was large enough that a person had to raise a fist to just cover it. The moon rose higher, illuminating the world in pale light. ¡°Perfect.¡± Allison turned off the headlight. The white gravel path was clear under the natural light. Soon, they spotted a coniferous forest ahead. Because everything around it was a flat plain, the dark woods looked rather like an island floating in the sea. There was a wooden gate in front of the forest. On either side, metal fences stretched along the edge of the property. ¡°¡®Property of Mr. Terreur. No unauthorized entry¡¯.¡± Allison said, reading off the sign posted on the gate. ¡°Who¡¯s Mr. Terreur?¡± She wondered. ¡°He must be the owner of that steel company. He¡¯s really rich¡ªI heard he¡¯s got a bunch of vacation homes in Raputoa.¡± ¡°Oh, that evil greedy rich guy. He really made a killing thanks to the war, right?¡± ¡°Allison. Do you ever not call a rich person evil and greedy?¡± ¡°What, am I wrong?¡± ¡°¡­Anyway, what should we do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Allison froze. She held up a finger in front of Wil¡¯s mouth. Wil realized what she was trying to say. They could hear the faint roar of an engine in the distance. It grew louder. The sound was coming from the woods. ¡°Is that a car?¡± Wil whispered. Allison shook her head. With her hands cupped around her ears, Allison focused on the sound. It was moving through the forest. And then it rose. She looked up at the sky. A grey mass was lit by the moon. An aeroplane. It was an amphibious plane with a short, streamlined fuselage designed for water landings and a set of landing gear jutting underneath. It had one main wing, atop which were two engines. The aeroplane flew off with the moon at its back. The roar of the engines grew fainter, until they passed out of hearing altogether. ¡°I knew it¡­¡± Allison muttered. ¡°You knew it?¡± Wil repeated, shocked. ¡°This area is completely undeveloped, so I was pretty sure they came by aeroplane. And if this is private property, the Confederation Aeronautics Board won¡¯t care that they made themselves a personal airstrip. It¡¯s perfect for moving around in secret.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. That didn¡¯t even occur to me.¡± Wil said, impressed. ¡°They must have waited for the moon before they took off. I¡¯m sure they took the old man on that aeroplane.¡± ¡°What should we do?¡± Wil asked. Allison held up her fist before her mouth and thought for ten seconds. Then, she looked up. ¡°Let¡¯s head for their airstrip.¡± ¡°But this is private property.¡± Wil said. ¡°This is an emergency.¡± Allison replied immediately. Allison and Wil jumped over the fence and stepped into the property. They walked at a hurried pace along the edge of the road so that they could dive straight into the woods if they saw someone coming. They followed the winding road. Once they had turned two or three bends, they emerged into an open space. It was a long, flat piece of land, cut clear of trees and flattened carefully. It was an airstrip built in secret. ¡°This is really well made. You wouldn¡¯t even know this was an airstrip unless you flew right overhead.¡± Allison said, honestly impressed. ¡°And there¡¯s electricity running, too.¡± She pointed at a small hut in the distance. Next to the hut was a large building that looked like a warehouse with closed shutters and a tin roof. The structures were diagonally across from Allison and Wil, with the airstrip between them. They could see light faintly seeping from the hut. ¡°Let¡¯s check it out.¡± ¡°Someone might be inside.¡± ¡°So we¡¯ll sneak over.¡± They rushed across the airstrip and slowly approached the hut. Parked beside it was a car. It was the same one that had taken the old man away earlier that day. Allison threw a small rock. It hit the car with a small noise, but no one stepped outside. They could not see anyone around, either. ¡°Stay here.¡± Before Wil could even respond, Allison ran over to the hut and slowly raised her head, peeking in through the window. She then gestured Wil over. Wil hesitated for a moment, before following her to the hut. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± He peeked into the window, just as Allison instructed. Hanging from the ceiling was a bare lightbulb with a lonely shade over it. The hut was furnished with a bed and other pieces of necessary furniture, and set up in the middle was a table and some chairs. There was a middle-aged man in work wear sleeping there with his face on the table. Wil ducked down again. ¡°He must be working here.¡± Allison said. ¡°Why¡¯s he sleeping? The plane just took off a few minutes ago¡­¡± Wil wondered. Allison agreed enthusiastically. ¡°Good question. Something¡¯s off here. Let¡¯s wake up that man and get some answers.¡± ¡°H, how?¡± ¡°I have an idea.¡± Allison took off her jacket, rolled it up, and handed it to Wil. She then walked around the hut to the entrance, and opened the door without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Wil followed her, confused. ¡°Hey! You!¡± Allison said loudly to the man. ¡°Uh¡­¡± The man moaned, and fell back asleep. ¡°Wake up!¡± Allison cried, hitting the man in the back over and over again. The table shook so much that some tea left over in a mug on the table spilled slightly. ¡°Ahh¡­ Sorry, Mom¡­¡± The man finally raised his head. Allison shook him even more violently. His eyes opened slightly. With fatigue still clear in his expression, he looked at Allison and Wil. ¡°Wh, who¡¯re you¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my line. What are you doing here? This is Uncle Terreur¡¯s property!¡± Allison said confidently. Wil froze for a moment, but the man quickly replied in a panicked voice, ¡°Wh, what? I, uh¡­ Mr. Terreur put me in charge of managing this place. Um¡­¡± ¡°All right.¡± Wil breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°But why were you asleep on the job? I wonder what Uncle would say if I told him about what I saw just now.¡± ¡°P, please, Miss! Wait! Please hear me out.¡± The man said anxiously, looking up at Allison. He shook his head a few times to clear his mind of sleep. ¡°Fine. Tell me.¡± ¡°I, I¡­ I¡¯m a mechanic. I mainly do car maintenance. Three days ago, I was ordered to bring a car here and remain on standby. I was sure Mr. Terreur would come by aeroplane soon. But no matter how long I waited, he never came. And that¡¯s when a police officer from the village came up¡­ And¡­¡± Allison exchanged glances with Wil at the mention of the word ¡®police¡¯. ¡°¡­And?¡± ¡°Well, you see¡­ That officer said that he was finally off patrol duty, and¡­ He just kept offering, and it was the middle of the night¡­ So¡­¡± ¡°¡­So?¡± The man shrank. ¡°¡­So I drank.¡± ¡°You did what?! On the job?!¡± Allison cried indignantly. The man clasped his hands in desperation. ¡°Please, Miss¡­ I¡¯m terribly sorry. Please¡­ Don¡¯t tell Mr. Terreur. I¡­ I can¡¯t lose my job now¡­¡± ¡°¡­Fine. We didn¡¯t tell Uncle we were coming to visit, anyway. We¡¯ll call this a mutual secret. We never came to this place. Okay?¡± ¡°Yes! Of course! I¡­ I got some tea from that officer so I¡¯d sober up, but I suddenly felt drowsy, and¡­¡± Allison¡¯s eyes fell on the cup on the table. ¡°I understand. So you ended up sleeping all day. Without keeping an eye on Uncle¡¯s property.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Miss! But I still don¡¯t understand why I became so sleepy all of a sudden¡­¡± The man yawned loudly. He coughed. ¡°So we have no idea if someone¡¯s trespassed or not. You should have been more careful.¡± ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry¡­ Oh! I, is the aeroplane safe? Is it still there?!¡± The man paled instantly. Allison smiled so no one would see. ¡°What aeroplane?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a Hewels Model ¡®84 in the hangar next door, ready to take off. If someone¡¯s stolen it, I wouldn¡¯t be able to face Mr. Terreur¡­¡± ¡°I see¡­ That¡¯s unfortunate. It looks like someone¡¯s already taken it. We just checked outside; the door was open and there wasn¡¯t anything in the hangar.¡± Wil looked taken aback. ¡°No¡­¡± The man cradled his head in his hands. ¡°I suppose I don¡¯t have any choice. It wasn¡¯t completely your fault. I¡¯ll talk to Uncle and see what I can do.¡± Allison said gently. ¡°Th, thank you, Miss! W, we have to call Mr. Terreur right away! We have to tell him what happened!¡± ¡°But first, here. You¡¯ll feel better after a sip.¡± Allison said, holding out a cup to the man as he got out of his seat. The man drained it without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°You have to settle down. It¡¯s not good for you if you get to your feet too suddenly. Close your eyes.¡± ¡°R, right¡­ Oh¡­ I¡¯m feeling¡­ drowsy again¡­¡± Once more the man flopped over the table and fell asleep. ¡°Good night.¡± Allison brought a blanket from the bed and covered the man. ¡°Perfect!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wil watched silently as Allison celebrated with fists clenched. They were in front of the hangar next to the hut. When they opened the door, an aeroplane was revealed. It was a biplane with one wing above and another below the fuselage, just like the one Allison had arrived on earlier. But it was a little brighter than the air force plane. It had two seats, and two wheels at the front and one in the back. The aeroplane shone gold under the moonlight. Allison brought a leather jacket, an aviator hat, and a pair of goggles that were hanging on the wall. She handed them all to Wil. ¡°Put these on.¡± ¡°What?¡± As Wil watched blankly, Allison circled around the fuselage and inspected the main wings, the tail, the engine, and the pilot¡¯s seats. She looked into the fuel tank to see how much fuel was left. As Allison shut the cover over the engine and connected the batteries, Wil asked, ¡°What are you planning to do?¡± After connecting the batteries, Allison shut the cover and looked at Wil. She took out her aviator cap and goggles from her bag. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? I mean, it¡¯d be a shame to leave something so nice sitting here like this.¡± ¡°You mean¡­ We¡¯re going after them on this aeroplane?¡± ¡°We¡¯d better hurry, or we¡¯ll lose them.¡± Allison said matter-of-factly. ¡°¡­¡± Wil was lost for words. ¡°It¡¯s going to be fine. I¡¯ve piloted this model a few times before.¡± ¡°Right. Wait, no! That¡¯s not the problem here!¡± ¡°Wil. Someone¡¯s just been kidnapped. By an armed group we know nothing about. And they escaped on an aeroplane. Is it so bad to tail them to their hideout and then report them to the city police force or the military police? If you think about it, this is the duty of all good citizens of Roxche. And it¡¯s not every day you have an aeroplane and someone who can pilot it at just the right time and place. We can¡¯t let this chance slip by.¡± ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± ¡°Besides, the plane¡¯s supposed to have been stolen already.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re just going to tail them for a bit. Just for a little while.¡± ¡°Your ¡®little while¡¯ is different from everyone else¡¯s ¡®little while¡¯. And you say we¡¯re just going to tail them, but-¡± ¡°I can go after them on my own, but it¡¯s always best to have as many witnesses as possible. Come with me, Wil.¡± ¡°¡­We¡¯re really just going to tail them and come back, right?¡± Wil asked, meeting Allison¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go.¡± Allison said with a nod, holding out her hand towards Wil. ¡°All right. But don¡¯t do anything rash.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do anything rash. Got it.¡± Allison smiled. Wil found himself doing the same. He then sighed to himself, shaking his head. ¡°Then again, this is already rash enough¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve sat yourself down, put on your seatbelt. Lock this belt, that belt, and the one over your waist into this buckle and adjust their lengths. Careful not to press the button; that releases all of the belts at once. Don¡¯t touch it until we get off.¡± Allison rattled off instructions to Wil from atop the lower wing as Wil sat in the back seat. Two simple seats were built into the aeroplane. The skeleton and the metal plating of the fuselage were exposed from the seats, and at the seats were a control stick and a mind-numbing panel of instruments. Wil was wearing the jacket Allison handed him, and had a muffler wrapped around his neck. He was strapped to his seat by the belts. ¡°Belts not too tight? Everything good? All right. You¡¯re probably even safe to fly upside-down.¡± ¡°¡­Upside-down?¡± ¡°Yeah. But only if we have to. That control stick between your knees, the front rudder pedal, and that throttle lever on your left are connected to the controls in the front seat, but don¡¯t touch them. If the smoke gets heavy or if you get cold, pull up your muffler some more. And put on gloves if your hands are cold. And hold on to this.¡± Allison handed Wil a satchel. It looked like a long shopping bag with a handle, and inside were several cylindrical objects with string tied around them. Wil asked what they were. ¡°They¡¯re smoke canisters. If you pull on one of the strings, they¡¯ll activate all at once. So don¡¯t drop them.¡± Wil pulled the satchel close, uncertain. Allison pulled a leather aviator hat over his head. There were headphones over the ears, and in front was a mask that looked like a respirator. ¡°It¡¯s something like a telephone. With this, the people in the two seats can talk to each other while they¡¯re flying.¡± Allison taught Wil how to use it. She told him that the mask was the microphone, and the button was by the handle. That his voice would only carry to Allison when he was holding down the button. That he should keep the cable connected to the machine next to his seat. ¡°Any questions?¡± She asked. Wil looked up at Allison, the microphone in front of his mouth, and said quietly, ¡°No. ¡­It¡¯s a little stuffy in here.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s get going. It¡¯ll be cooler once we take off.¡± Allison said, jumping off the wing. She pulled off the restraints from the two front wheels and tossed them into the distance. Then, she returned to her seat and buckled herself in with a practiced hand. She pulled on a headset she had picked out earlier, and put on her hat and goggles over it. The engine began to rumble. Then, ignition. Black smoke spewed from the exhaust pipe on the side of the fuselage as the aeroplane started. There was a loud noise as the propeller began to spin and generate wind. A faint tremor began to run up their backs. The aeroplane began to taxi as though sliding. When they reached the airstrip, Allison stepped down on the right rudder pedal. The tail responded, and the nose began pointing to the right. The aeroplane continued at a slow speed. ¡¸Can you hear me, Wil?¡¹ Allison asked through the communicator. ¡¸I hear you. ¡­Say, does the engine always sound so loud when you¡¯re sitting inside an aeroplane?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s only going to get louder. Right now I¡¯m just warming up the engine.¡¹ Each time they cruised over a bump in the airstrip, the fuselage shook. ¡¸Th, the plane isn¡¯t going to break, is it?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯ll be fine.¡¹ The aeroplane reached the edge of the airstrip. This time, it began to go backwards. They could see the man sleeping in the hut. ¡¸Just a little longer¡­¡¹ Once they reached the opposite edge of the airstrip, Allison turned the aeroplane around once more. The nose was now pointed straight at the center of the airstrip. ¡¸Here we go. Don¡¯t touch the controls.¡¹ Before Wil could respond, the lever to his left slid as far forward as it could. The engine¡¯s rumbling turned into a roar. The wind of kicked up by the propellers raced overhead more powerfully than before. As the aeroplane began to move faster and faster, his body was pushed backwards by an incredible force. ¡¸¡­¡¹ The sound and shaking of the wheels grew more pronounced. Wil¡¯s expression stiffened. Allison gently pushed forward the control stick. The back wheel left the ground, and the fuselage was now parallel to the airstrip. They picked up speed. Without warning, the deafening noise and the trembling stopped. The engine continued to roar and the plane continued to shake very slightly, but it almost felt as though everything had gone silent. Like a balloon released from a child¡¯s grip, the aeroplane gently left the ground with wind in its wings. ¡¸¡­¡¹ The coniferous trees that covered Wil¡¯s line of sight like a pair of walls on either side suddenly disappeared. The dark forest and the farmland and the roads around it were below them now. The fields around that scene came into view. It was as though the world was sinking below them. ¡¸I¡¯m swerving right.¡¹ At the sound of Allison¡¯s familiar voice, the aeroplane began to turn to the right. Wil, who was looking to his left, found the ground disappearing from his eyes, replaced by a pale blue sky. He looked to his right in surprise, and saw fields and trees slowly passing by his eyes. The plane flew parallel to the ground once more, and then ascended slightly. Wil looked ahead. He could see the fuselage, and the wings on either side. Over the windshield, just out of arm¡¯s reach, was the back of Allison¡¯s head. ¡¸What do you think, Wil?¡¹ She asked. Wil answered her honestly. ¡¸I¡¯m a little scared. This is really high up. I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s nothing under my feet. Although there really is nothing there. I can¡¯t calm down. Whenever the plane swerves, I feel like I¡¯m going to fall off. But it¡¯s not a bad feeling. The view is beautiful. I¡¯ve never seen the fields from so high up before.¡¹ ¡¸Wil, you said you wanted to ride on a plane before, right? When did you send that letter again?¡¹ ¡¸Around this time last year. The fourteenth line on the second page. It was just wishful thinking back then, but now that I¡¯m actually on an aeroplane¡­¡¹ ¡¸How do you feel?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s even better than I imagined, Allison. So this is the kind of world you experience every day.¡¹ Wil said cheerfully. A smile rose to Allison¡¯s lips. ¡¸Welcome to the sky, Wil.¡¹ ¡¸All right. Let¡¯s follow that seaplane.¡¹ ¡¸About that. Do you know which way they went?¡¹ Wil asked. The seaplane was already long out of sight. ¡¸We just have to go in the same general direction. We¡¯re in the sky, after all; there aren¡¯t any obstacles in our way. Aeroplanes fly in straight lines to save fuel. We just follow the compass. We¡¯ll catch up to them if we speed up; this model¡¯s faster than theirs.¡¹ ¡¸I see.¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. Just enjoy the view for now.¡¹ Just as Allison told him, Wil turned and looked down at the ground below. The ground seemed to glow white, slowly but surely flowing beneath them. The engines were still roaring at a constant volume, but Wil had already forgotten just how loud it was. ¡¸¡­¡¹ Wil continued to gaze upon the moonlit fields, forests, rivers, and lakes. He did not get bored. When his neck ached because he looked to the right for too long, he switched sides and looked to the left. Then right again. ¡°Beautiful¡­¡± He mumbled, without pressing the call button. ¡¸There!¡¹ Wil was taken by surprise by Allison¡¯s sudden cry. The plane was still flying. ¡¸What? Oh, right.¡¹ ¡¸They¡¯re ahead. Can you see?¡¹ Allison asked, pushing the right control stick. The nose slowly began to point down. Directly in front of the upper wing Wil could see a distinctive curve. It was the seaplane that had taken off from the woods. ¡¸I see it.¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯re going to tail them from below and behind.¡¹ Allison lowered the nose even more. Wil could feel the belts pulling his body back into his seat. He held tightly onto the satchel of smoke canisters so it wouldn¡¯t float away. The control stick returned to its original position. This time, Wil¡¯s backside was pressed against his seat. They descended, then flew level again. The seaplane was above and ahead of them. He could see it when he tilted his head upwards. Its black shape was clear in the pale blue backdrop. ¡¸We¡¯re good now. Anyway, I¡¯ve never seen that model before.¡¹ ¡¸Won¡¯t they spot us from there?¡¹ Wil asked anxiously. ¡¸We¡¯re clear. This is their blind spot.¡¹ Allison replied, confident. Volume 1 3 — Those Who Remained Volume 1 Chapter 3: Those Who Remained ----- Some time passed since Allison and Wil first began tailing the seaplane. The two planes¡¯ positions remained the same. Wil, who had been keeping his eyes trained on the seaplane for fear of losing sight of it, eventually turned his gaze downward. ¡°What?¡± He was shocked. The fields, forests, and plains that had been there until not too long ago had been replaced by something flat and grey. Wil could not tell what it was. He fell into thought. The strange grey plain suddenly came to an end, and forests passed below them once more. Wil turned his head back as far as he could. ¡°What was that? Not a desert¡­ a lake? Or¡­ H, hey!¡± The moment Wil realized what had happened, his eyes turned to dinner plates. He turned back and shouted into the transmitter. ¡¸Allison! Allison!¡¹ ¡¸What¡¯s wrong?¡¹ ¡¸We just flew over a river. It was a big one. It must have been the Lutoni! We¡¯re in the buffer zone right now. We¡¯ve crossed the border!¡¹ In contrast to Wil¡¯s panic, Allison replied with utter nonchalance. ¡¸Yeah. We just crossed the border.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡¹ Wil said nothing, his finger still holding down the push-to-talk button. Allison went on to add: ¡¸It¡¯s pretty much what I expected.¡¹ ¡¸Th, this is illegal entry¡­¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Oh, the technical term in this case is ¡®violation of airspace¡¯.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡¹ The aeroplane continued west-northwest. ¡¸We¡¯re just following them for a little bit. All we have to do is figure out where exactly they¡¯re headed. And besides, they¡¯re violating enemy airspace, too. And they¡¯re kidnappers. If we announce that we witnessed people from Sou Be-Il kidnapping an old Roxchean man, we¡¯ll make headlines.¡¹ There was a ten-second lull in the conversation. The roar of the engine continued. ¡¸Allison, you said earlier that you¡¯d never seen that plane before. I remember you wrote in a letter once: You know almost every Roxchean aeroplane model. You knew that the seaplane was from Cross-River the moment you saw it take off. You knew we¡¯d fly over the Lutoni River if we chased after it. And you also figured out that this wasn¡¯t just a simple kidnapping case taking place in Roxche. You knew this was something big. And you also figured that our stealing this aeroplane and entering Sou Be-Il airspace is probably going to be easy to cover up.¡¹ ¡¸Wil¡­¡¹ ¡¸What is it?¡¹ ¡¸You got it right. You¡¯re really clever. This must be one of those emergency situations, right?¡¹ ¡¸I wish I¡¯d noticed sooner¡­¡¹ This time, they paused for seven seconds. ¡¸It¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll just see where they land and go back. We¡¯ve still got enough fuel left, too. We¡¯re fine for now.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡¹ No matter how far back Wil turned his head, he could not see the Lutoni River. And just as he turned his gaze back to the seaplane, something happened. Lights came on on the seaplane¡¯s wings. A green light on the tip of its right wing, and a red light on the tip of its left wing. Underneath the tail was a white light, and at the tip of the tail was a red light. The man-made lights stood out even more around the dark silhouette of the plane. ¡¸Allison. The lights¡­¡¹ ¡¸I see them. I wonder what they¡¯re for.¡¹ Allison frowned. ¡¸Hold on tight, okay?¡¹ Allison tilted the aeroplane left, right, forward, and backward, turning her head to survey all directions. On the moonlit land was nothing but a great plain dotted with aged trees. ¡°No villages nearby¡­ and I don¡¯t think they¡¯re planning to land¡­¡± She mumbled to herself. Wil spoke up. ¡¸The seaplane¡¯s getting further.¡¹ The seaplane suddenly sped up, slowly ascending. Allison didn¡¯t even try to follow it with her eyes. She continued to turn her sights in all directions. ¡°¡­¡± Her eyes stopped at some point diagonally ahead of them. There was a very, very small object at the end of her gaze. ¡°I knew it!¡± The object grew bigger and bigger. ¡¸Make sure you¡¯re properly belted in, Wil. And make sure you hold tight onto that satchel.¡¹ ¡¸Got it.¡¹ ¡¸Good. We¡¯re in for a rough ride.¡¹ ¡¸Why?¡¹ Allison did not answer. She tightened her grip around the control stick and the throttle lever. The object drew closer and closer with incredible speed. ¡°Not yet¡­ Not yet¡­¡± A second later, a pair of wings came into view. Another second later, the windshield glinting in the moonlight became visible. ¡°Now!¡± Allison pushed the control stick far to the left, and kicked the lever near her left foot with all her might. The aeroplane suddenly swerved left and downwards as though it had hit something. ¡°Whoa!¡± Wil cried. Long, thin lines of light flew towards him and passed just to his right. Then, a dark shadow quickly entered and left his line of sight. Allison and Wil¡¯s aeroplane broke out of its descent and swerved again, this time towards the right with the nose pointed upwards. ¡¸What? What¡¯s going on here?¡¹ Wil asked desperately, even though his head was spinning and his body was being pushed against his seatbelts. ¡¸Cross-River fighter planes. They spotted us.¡¹ Allison said calmly, flying the plane in a circle. And she added, ¡¸But how did they find us?¡¹ ¡¸They noticed us? Wh, what do we do?¡¹ The black aeroplane that flew past them tilted, leaning perpendicular to the ground, making a wide left turn. Its speed was on a different level from that of the seaplane. The black plane flew as though sliding across the boundary between the pale blue sky and the dark ground. ¡¸We¡¯re going to have to run this time. That black plane is a fighter craft.¡¹ Allison answered, glaring at the aeroplane that was turning towards them. The seaplane had already extinguished all its lights and was flying away as fast as it could. Allison checked her altitude meter and looked down to check something else. When she looked up to the right, she saw the black plane. It had flown out of its arc and was pointed straight at her and Wil. It began to draw closer. ¡¸Hold on tight.¡¹ Allison said, and pulled the control stick parallel to the ground. The aeroplane spun with the fuselage as the axis, and stopped in place upside-down. Wil, suspended in his seat, hurriedly grabbed the satchel before it could fall. Allison was looking to the left. She was staring at the black plane, waiting for something. There was a flash of light near the black plane. Two bursts of light, shining like camera flashes. The aeroplane spewed out machine gun fire. For every four shots there was one tracer shot, which emitted light and drew lines in the air. The two streams of light cut through the air, thin smoke trailing behind them. But Allison and Wil¡¯s aeroplane was not there. ¡°Ugh!¡± With Wil¡¯s silent scream, the aeroplane began to fall. Before the fighter opened fire, Allison had pulled back the control stick with all her might. The plane began to drop, still upside-down. The black plane stopped firing. It then made a wide left turn and began to circle again, preparing to open fire once more. ¡¸Wil! Get ready!¡¹ Allison cried, and maneuvered the aeroplane back to upright position. The sudden increase in gravity pushed their backs against their seats. ¡¸G, get ready? For what?¡¹ Wil asked, surprised. ¡¸The smoke canisters. Hold the satchel outside the fuselage and get ready to pull on the string, okay?¡¹ Wil did as he was told, hanging the satchel handle on the lever inside the cockpit. He hung the satchel itself off the left side of the fuselage. Reaching out with his left hand into the satchel, which was suspended sideways because of the wind pressure, he groped for the string. ¡¸Got it! Now what?¡¹ ¡¸Just hold still. Don¡¯t move.¡¹ Allison replied, looking back. The aeroplane began to slowly ascend. ¡¸When I give you the signal, pull on the string. I¡¯ll take care of things somehow afterwards.¡¹ ¡¸¡®Somehow¡¯?¡¹ The black plane finished its turn. With its incredible speed, it immediately opened fire on Allison and Wil from behind and above. ¡¸Now!¡¹ Allison commanded. Wil pulled on the string, not knowing what was about to happen. The moment he did so, the satchel expanded. Grey smoke escaping the bundle of canisters flowed out of the satchel and began to trail behind them. Without warning, Allison swerved left and began to descend. The aeroplane spun with the smoke again and again, spiraling towards the ground. The black plane slowed down and quickly swerved right, flying directly over the spiral-shaped smoke. ¡¸We¡¯re going to crash!¡¹ Wil said in a near-scream. ¡¸We¡¯re okay! I¡¯m doing this on purpose! When I give you the signal, drop the satchel!¡¹ Although his head was shaking and his body was being pushed into the seat, Wil followed Allison¡¯s orders and reached for the satchel hanging from the lever. They quickly lost altitude. The image of the ground spinning overhead grew larger and larger with each spin. And without warning, the spinning stopped. ¡¸Now!¡¹ Wil pulled the satchel handle off the lever. The satchel flew off, falling with a trail of smoke. It soon hit the ground, bounced into the air, and fell once more as it scattered its contents on the ground. ¡°What?¡± Wil¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Just within arm¡¯s reach were the kind of sights he normally saw out of two-story buildings. The plane was flying just above the ground, only several meters from the surface with its nose pointed upwards. ¡¸What do you think? Success!¡¹ Allison said triumphantly. At that moment, Crash! They heard something breaking underneath them. The fuselage shook up and down. They had hit a power line. There was a narrow road in the middle of the plain, and wooden utility poles were lined up along it. The wheels and landing gear were caught in the two lines. Although the aeroplane ended up snapping the power lines, it also lost its wheels. The aeroplane tilted forward and slammed towards the ground. ¡°Eek!¡± Allison pulled on the control stick. Just as the aeroplane began to ascend once more, the legs and the fuselage hit the ground. The legs broke, and the propeller spun against the earth until it bent. The fuselage slid down the field, leaving a gash in the ground, and the lower wings snapped and broke. The fuselage continued skidding down the plain. Once they lost speed, the engine slammed into a small mound of dirt and the fuselage made a half-turn, bringing them to a full stop. Allison undid her belts and climbed on top of her seat, looking back. Then, she undid Wil¡¯s belts as he sat there with shock clear under his goggles, and yelled, ¡°Get up! We have to run!¡± Wil stood. Allison pulled him off the fuselage. The ground was right next to them. ¡°Run!¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± Wil stumbled for a moment, but he ran with all his strength. Allison ran alongside him, hitting him on the back several times. About five seconds later, the aeroplane exploded. A red mass of flames blossomed from the crash site, and the impact demolished the front half of the fuselage. What remained began to burn, black smoke spewing into the air. Wil and Allison ran for their lives, taking cover behind a tree that happened to be there. Tiny pieces of shrapnel hit the trunk. Allison and Wil sat, leaning against the tree. Wil was gasping for breath. The aeroplane continued to burn, a ball of bright red in a world of pale blue. ¡°Are you okay, Wil? You look all right.¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m fine¡­ Wh, what about you, Allison?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay. But the aeroplane¡¯s gone. And things were going so well back there, too.¡± Allison knelt with a disappointed look, poking out her head partway from behind the tree. ¡°What were you trying to do?¡± Wil asked, looking up at her as he sat on the ground. ¡°Playing dead.¡± ¡°What?¡± Allison leaned down and looked at Wil. ¡°I learned it from a first lieutenant in my unit. It¡¯s called playing dead. A trick to use on your enemies. When the enemy¡¯s shooting at you, or if you¡¯re not armed, you use smoke canisters to make it look like you¡¯ve been shot. Then, the enemy plane¡¯s going to back off because they don¡¯t want to get caught in the explosion. That¡¯s when you get yourself into a controlled spin and dive down. You pretend to crash and escape the enemy¡¯s line of sight. It¡¯s hard to see from above when you¡¯re flying really close to the ground like that. Afterwards, all you have to do is run. If we¡¯d just crossed the Lutoni River, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to follow us¡­ I was so sure I could pull it off! Who the heck thought it was a good idea to put up power lines in a place like this?! What kind of backwater countryside needs electricity, anyway?!¡± Allison complained. ¡°¡­¡± In contrast, Wil¡¯s expression was solemn. ¡°And also-¡± Allison suddenly stopped mid-sentence. There was an explosive roar as the black fighter plane flew by overhead at incredible speed. It swerved to the right and disappeared. ¡°You! Yeah, you! Come on down here, damn it!¡± Allison yelled to the sky and the moon, her fists clenched tight. Wil hung his head, tired, and sighed loudly. ¡°Whew¡­¡± * * * ¡¸This is Crow. Duck, do you copy? The Cross-River aeroplane is off your tail. Explosion confirmed. I repeat, enemy aircraft has been shot down. Explosion confirmed. Over.¡¹ ¡¸This is Duck. Roger that. Escort this craft back to the base. That is all.¡¹ ¡¸This is Crow. The Roxche aircraft clearly invaded our airspace. Requesting permission to contact headquarters to dispatch an investigation team. Over.¡¹ ¡¸There¡¯s no need. Return to base. You are not permitted to ask questions.¡¹ ¡¸¡­But-¡¹ ¡¸Second lieutenant. I¡¯m only going to repeat myself once. You are not permitted to ask questions. All you have to do is follow orders. End communications.¡¹ ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± * * * Sunlight began to drive away the moon. The pale blue sky started to burn red from the east. Morning came and color returned to the world. The plants of the fields were green, the sky was blue, and the charred remnants were black. The crashed aeroplane had been burnt to a crisp. About the only recognizable parts left were the tips of the upper wing and the back end of the fuselage. ¡°Morning already? That was quick. I guess that¡¯s summer for you.¡± Wil was sitting against a tree. ¡°I can¡¯t believe no one¡¯s coming. Somebody¡¯s not taking their job seriously.¡± Allison complained, hiding behind a stump as she watched the wreckage. In the immediate aftermath of the crash, Allison and Wil ran away from the flaming wreckage. Then, they took cover in the grass and behind the trees, where they could still see the burned-out remains of the aeroplane. If the Sou Be-Il Air Force had shot them down after marking them as intruders, they would probably send in an investigation team. So Allison kept watch on the plane. When Wil asked her what she would do if they really did come for the wreckage, Allison answered, ¡°I¡¯ll wing it.¡± And in the end, all that came to them was morning. ¡°What do we do, Allison? We can¡¯t just wait here forever.¡± The sun rose up above the forest, and the birds were chirping. Wil looked at Allison with fatigue in his eyes. Allison replied as she wound her wristwatch. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°And where are we, anyway? Do you have any idea?¡± ¡°Well, we flew about this far after we crossed the Lutoni, then we tried to run away for a while, so I think we¡¯re probably inside or just on the edge of the buffer zone.¡± ¡°Either way, this is illegal entry.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, there¡¯s no use getting hung up on things like that. Let¡¯s be more productive. Think about what we should do next.¡± Allison said cheerfully. Wil looked up at her. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Allison smiled. Wil continued. ¡°Realistically speaking, without that aeroplane, we¡¯re stuck here.¡± ¡°That we are.¡± ¡°So let¡¯s try and get to the closest village and explain ourselves somehow.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll leave out the part about getting shot down. We can say we got lost during a flight and ended up crashing here. Or we could say we got into an accident and ask for official protection. If we go and turn ourselves in first, they won¡¯t assume that we¡¯re spies. All we can do after that is ask to be sent back to Roxche.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Allison?¡± ¡°Sad, but I guess you¡¯re right. Do you think there¡¯s a village nearby?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve never seen a detailed map of Sou Be-Il¡­ But in Roxche¡¯s case, there aren¡¯t any settlements near the buffer zone. Twenty kilometers away, at the closest.¡± ¡°I see. Then I guess we¡¯ll have to walk it.¡± ¡°Walking it is.¡± As the sun rose, so did the temperature. Allison and Wil were walking across the plains, headed west. Knee-length grass was growing on the flat terrain. From time to time they saw groves of trees. The road with the utility poles stretched from north to south, so following it was not an option. The more they walked, the hotter it became. They took off their hats and jackets and draped them over their shoulders. Allison had tied her bag around her waist. Wil was carrying a small package. It was an emergency kit that had been stored in the back of the aeroplane¡¯s fuselage. Thankfully, it escaped the flames unharmed. ¡°If there is a village around here¡­¡± Allison began. ¡°Yeah?¡± Wil asked from behind. ¡°If we there is a village, maybe they¡¯ll have aeroplanes and an airstrip.¡± ¡°Maybe. But what¡¯s that got to do with us?¡± ¡°I was thinking we should borrow one for the ride home.¡± Allison said with a grin. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a great idea?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that, Allison. ¡­I guess you¡¯re still thinking of trying to solve things yourself, huh. Have you thought about how you¡¯re going to return the aeroplane later?¡± ¡°Well, uh¡­ I¡¯d love to give it back if I could.¡± ¡°Say, Wil.¡± Allison said as they walked. No matter how far they went, the scenery around them would not change. All they saw was green. They did not see any roads anywhere. ¡°What is it?¡± Wil answered from behind her. ¡°What do you think the treasure is?¡± ¡°Hm? What did you say?¡± Wil asked. Allison turned back to him and repeated herself angrily. ¡°That treasure. The one the old man was talking about. Don¡¯t tell me you forgot already.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ right. Things were so hectic I wasn¡¯t even thinking about it.¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s gold and silver? Did you by any chance read anything about any ancient king who hid his stash in this area to help him get back to power?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. ¡­There¡¯s something else that¡¯s bothering me right now.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I was just thinking, ¡®At what point should I have stopped Allison? When we were chasing down the car on the school motorcycle? When we were interrogating the officer? When we stole the aeroplane? Or when we crossed the border?¡¯.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a tough question. But¡­¡± ¡°¡®But¡¯?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like getting an answer to that¡¯s gonna help us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Next time, I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to stop you.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°You answered so quickly¡­ I said this earlier, but I bet you¡¯re still planning to pull something big, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I really like how stubborn you are.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± There was a little creek on the plains, cutting a shallow trench through the surface of the earth. The creek was small enough to cross in one bound. Wil was sitting on the slope, just away from the damp soil. The trees that happened to be standing nearby provided him decent shelter. Allison finished filling their water canteen and took a seat beside him. Wil opened their emergency kit. Inside was a small mirror, a note containing directions on what mindset to keep during a crisis, a tin of liver pat¨¦, and some crackers. They ate in silence. The meal quickly came to an end. Allison bit off about half of their supply of chocolate and handed the rest to Wil. He finished it and took the water canteen. After a gulp of water, Wil sighed. ¡°I¡¯m feeling a lot better now. I¡¯m full, too.¡± Allison expressed relief and added, ¡°Sitting by a creek like this with you, Wil¡­ it feels like we¡¯re out on a picnic. Remember? We used to go on picnics all the time when we were younger. I mean, I guess we¡¯re still young, but I¡¯m talking about when we were ten or so.¡± ¡°When we were younger, huh?¡± Wil lay down on the slope with his jacket underneath. ¡°Now that I think about it, you were always really rash back then, too.¡± ¡°Was I?¡± Allison said, playing dumb. Wil looked up. The sky shone between the branches and leaves overhead. ¡°Don¡¯t try to say you forgot. Climbing up trees we weren¡¯t supposed to climb, going out in the middle of heavy snow¡ªeven though we weren¡¯t allowed to¡ªand getting buried, climbing under the floorboards to catch all the rats in the kitchen and getting stuck, trying to climb down from the roof on a rope and ending up hanging upside-down¡­¡± ¡°I guess stuff like that happened.¡± ¡°Falling asleep in the sheep pens and making the entire village go on a wild goose chase, blocking an irrigation canal to make a pond and flooding the fields and the roads, challenging a bully who was older than you to a duel, climbing up the cliff by the river and getting stuck up there, passing through four villages by bicycle, building a secret base underground and nearly getting killed in a cave-in¡­¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Walking behind you like this just made me feel nostalgic, so I started to wonder why. Then all these memories started popping up clearly like it was yesterday. You were always the one to dive in head-first. I always tried to stop you, but ended up following you. And in the end, both of us would get in trouble. Every time that happened, we had to clean all the windows in the house. It was the worst when we had to do it in winter.¡± ¡°Yeah, I remember that really well. But you know, Wil. I was always really grateful that you came with me every time.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Wil said in shock, turning to look at Allison. She was smiling. ¡°Yeah. Without you, it¡¯d have taken twice as long to wipe down all the windows.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wil looked up at the sky dotted between branches once more and mumbled to himself. ¡°I¡¯d give anything for this mishap to just end in us wiping some windows¡­ I guess that¡¯s not possible, huh?¡± At some point, Wil had fallen asleep by the creek. Allison, who had also been asleep, opened her eyes. Realizing that she had dozed off, she quickly sat up. Cautiously surveying her surroundings, she left the shade of the tree and looked up at the sun hanging in the middle of the sky. She woke up Wil. They continued walking on the plain. They walked on and on without a destination, until their shoes began to smell like grass. There was neither a village nor a house in sight. When Wil asked Allison for the time, she replied that it was the same time as earlier. ¡°There must be a big commotion back at the dormitories right about now.¡± Wil said, dejected. ¡°Hm? Probably. But no one died in the fire, and the officer¡¯s going to keep quiet. So maybe everyone¡¯ll just think we left on a secret trip together.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad it¡¯s summer break right now. If this was during the school year, I¡¯d have been suspended for sure. Expelled, if I was unlucky.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty strict. But having rules isn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing. If rules didn¡¯t exist, we¡¯d never feel the thrill of breaking them.¡± ¡°¡­Wait! D¡¯you think they called home? Wouldn¡¯t everyone get worried?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. They probably wouldn¡¯t know about me¡­ if they don¡¯t look into things too deep, anyway. I hope they don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Phew¡­¡± ¡°And Wil, this might end up sparking one of those oh-so-rare international incidents. Is this really the time to be worrying about school?¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯ll work out somehow.¡± ¡°¡­Whenever you say that, I get scared things¡¯ll actually happen that way.¡± ¡°Oh? Why would you get scared?¡± ¡°I think we¡¯ll probably have to camp out again tonight.¡± Allison said as they walked. ¡°I expected as much. It¡¯s a good thing it¡¯s summer right now¡­¡± ¡°I took part in an outdoor camping exercise in the snow in the middle of winter before. It wasn¡¯t too bad.¡± ¡°I¡¯d prefer not to have that experience.¡± ¡°Really?¡± No matter how far they walked, the scenery around them remained the same. A great plain acting as backdrop to the occasional grove of trees. ¡°From the looks of these trees, I¡¯m guessing this area used to be a farmland.¡± Wil said quietly. The boundary of the little forest to their right was drawn in a perfectly straight line. It was proof of human intervention. ¡°Yeah. But now it¡¯s nothing but nature.¡± Allison said, looking around. ¡°There might have been villages in the area until the Great War. Apparently this area was home to people who lived off fishing in the Lutoni River, and it was a vacation spot for kings and nobles. The villagers probably all fled during the war and returned afterwards. But now that the buffer zone is here¡­¡± ¡°¡­They must have been forcibly relocated, and the area¡¯s totally empty. But that doesn¡¯t mean this place is desolate. Look over there.¡± Allison replied, pointing to their right. Wil looked at the spot she was indicating. There was a slender animal covered in light brown fur, looking at them from the edge of the woods. It was about the height of a child. ¡°A fawn¡­ it looks just like the ones back in Raputoa.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still small.¡± Allison said, approaching the animal. It did not try to run. The fawn only looked at Allison, who approached with her arms spread wide. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re not going to eat you.¡± She said softly. ¡°They¡¯re actually pretty tasty. I tried some venison skewers at the festival.¡± Wil said from behind. ¡°How could you say that, Wil?¡± Allison replied, pouting. Wil shrugged. The fawn took two steps backwards. ¡°C¡¯mere. You don¡¯t have to be scared. Are you all by yourself?¡± Allison took another step forward. ¡°!¡± Wil was jolted by her last question. He quickly shouted, ¡°Allison! No!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The moment Allison looked back, there was a loud noise. Something was crashing through the foliage. It was the fawn¡¯s mother. The doe charged towards Allison in the blink of an eye and reared back. ¡°Look out-¡± Wil pulled Allison back as he shouted. There was a dull thud. The doe¡¯s right hoof only grazed Allison and scratched her jacket. But her left hoof slammed down on Wil¡¯s temple. Wil pulled Allison back several steps and crumpled to the ground. Allison was dragged along and fell on her backside. ¡°Wil?¡± She turned to her right and looked at Wil, who was lying in the grass. Blood was flowing from his forehead, covering his closed eyes, the bridge of his nose, and his mouth. ¡°Wil! Wil!¡± There was no answer. Allison turned to face the snorting doe. She thrust her left hand into the bag at her waist. She groped through its contents, grasping the heaviest object at the very back before pulling it out. ¡°You¡­!¡± It was her handgun, this time loaded with a magazine. Allison pulled the slide and pushed it forward. The first round was loaded into the firing chamber. Still sitting on the ground, Allison thrust her right arm forward. She held the safety, which was on the back of the grip, and put her finger on the trigger. ¡°Even I won¡¯t miss at this range!¡± The doe stared at Allison. Allison stared at the doe. ¡°D, do you¡­ really taste that great?¡± She asked, slowly putting pressure on her trigger finger. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Her grip on the trigger weakened. The fawn came up to its mother and began to rub its face against her. Ignoring Allison, who was still pointing her gun at them, the doe turned to look at the fawn. Mother and child slowly turned away. They bounded off into the forest. Allison lowered her left arm, re-armed the safety with her right hand, and turned back to Wil. ¡°Wil!¡± The handgun fell to the ground. ¡°Wil, can you hear me?¡± She gingerly turned Wil over onto his back and pushed back his bangs. Her hand was sticky. ¡°Wil!¡± She cried. This time, he responded weakly with his eyes still shut. ¡°Yeah¡­ Are you okay, Allison?¡± ¡°Yes! All thanks to you, Wil. But your head is bleeding¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. I feel kind of dizzy.¡± Wil fell silent again. ¡°Wil!¡± Allison¡¯s eyes widened in panic. But she quickly regained her composure and began mumbling to herself. ¡°Calm down, Staff Sergeant Allison Whittington. When treating an injured soldier, first check his pulse and breathing¡­¡± Allison put her index and middle finger on Wil¡¯s neck. There was still a pulse. Next, she put her fingers in front of his mouth and nose. He was still breathing. With a sigh of relief, Allison took out a white handkerchief and a water canteen from her bag. Wil¡¯s injury was on his left temple, near his hairline. Blood was slowly dripping from the thumb-length gash. Glaring at the wound, Allison poured water over it. As the blood washed away, the injury became visible. It was not very deep. It began to bleed again, concealing the gash once more. Allison poured water on the gash again, and placed the handkerchief against it. She pressed down on it and turned around. She placed Wil¡¯s head on her knees, elevating his head. She sat, breathing heavily, for some time. Blood began to stain the handkerchief, which was folded into four layers. ¡°Please¡­¡± The stain stopped growing. With her left hand, Allison pulled over Wil¡¯s jacket from the ground. She took out the muffler from the pocket, and with one end in her mouth, folded it in half. She wrapped it around Wil¡¯s head. Once she was finished, she pressed down on the handkerchief and tied the muffler. At the end of the first-aid session, Allison¡¯s shoulders were sagging with fatigue. Wil was still lying in her lap, unconscious but his breathing steady. Allison looked around. There was no one on the plains. ¡°¡­¡± Embracing Wil¡¯s head, she shut her blue eyes tightly. Blood stained her golden hair. Not even hugging his head, slapping him lightly, or smacking him a little more violently, would wake him. Allison thought of pouring out the contents of the water canteen over him, but held herself back. She wiped the blood from Wil¡¯s face with her damp sleeve. Afterwards, she looked around, checked the position of the sun, and decided to walk carrying Wil on her back. She put his jacket on him and tied her own around her waist. She laid down over Wil, who was lying on the ground, and held him by the shoulders to flip both him and herself over at once. ¡°Hah!¡± With a spirited cry, she got to her feet with Wil on her back and began walking west. Sweat trickled down Allison¡¯s brow, then down her cheeks. She was walking. Her breathing was slightly ragged, but her eyes were focused straight ahead. Occasionally she stopped and addressed the boy on her back, but she received no answer. Allison steadied herself and made sure of his breaths on her neck. ¡°There.¡± Fixing her hold on Wil, Allison began to walk again. As thought in an attempt to hinder her, the grassy plains gave way to a rolling meadow. She was going uphill. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe this.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± Allison climbed the hill, complaining all the way. At the top of the mound, her line of sight was expanded. ¡°¡­¡± She saw a deserted plain and another hill up ahead. ¡°Urgh¡­ ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª!¡± With an outpouring of obscenities, Allison began to walk once more towards the sun. Three hills later. ¡°¡­¡± There was a forest in front of her. Due west was a dense, uncultivated wood with nothing in the way of visibility. ¡°Which way, Wil?¡± There was no answer. ¡°Well, I guess it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± Checking Wil¡¯s breathing once more, Allison mumbled to herself and looked left and right. And she began to walk along the edge of the forest in the direction she had looked in last. * * * ¡°Or¡­ maybe it did matter?¡± Allison mumbled to herself. She tried talking to Wil, but all she got in response was his steady breathing. Allison stared at the house standing before them. She had walked a long way along the forest, turning west along with the boundary of the plains. And standing at the edge of the plain, which was dotted with forests and covered with weeds, was a lone house. It was a wooden structure with a red brick chimney standing in the middle. The windows were all intact, and the greenery around the house was neatly in order. The house stood lonely in the lush background. ¡°I wonder if someone¡¯s inside. Probably. A Westerner.¡± Allison put a hand to the pouch at her waist. She checked for her handgun. With her eyes on the house, she began to walk. She and Wil would be clearly visible to anyone looking outside from the building. There was a little hut next to the house, used for storing firewood. Beside it was an axe. In the well was a container filled with clean water. The curtains were drawn over the windows, so it was impossible to look inside. Allison slowly made her way towards the southern side of the house. On the other side was a small vegetable patch. From the look of the colorful summer vegetables growing there, it was clear that someone was maintaining it. Allison stood before the door. The floorboards creaked loudly under her weight. She waited for several seconds, but no one came outside. She heard nothing from behind the door. Taking a deep breath, Allison knocked on the door several times. Ten seconds passed. ¡°¡­Is no one home?¡± Allison raised her hand to knock again, but stopped. She took hold of the doorknob and pushed. The door opened without resistance. Beyond it she could see the interior of the house. Beside the door was a large room with a dining table. Next to it was an iron stove which ran on firewood, used for heating and cooking. Some tableware had been neatly placed on the cupboard in the corner. Next to it was a water tank and a sink. In the middle was a brick fireplace, the chimney extending all the way up to the ceiling. Beside it was a small cupboard. The hall that extended from the wall was connected to the rooms further inside. It was too dark to see clearly, but the hallway was quite long. ¡°Not bad for a house in the boonies.¡± Allison said, looking inside. Suddenly, she heard a groan. ¡°Ugh¡­ urgh¡­¡± She flinched, but quickly realized that the sound was coming from near her ear. ¡°Wil?¡± She shook him, but there was no response. Allison stepped inside, shut the door, and laid Wil against the cabinet next to the fireplace. Stretching her back and shoulders, now free from their heavy burden, Allison swung her arms around to shake off the numbness. She wiped off the sweat on her forehead and neck with her shirt and reached out to touch Wil¡¯s face as he lay weakly against the cupboard. ¡°Wil, can you hear me?¡± She hit him lightly. ¡°Wake up, Wil. It¡¯s morning. The matrons are calling. It¡¯s almost time for class.¡± Wil would not open his eyes. ¡°You sleepyhead¡­¡± Allison slowly unfurled the muffler she had used in place of a bandage. She tried to peel off the handkerchief, but she left it alone when she saw that it was stuck to the wound. Taking off Wil¡¯s jacket, Allison rolled it up into a ball. She slowly laid Wil on the floor, using the jacket as a pillow. Then, she untied her own jacket from around her waist and covered him with it. Allison looked at the cupboard next to the fireplace. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she began to thoroughly search it, starting from the bottom. ¡°I hope they at least have disinfectant.¡± Each time she rifled through a drawer, she closed it as soon as she noted that there was nothing she needed inside. Then, she moved on to the next one. It was when she had just opened the fourth drawer. Bang! The door opened with a crash. ¡°Huh?¡± Allison turned around in surprise. ¡°Tims! Levin!¡± A woman cried, rushing inside. She was a relatively skinny woman, looking to be over fifty years of age. Her black hair, streaked with grey, was tied up in a bun. Over her dark green dress was an apron, messy from garden work. The woman stepped inside with a smile. But the moment she saw Allison, looking back at her, the smile disappeared. The woman took a deep breath and composed herself. ¡°Who are you?¡± She was speaking standard Bezelese¡ªthe official language of Sou Be-Il. ¡°Who are you? What are you doing in my house?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Allison glared back at the woman and slowly reached towards the bag at her waist. She reached inside. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you again. Who are you? Don¡¯t you understand what I¡¯m saying to you? Or are you¡­?¡± Allison pointed the gun at the woman. She did not place her finger on the trigger. The safety was still armed. In spite of this, the woman did not so much as flinch. She continued to speak, her eyes trained on Allison. ¡°Are you from Cross-River? I suppose you must be. You¡¯re a Roxchean. Did you cross the Lutoni River?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This is my house. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± Allison clenched her teeth, slowly putting her thumb on the safety. ¡°Yes. You¡¯re right. We¡¯re very sorry.¡± Wil said. He was speaking Bezelese. Allison turned around in shock. The woman, also surprised, watched as Wil got up in front of the fireplace. She was again surprised by his bloodied handkerchief and shirt. Slowly getting to his feet, Wil leaned against the fireplace. Allison¡¯s jacket fell to the floor. ¡°Wil!¡± Allison turned towards him. Wil weakly opened his eyes and spoke in standard Bezelese. ¡°Put down the gun, Allison. We¡¯re the ones who¡¯re trespassing¡­ This house belongs to the lady.¡± With the bloodied handkerchief pressed against his forehead, Wil turned to the woman. ¡°We¡¯re very sorry. Our aeroplane crash-landed, so we walked all the way here. We¡¯re very sorry for barging into your house¡­¡± The woman looked at Wil without a word. He closed his eyes again. Allison rushed over to him and caught him before he could fall. ¡°Your friend is injured¡­ Did he hurt his forehead?¡± Supporting Wil, Allison glared at the woman and spoke in fluent standard Bezelese. ¡°Yes. We need medicine, food, and a place to rest.¡± ¡°So you speak Bezelese, too. I have medicine. I have food and extra beds, as well. But this is my house. What if I were to refuse you?¡± The woman replied. ¡°I¡¯d shoot you.¡± Allison answered immediately, clutching her gun. The woman smiled. ¡°Are all people Cross-River as barbaric as you?¡± ¡°No. But right now¡­¡± At Allison¡¯s immediate answer, the woman responded quietly. ¡°Bring your friend. I¡¯ll let you use a bed.¡± There were a total of three rooms in the house. The woman led Allison and the unconscious Wil(who was on Allison¡¯s back) to one of the rooms. When she opened the door, light flooded inside. In the room was a simple single bed, an empty dresser, and a desk. The room showed no signs of use, but on the beautiful wood-framed bed was a clean mattress, sheets, and summer blankets. Allison slowly laid Wil on the bed. The woman stepped outside for a moment, and brought back a basin filled with water, a clean piece of cloth, and a small wooden box. She sat on a round chair by the bed and gingerly peeled the handkerchief from Wil¡¯s forehead. Then, she disinfected the gash, put gauze over it, and wrapped a bandage around his head. The woman finally checked Wil¡¯s temperature and his pulse. She did all this with expert ease. ¡°His gash will heal. It¡¯s not a very deep wound, so he won¡¯t need stitches, either, although it might leave a scar. And I don¡¯t think he has a fever.¡± The woman said, washing her hands. ¡°Thank-¡± ¡°What happened to him?¡± The woman asked, just as Allison was about to speak. ¡°Oh, uh¡­¡± ¡°Was he injured in the aeroplane crash? No internal injuries, I hope?¡± Understanding the implication behind the woman¡¯s line of questioning, Allison replied, ¡°Um¡­ no. We didn¡¯t get hurt in the crash. We walked a long way afterwards, and we had water and some food. We didn¡¯t throw up, either.¡± ¡°I see. So how did this happen?¡± Allison averted her gaze. ¡°He got attacked by a deer.¡± The woman was astonished. ¡°I suppose he must have tried to get close to a fawn.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± The woman looked at Wil, lying on the bed. ¡°He should have been more careful.¡± ¡°A, actually¡­ I was the one who should have been more careful. I tried to get near the fawn. Wil was just trying to protect me.¡± This time, the woman turned to Allison. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know that, in this season, does with their fawns will lash out at anyone who approaches them?¡± Allison shook her head sullenly. ¡°Then I suppose your friend here was hurt because of you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Allison said with a nod. ¡°So what did you do afterwards?¡± ¡°After Wil collapsed, I took out my gun just like before. And¡­¡± ¡°Did you shoot the doe?¡± ¡°No. If I killed her, the fawn wouldn¡¯t have been able to survive. And then they left.¡± ¡°I see. That was a wise choice.¡± The woman said, closing the first-aid kit. ¡°Thank you.¡± Finishing her word of thanks from earlier, Allison saluted the woman with her right hand. The woman frowned, her wrinkled eyes glaring at Allison. ¡°Are you a soldier?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m from the Roxcheanuk Confederation Air Force. Wil here isn¡¯t, though.¡± Allison replied, still saluting the woman. ¡°I don¡¯t like salutes. Nor do I like soldiers or the military.¡± ¡°I see. But I¡¯m grateful to you all the same. Thank you so much for helping Wil.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As Allison lowered her hand, the woman replied with a stiff expression. ¡°If I¡¯d known earlier that you were a solider, and if you were the one injured instead of this boy¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have helped you.¡± She then turned to the bed. ¡°You said this boy¡¯s name was Wil?¡± ¡°Yes. His name is Wilhelm Schultz. I¡¯m Allison Whittington.¡± The woman smiled. ¡°Wilhelm and Allison. From your names alone I¡¯d have wagered you were Bezelese.¡± But her expression became stern once more. ¡°My name is Travas Ladia. Don¡¯t feel obligated to memorize it.¡± ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯ve already memorized it.¡± ¡°Is that so? I¡¯d like to talk to you about something. Let¡¯s leave your friend here and talk outside.¡± Ladia got out of her seat and led Allison into the hall. When Allison looked at Wil, Ladia said plainly, ¡°He¡¯ll be all right.¡± Allison and Ladia sat across from one another at the parlor table. The setting sun lit the room. As Ladia poured herself a cup of water, Allison quietly waited for her to speak. ¡°It¡¯s already getting dark today, and no one will be coming. I plan to turn the two of you in to the military police in a nearby village tomorrow. But there are some things I¡¯d like to ask. Tell me the truth, please. What are you two doing in enemy territory? What is your purpose?¡± Allison answered honestly. ¡°We¡¯re here to find someone who was kidnapped. And to find a treasure.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Ladia was struck dumb for a moment. Allison explained everything. How they had met the old man the day before, and how he had spoken of an amazing treasure. How he was called away by a suspicious man in a way almost eerily like a kidnapping. How he was taken across the river in the middle of night on a Sou Be-Il aeroplane that had illegally entered Roxche. She then explained how they had given chase on an aeroplane of their own. How they crossed the border but were somehow found by a Sou Be-Il fighter and forced to crash-land. How they walked on and on in order to leave the buffer zone. ¡°But those people are the ones who kidnapped the old man. So we¡¯re going to tell the military police about it once they arrest us.¡± Allison finished. ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡± Ladia said, finally breaking her silence. ¡°The two of you, and the ones who kidnapped that gentleman. A treasure hidden in the buffer zone? It¡¯s been a very long time since I last heard that ridiculous story.¡± She said with a laugh. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Allison asked earnestly. ¡°Let me tell you exactly what kind of foolishness you¡¯ve just gotten yourselves into.¡± Ladia paused for a moment, and continued. ¡°The area around the confluence of the Lutoni River¡ªwhere the river splits along the Central Mountain Range¡ªwas used by General Kuwashia during the Great War as a foothold as he marched into your nation. Did you know this?¡± ¡°Yes. The old man told us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where Lieutenant Colonel Walter McMillan launched his brutal poison gas attack. Afterwards, rumors started spreading about ingots of gold that were supposedly in the general¡¯s custody at the time. They say the ingots were lost in the confusion of the battle, and still remain somewhere on the battlefield. But that is a lie.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Allison leaned forward. Ladia nodded. ¡°Yes. This story about a treasure on the Lutoni is a baseless rumor that¡¯s been flying around the area for over thirty years. Anyone who¡¯s lived here knows about it. Some people believed in the rumors and set out to find the ingots, but no one found a thing. Even the army denied the rumors, saying that none of their units transport gold anymore. We all forgot the rumors afterwards, but they came round again when the buffer zone was created after the Green Island War. Some people tried to find the treasure before the area was cut off, but they only ended up laughingstocks.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ladia continued, driving in the final nail in the coffin. ¡°So telling the military police about this treasure of yours won¡¯t do you any good. I have no idea how this gentleman you told me about knows the rumors¡ªmaybe he was caught as a prisoner during the war. Those Bezelese people who kidnapped him from across the border must have fooled by his ridiculous story. And¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The two of you are the same. People like you commit crimes for such worthless reasons, and always end up empty-handed. And you even hurt people along the way. Without even considering just how dangerous it can be.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Allison bit her lip, looking at Ladia. ¡°From what you¡¯re telling me, you dragged your friend along with you. You said he¡¯s only a high school student. You¡¯re a soldier; whatever happens to you won¡¯t matter as much as what happens to your friend. What would you tell his parents if something were to happen to him?¡± ¡°Wil¡¯s parents¡­? I.. I don¡¯t know¡­ I can¡¯t even imagine¡­¡± Allison said sullenly. A look of irritation passed over Ladia¡¯s face. With a quiet sigh, Ladia picked up her cup and stood from her seat. She poured water into it, and returned with a second cup of water. ¡°Here.¡± She said, putting the second cup in front of Allison. ¡°Thank you.¡± With a word of appreciation, Allison happily took several gulps of water. The moment she put her cup down on the table, ¡°I hate you people. I despise you.¡± Ladia said quietly. ¡°You and that boy are both very fluent in Bezelese. You spoke without even a hint of another dialect, and your pronunciation was perfect. Speaking with you felt like I was conversing with my countrymen back in the capital. So it feels quite strange to say this.¡± Allison quietly waited for her to continue. ¡°I lost my family in battle. My father and my husband were both killed during the Great War, and my children won¡¯t return from Green Island. They were all killed by your countrymen. That¡¯s why I despise the East and its people. I loathe you all.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Of course. I know there¡¯s no point in telling you things like this.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°But I wanted to get it off my chest. To say to someone from the East how I felt. I feel a little refreshed.¡± ¡°Let me tell you something interesting.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°That treasure we¡¯re looking for. According to the old man, it¡¯s something so valuable that it could end the conflict between Roxche and Sou Be-Il.¡± Ladia¡¯s eyes widened for a moment. She laughed. ¡°That is quite an interesting claim. Do you really believe something like that could exist?¡± ¡°No.¡± Allison replied, shaking her head. * * * The sun slowly began to set. Wil opened his eyes in the room lit by the glow of dusk. He turned to the two people beside him to apologize for causing worry and express his gratitude for the treatment, respectively. One apologized in return, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I was being rash. I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault¡±, leaning in close to his face. The other quietly asked him how he was doing, and said that he should get some rest tonight before she took them down to the village tomorrow. She also said that she would bring up some light refreshments for him later. One person asked if there was anything she could do. Wil asked where the bathroom was. The other person replied that it was outside. The first person said, ¡°Do you want me to go with you?¡± Wil declined and slowly got up out of the bed. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± And with a light shake of the head, he stepped into the hallway and carefully walked in the direction he was pointed to. ¡°Thank goodness¡­¡± One person said. She saluted to the other. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± ¡°I lent this bed to your friend. You can sleep outside.¡± Said the other person. The first person answered with a laugh, ¡°Of course.¡± It was night. The world was pitch-black, not yet illuminated by the moon. A lamp hanging by the window let off a dim glow as Wil, who was in his undershirt, lay in bed. ¡°I see¡­ so that¡¯s what it must have been¡­¡± Wil said, looking up at the ceiling. Allison, sitting in the chair beside the bed, nodded. Her long blond hair shook under the light. ¡°It was just a rumor, huh. The old man really must have gone senile and ended up believing them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Wil.¡± ¡°What for?¡± Wil looked at Allison. Allison was quietly looking at Wil. ¡°For believing in that stupid story and dragging you all the way to Sou Be-Il. I thought everything would be okay, but I messed up and got you hurt. Things could have ended really badly. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen to us now, and I don¡¯t know when we¡¯re going to get to go home to Roxche. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t believe it¡­¡± Wil said, sitting up. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised, Allison¡­ You dragged me into something¡­ and apologized afterwards. It¡¯s incredible¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay once in a while, right?¡± Allison said with a grin. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. Wil. I¡¯ll try to listen to you a bit more from now on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. And you know, there¡¯s something I¡¯m really thankful to you for, Allison. I¡¯ve always had this dream¡­ and you¡¯ve fulfilled it just like that.¡± ¡°¡­? What kind of dream?¡± Allison said, after a moment of thought. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to see the West.¡± Wil said, smiling. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°We Roxcheans always call Sou Be-Il an enemy, and an ¡®Evil Empire¡¯, but I wanted to see it with my own two eyes. It must have been because of Grandma. I¡¯ve dreamed about it for so long, ever since I was little, but I never told anyone because I thought it was impossible. After I moved to Raputoa to study, I was so close to the border that I started feeling a little more hopeful about my dream. And now, you made my dream come true, if only for a little while. It¡¯s all thanks to you, Allison. Thank you.¡± ¡°Wil¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really surprised. And I¡¯m a little amazed. But you know¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. And¡­ You¡¯re welcome.¡± Wil lay on the bed again and yawned loudly. ¡°Are you feeling sleepy?¡± ¡°Yeah. And my head doesn¡¯t hurt at all anymore. I guess the medicine¡¯s working.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, then. I¡¯m going to get some sleep now. Two all-nighters in a row is pretty tough.¡± Allison said, pulling Wil¡¯s blanket over him. She then took her jacket and the lamp and stood from her seat. Wil was surprised. ¡°Wait, Allison! Where are you going to sleep? Don¡¯t tell me you have to stay outside¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s what the lady told me to do. She says she lent this bed to you, not me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m really thankful to her. She helped you, and even gave us food and medicine. So I¡¯m going to do what she says. This time, I¡¯ll get in trouble alone for what I did. It¡¯s okay¡ªit¡¯s still summertime, you know.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Wil sat up, bewildered, and moved over to the left side of the rather small bed. ¡°I¡¯ll give you half.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. She said I¡¯m free to use this bed tonight, so I¡¯m free to use it however I want.¡± Allison returned Wil¡¯s determined look with a bemused expression. And she added, embarrassed, ¡°I have really bad sleeping habits, you know.¡± Wil nodded with a strange expression. ¡°Yeah. I know too well.¡± ¡°I might end up kicking you.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ As long as you don¡¯t kick my head.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Allison put her jacket on the back of the chair and placed the lamp on the seat. She then blew on the flame to extinguish it. In the darkness, Allison giddily took a seat on the bed. ¡°There.¡± She laid down on it and pulled the blanket over herself and Wil. ¡°Sorry, Wil. I prefer this to sleeping outside.¡± She said, looking to her right. ¡°Sure,¡± Wil answered quietly. With the faint smell of disinfectant in the air, Allison looked at Wil¡¯s face next to her in the pitch-black darkness. She was listening to his quiet breathing. ¡°Wil.¡± She said his name, but received no answer. All she heard was the sound of his steady breathing. ¡°Dreams, huh? I guess mine¡¯s come true, too.¡± Allison mumbled, and closed her eyes. She fell asleep in bed next to Wil. * * * It was past midnight. The moon rose into the air. The plains and the forests were lit by pale light. Even in the house standing lonely on the plains, moonlight shone and cast the area in a bright glow. Ladia, lying in her own bed, opened her eyes. The bookshelves that took up one entire wall were filled with thick books. Other than that, the room was sparsely furnished¡ªonly a desk and a dresser were there. Ladia tried to shut her eyes again in the bright light, but changed her mind and rose from bed. ¡°¡­¡± Putting on a light cardigan over her nightgown, she put on her slippers and walked out into the hall. It was so bright that she did not need to use a lamp. Ladia slowly passed by Wil¡¯s room and entered the parlor. There was no one there. She poured herself a cup of water, drank it, and opened the door outside. There were fields, forests, and plains, all illuminated by the light of the moon. There were no people in sight. She even looked at the walls next to the doorway. But there was no one there. Ladia slowly shut the door. She then walked back down the hall to her room. ¡°Oh?¡± She heard the sound of a sneeze. Ladia stopped. She opened the hallway window and looked outside and by the walls, but there was no one there. At the same time, she heard another sneeze. It was coming from within the room. Ladia opened the door a crack and peeked inside. ¡°¡­¡± She was at a loss for words. Wil was curled up on the bed, shivering in his sleep. Next to him was Allison, wrapped up in the blanket she had mercilessly pulled away and lying at an odd angle with her blond hair splayed in all directions. Before she knew it, a smile was creeping up on Ladia¡¯s face. She slowly opened the door and went inside. Kneeling beside the bed, she pulled the blanket away from Allison without pity. Allison resisted in her sleep, but Ladia fought her off and covered Wil with more than half of the blanket. His shivering stopped, and he stretched out his body. As for Allison, she reacted almost as though on reflex, squirming over and sticking right next to Wil. She curled up and crawled under the blanket. ¡°Honestly¡­¡± Ladia pushed back several strands of blond hair that had fallen into Allison¡¯s face. She then re-adjusted the blanket over them. ¡°Thank you, Grandma Muto.¡± Wil muttered suddenly. Ladia was stunned. He was talking in his sleep. ¡°Thank you, Grandma Muto. Good night.¡± Allison said from next to Wil. It was as though she was responding to him. Both were speaking standard Bezelese. Then, they fell into quiet sleep as though nothing had happened. ¡°Impossible¡­¡± Ladia looked down at Allison and Wil, sleep completely chased from her. Volume 1 4 — Breakfast, then Sortie Volume 1 Chapter 4: Breakfast, then Sortie ----- Morning arrived. Songbirds¡¯ calls began to ring across the woods and the plains. The moon, no match for the sunlight, was pale in the western sky. Wil woke with a shiver. He looked up at the ceiling, and for a moment wondered where he was. But the moment he took in the room, with light filtering inside, he remembered everything. He was lying on the rightmost edge of the bed. When he sat up, he saw a blond girl on the left side. She was still asleep, hogging most of the blanket for herself. ¡°¡­¡± Wil briefly thought back to the previous night, wondering which side of the bed he had given her, but decided that there was no point continuing along this line of thought. He got up. Noting that he was not dizzy from the sudden movement, Wil put on his shirt and jacket. He then put on his shoes and stepped out into the hall. With quiet footsteps he walked out the back door, washed his face and hands at the well, and returned to the living room. ¡°Good morning.¡± Ladia said. She was sitting at the table, upon which were several books and her glasses. ¡°Good morning, Ms. Travas.¡± ¡°Is your forehead a bit better now?¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡± ¡°Here, take a seat. I¡¯ll change your bandages for you.¡± Wil did as he was told. Ladia unwrapped his bandages, stripped off the gauze, and switched it out for a smaller piece. She then wrapped a thinner layer of bandages around his head. Afterwards, Ladia washed her hands and handed Wil a cup of water. He thanked her and drank it. Watching him, Ladia gathered up her books and set them aside by the stove. The books were titled, [Timeline of Recent Events], editions from the year 3253 to 3259. ¡°May I ask you something? Don¡¯t force yourself to answer if this makes you uncomfortable.¡± Ladia said solemnly, sitting across from Wil. ¡°Yes?¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°Did you¡­ the two of you¡­ grow up in the Future House?¡± Wil was taken aback. He thought for a moment, and replied sheepishly. ¡°Heh. I still talk about it in my sleep sometimes. My roommate won¡¯t stop teasing me about it, asking me if I love my grandmother than much.¡± ¡°How clever. I suppose your friend Allison never brings up the subject herself.¡± ¡°No. She says she wants to hit people who give her pity for having been raised in the Future House. I¡¯ve had to stop her personally a few times.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± There was a shadow cast over Ladia¡¯s eyes. ¡°I suppose you know Grandma, then?¡± Wil asked. Ladia nodded slowly. ¡°I¡¯ve never met her myself, but every Bezelese person of my generation knows of her. Madame Coraz¨°n Mut.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°Madame Coraz¨°n¡­¡± Ladia trailed off, as Wil listened eagerly, ¡°She was respected by the people of Sou Be-Il. That is, until she defected to Roxche after the Great War.¡± Wil quietly waited for Ladia to continue. ¡°Do you know what we called her here in Sou Be-Il afterwards?¡± ¡°No, but I can guess.¡± ¡°Your guess would probably be correct. We called her a traitor, but with a much harsher word. To think that a dignified and noble aristocrat responsible for so many charitable works would defect Cross-River and set up a home for war orphans¡­ No one could have seen such a thing coming. We naturally knew that she must have had her reasons, but we were all furious at her betrayal. It was big news at the time. People criticized her, saying, ¡®What use is a Future House set up for the enemy?¡¯, or ¡®Is she planning to raise soldiers who will grow up to murder out countrymen?¡¯. Some newspapers went even further.¡± Wil, whose gaze had been fixed on the books by the stove, ¡°And I was no exception.¡± Turned back to Ladia. ¡°I also agreed with them. After all, she was my total opposite.¡± Wil finally spoke. ¡°Grandma Mut always used to say to us, ¡®I¡¯m doing my best with the future I¡¯ve thought of and discovered for myself. No matter what anyone might say, it¡¯s an admirable thing to walk down your own path¡¯. And she also said something else. ¡®Even if it means denying your own path ahead, you shouldn¡¯t deem that someone else¡¯s path is wrong¡¯.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ladia said quietly, her gaze drifting downward. ¡°If¡­ if it¡¯s all right, then tell me. I¡¯d like to know. Your parents¡­ when did they pass away? That girl¡¯s, too¡­¡± Wil was surprised at Ladia¡¯s question, but he answered her with neither hurt feelings nor enthusiasm. ¡°We¡¯re both seventeen years old right now. Allison came to the Future House when she was eight.¡± ¡°The Green Island Conflict¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I think so.¡± ¡°What about her mother?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been told that she always lived alone with her father, who was a career soldier.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°I still remember it like it was yesterday. The day Allison first came to the Future House.¡± In contrast to Ladia¡¯s grim expression, Wil spoke cheerfully. ¡°Kids from many different countries come to the Future House. They¡¯re all war orphans with no one to take care of them. At first, everyone is so scared and sad that they end up bursting into tears when they have to introduce themselves to the others. Then we¡¯d try to console them, saying that we¡¯re all friends. But Allison was different. She stepped in front of everyone, her hair fluttering. And as soon as she introduced herself, she pointed at me, who was standing nearby, and said, ¡®All right! From today on, you¡¯re going to be my underling!¡¯.¡± Wil said with a chuckle. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Everyone was shocked. Me, Grandma, and the other kids. One of the matrons scolded her, saying ¡®isn¡¯t ¡°underling¡± a bit too harsh?¡¯. That¡¯s when Allison said, ¡®Then you can be my faithful subordinate. I¡¯ll be a colonel, and you¡¯ll be a major¡¯.¡± ¡°I can already imagine. She must have been quite the rambunctious child.¡± Ladia said, listening intently. ¡°Yes. Both at home and at school, she was braver and cooler than anyone. She really liked me for some reason, so we always stuck together. She dragged me into a lot of things. Although I guess things aren¡¯t much different now.¡± ¡°What about yourself? When did you come into Madame Coraz¨°n¡¯s care?¡± Ladia asked once Wil finished with Allison¡¯s story. Wil answered with surprising ease. ¡°When I was three years old. Of course, I don¡¯t remember it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Oh, but I¡¯m not a war orphan.¡± Ladia, in the midst of her sympathetic nods, looked up in shock. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Wil continued as plainly as before. ¡°I was told that my parents left me on the doorstep.¡± ¡°¡­What¡­?¡± Ladia gasped. ¡°I was told that I was left on the doorstep when I was about three years old. The milkman found me there one morning and brought me inside. I was specially accepted into the Future House. Grandma and the matrons told me that, at the time, I couldn¡¯t speak a word. No matter what they said to me, all I did was stare back. I was late to develop. That¡¯s probably why my parents abandoned me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But afterwards, I learned to speak from the other kids, Grandma, and the matrons. At least, as far as I can remember, I¡¯ve never had any trouble with speaking.¡± ¡°Does your friend know all this?¡± Wil nodded calmly. ¡°Yes. Everyone in the Future House knows. When Allison first heard, she got so angry that she stood on a desk and led the other kids in some a rousing speech, saying that if my parents ever changed their minds came back for me, they would drive them out by force. Thankfully, she never carried out the plan.¡± Watching Wil fondly reminisce about his past, Ladia remembered the previous day. She took a deep breath and asked, ¡°What about your name?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t know my original name, so Grandma made a new one for me. My given name and surname both belonged to her grandfather. I love my name very much. She said that I could change it if I wanted to, but I don¡¯t intend to do so.¡± ¡°I understand now. That¡¯s why you¡¯re both fluent in Bezelese. You must have learned it from her.¡± ¡°Yes. Oh, but Allison¡¯s different. She knew Bezelese even before coming to the Future House. Until we find work or go on to school, everyone in the Future House speaks Bezelese. Grandma and the matrons taught us, and we even had Bezelese-only days sometimes. But Grandma was floored when she heard how fluent Allison was. She said that her father was very good at Bezelese, and that they spoke in both languages at home. Although I don¡¯t really know why that was the case.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Tell me one more thing.¡± Ladia said. ¡°Is Madame Coraz¨°n¡­ still well?¡± Wil smiled. ¡°She left on a journey half a year ago. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s doing well where she is.¡± ¡°I understand¡­ Thank you for telling me all this. I¡¯m so glad we had a chance to talk.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± ¡°Now,¡± Ladia said, getting to her feet and putting on the apron that was beside her. ¡°Let¡¯s have breakfast. Do you like Western-style cooking?¡± ¡°Yes. Grandma Mut cooked for us often.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have some bacon. How do you prefer your potatoes? Sliced and stir-fried, or roasted whole?¡± ¡°I prefer roasted, and Allison prefers stir-fried.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Then I¡¯ll make the stir-fry today. I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± Wil shook his head. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m sure Allison will be happy. I¡¯ll help.¡± He got up from his seat. ¡°Then could you start the fire? There¡¯s some chopped firewood outside.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Is your friend still asleep?¡± ¡°Yes. Allison¡¯s not a morning person. But I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be up in time for breakfast.¡± Ladia chuckled wryly. ¡°I¡¯ll get the firewood.¡± Wil said, heading outside. Suddenly, Ladia called out, ¡°The gloves are next to the firewood shed, Levin.¡± ¡°All right.¡± After Wil went outside, Ladia opened the cupboard and reached for the potatoes. It was only then that she realized what she had said. ¡°¡­!¡± Shutting her eyes, she looked up at the ceiling. When preparations for breakfast were just about finished, Allison opened her eyes automatically. ¡°¡­Must be this way.¡± Cracking her eyelids open in the bright morning light, Allison unconsciously tied her hair, took her jacket, put on her shoes, and followed her nose at a stagger. ¡°See?¡± ¡°You were right.¡± Said Wil and a smiling Ladia, as soon as Allison arrived at the living room. ¡°Good morning, Allison. Did you sleep well? You should wash up so we can eat breakfast.¡± ¡°Here you go, Miss Sleepyhead.¡± Ladia handed her a towel and made a gesture to take her jacket. Allison gave it to her, and Ladia hung it on the back of a chair. ¡°This is your seat. Your potatoes are ready.¡± Set on the table were Allison¡¯s favorite foods, still steaming hot. ¡°Where am I?¡± Allison wondered, still half-asleep. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy. Dig in.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will.¡± Allison almost literally dug into the food she loved. And after eating, she said honestly that it was very delicious. Wil and Ladia ate more slowly as they talked about Wil¡¯s school. She seemed to be shocked that Wil was receiving a scholarship from the Republic of Raputoa. Allison chimed in, praising Wil¡¯s intellect. She also complained that he received a set sum every year, and that if not for this outdated system that prevented Wil from extending or cutting short his academic career, he could have skipped several grades by now. After the meal, Ladia served three cups of tea and began to discuss their next course of action. ¡°Both of you, listen carefully.¡± She explained that a truck that delivered her groceries once every few days was scheduled to arrive before afternoon today. That Allison and Wil should get a lift to the village nearby, about twenty kilometers away. That they should go to the police and request official protection. That they should mention nothing about the Sou Be-Il kidnapping plot or the fighter plane, and that they should claim to have crash-landed in the middle of an ordinary sightseeing flight. ¡°Things will only become complicated if I go with you. I¡¯ll tell the deliveryman that I found you just now by the house, so do play along as best you can.¡± Wil nodded. ¡°We understand. We won¡¯t bring you any trouble. We¡¯ll also say that we treated my injury ourselves.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really understand, but I¡¯ll just do whatever Wil wants.¡± Allison said, sipping her tea. Then she added, ¡°for a few days, anyway.¡± ¡°Maybe I should have washed your shirt for you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right, Ms. Travas.¡± Wil said, shaking his head. His shirt collar and front were dyed with blood, like patterns had been drawn on it. ¡°And your jacket, too. Do we have time for me to mend it, I wonder?¡± Ladia asked, glancing at the jacket hanging from the back of Allison¡¯s chair. ¡°Hm?¡± Allison got up and examined it. ¡°Oh no!¡± She picked it up, dismayed. There was a rather large tear along the shoulder and collar. ¡°I had no idea¡­ How embarrassing.¡± She sighed, putting her fingers through the tear. The badge of rank on the left side of her collar was flipped over, dangling by a thread. The moment Allison stroked the badge, there was a clatter as something fell to the floor. It was a small, thin, rectangular piece of metal, about the size of an eraser. ¡°You dropped something.¡± Wil said, picking up the object. ¡°What is this thing?¡± He wondered, placing it on the table. It was a thin piece of metal with a dull shine. The edges had been filed into curves, and engraved on one side was a bird with long tail feathers. The other side was flat and blank. ¡°Oh, wait¡­¡± Allison said, troubled. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ technically supposed to be a military secret.¡± ¡°What?¡± Wil said in surprise, gently putting the object down. ¡°I¡¯ll just tell you, so don¡¯t tell anyone else. Promise?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to go that far¡­¡± ¡°No, since you¡¯ve already seen it, I¡¯ll tell you. I¡¯d feel bad about hiding things from you, and it¡¯s actually a pretty interesting story.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t tell a soul. In fact, I never even saw such a thing.¡± Ladia said to Wil, reassuring him. ¡°Then here goes. This piece of metal is used to prove your identity on the battlefield.¡± Allison said, picking up the object. ¡°Really? How?¡± Wil wondered, curious. ¡°The animal on this side of the tag is a way to tell if you¡¯re actually Roxchean or an enemy in disguise¡ªuh, sorry about that.¡± Allison said, turning to Ladia. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Wil returned his gaze from Ladia to Allison. ¡°Yeah. So these tags get sewn into soldiers¡¯ badges of rank before every mission, and not even the people who wear them know what the animals are. They take them out only when they come back and get back into contact with allied forces. An officer from the military police then compares the soldier to the list of animals they have, and makes sure it¡¯s the right person. It helps us discover enemy spies since no one could possibly prepare these tags in advance, especially since they get switched around every mission. I heard they started using this measure near the end of the Great War with the army and navy special forces, since they had a lot to do with covert operations.¡± ¡°Huh. That¡¯s really interesting.¡± ¡°And ever since aeroplanes were invented, pilots began to use them too. In case we parachute out of an aeroplane and come back to base, I mean. Each unit changes tags twice a year or so. Actually, I¡¯m not supposed to know what¡¯s on my tag. But I didn¡¯t really have a choice this time.¡± Allison said, her gaze fixed on her tag. ¡°No one knows what kind of animal, and how many of them, are on the tags. And since there haven¡¯t been any battles recently, not many people get to see them. This is actually the first time I saw a tag with my own eyes. This bird must be¡­ a coockoo? Yes?¡± Allison showed Ladia the tag. ¡°Yes, it is. It¡¯s quite well-engraved.¡± ¡°There¡¯s rumors saying that the military commissions a famous metalworking company to make these tags. I wish they wouldn¡¯t waste their budget on stupid things like this¡± As Allison muttered, shaking her head, she noticed Wil. ¡°Wil¡­? You¡¯re making a scary face.¡± There was a grim expression on Wil¡¯s face. His eyes were narrowed, and he was glaring at the empty table. Even Ladia was surprised by his expression. Her eyes met Allison¡¯s astonished gaze. As Wil remained silent, Allison tried to talk to him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Does your stomach hurt or something?¡± Wil lightly shook his head. He then slowly turned his gaze towards Allison. ¡°Allison.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± He enunciated clearly, intent on confirming his suspicions. ¡°During the Great War, did ordinary foot soldiers know about their tags? Could they know?¡± ¡°No. I told you, only the¡± ¡°Only the special forces, right? Are you absolutely sure?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± Allison nodded. She was about to ask why Wil was asking this question, but he started first. ¡°Coockoos are brood parasites.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It means they don¡¯t make nests of their own; they lay their eggs in other birds¡¯ nests, and make the other birds raise their offspring.¡± ¡°Oh, right. So¡­ uh¡­ and?¡± Allison was mystified. Wil answered her question. ¡°¡®Ah, the bird that knows not its parent soars without limit¡¯. That¡¯s what the old man said when he realized you were a solider. He picked up your jacket and felt the collar, remember? Back then, I wondered what he could have been talking about. But now I finally understand. This was it. He figured out the animal on the tag just by touching it. He knew that it was a coockoo, a bird that lays its eggs in other birds¡¯ nests. That¡¯s why he said what he said.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Laughter drained from Allison¡¯s face. ¡°The old man really was part of the special forces in the Great War. And he¡¯s completely sane, even now. Allison, I want to meet that man. I want to see him and ask him where the treasure is. I want to go there and see for myself.¡± Allison¡¯s expression was the same as the one she had worn during the fire at the dormitory. ¡°All right. I get exactly what you¡¯re talking about. So, in conclusion?¡± Wil nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s rescue the old man, no matter what it takes.¡± ¡°W, wait a second, you two!¡± Ladia cried in shock, but Wil cut her off. ¡°We¡¯re very sorry, Ms. Travas. But we¡¯d like to meet the old man again and speak to him. We want to know what this treasure he spoke of really is. Maybe he really was talking about the old rumors from this area. But I keep getting the feeling that that isn¡¯t the case. I¡¯d like to confirm my suspicions.¡± ¡°And like I said before, I¡¯m going to do whatever Wil wants!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ladia was lost for words. Allison and Wil quickly started on forming a plan. ¡°So what do we do, Wil? I guess handing ourselves in to the police is gonna have to wait.¡± ¡°Probably. If only we knew where the old man was taken¡­¡± ¡°I guess busting in there ourselves is out of the question. How about we leak the kidnapping incident to the media?¡± ¡°If we do that, they might kill him to eliminate the evidence.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no good. ¡­If we knew where he was, we could just go check out the place. I wish we could talk to him just for a bit. We could find the treasure first and then leak the news afterwards.¡± ¡°Figure out his location and sneak in to talk to him, huh. That¡¯s going to be tough. Sneaking home after curfew is nothing compared to this.¡± ¡°True. But I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find a way.¡± ¡°¡­I can see how the two of you ended up crossing the border now.¡± Ladia said quietly, as she blankly watched Allison and Wil. ¡°But you¡¯d best give up. If something should happen and you end up worse than just injuries¡­ if you were to lose your lives, people are going to mourn for you.¡± ¡°¡­We know. But,¡± Wil said, ¡°if the treasure the old man talked about really is somewhere¡­ a treasure that could end the war between Roxche and Sou Be-Il¡­¡± ¡°Do you really believe something like that could exist?¡± Ladia repeated her question from the previous day. ¡°No¡­¡± Wil replied, shaking his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. But when I first heard the story from the old man, I thought, ¡®I wish something like that existed¡¯. And now, I¡¯d like to find it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ladia closed her eyes, shaking her head. She sighed. ¡°I suppose there¡¯s no stopping you two. But you haven¡¯t come up with a clear plan, have you? You don¡¯t know where he is, or how you should meet him.¡± ¡°No. But we¡¯ll find a way.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Ladia sighed again and turned her gaze to the ceiling. She then turned back to Allison and Wil, placing her elbows on the table and her chin on her clasped hands. ¡°Listen carefully. About thirty kilometers north of here is the Teruto Royal Army Base. The man you¡¯re looking for must be being held there.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Are¡­ are you sure?¡± Wil and Allison gaped. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the nearest military base from here. It¡¯s in the direction the aeroplane flew away in.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Now we know where we¡¯re headed.¡± Allison said with a grin ¡°And you knew everything from the start.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ladia said, not sounding the least bit apologetic. ¡°That aside, an army base, huh?¡± Wil thought out loud. Allison quickly realized what he was implying, and said, ¡°Right. There¡¯s no way we could get in there easily.¡± ¡°Actually, there is.¡± Ladia said with a cheerful smile. ¡°You two, please don¡¯t look at me like that. I suppose there really must be something wrong with me.¡± * * * ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°A uniform?¡± Said Allison and Wil. On the desk was a set of clothes. Vivid blue pants and a light jacket of the same color embroidered with gold threads. A silk shirt and a red tie. A thick leather belt and short, shiny black boots. The vibrant blue beret was intricately embroidered with the picture of a dagger. A golden blade curving outwards at a gentle arc, with a red hilt. It was the crest of the Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa, known as the Curved Dagger. Like the Spear of Seron in Roxche, it had been the symbol of the West from time immemorial. In the past, it was engraved onto the shields and armor of knights. Today, the crest could be found on military uniforms and weapons. ¡°This is the uniform of the Youth Corps of the Royal Guard of the Kingdom of Bezel.¡± ¡°The Royal Guard¡­ That¡¯s incredible.¡± Wil said, tense. ¡°It¡­ is?¡± Allison wondered. Wil nodded. ¡°The Royal Guard is a group that exists to protect the Bezelese Royal Family. It¡¯s a group composed of the most elite soldiers in the force, and only people from high-ranking noble families are allowed to join. The Youth Corps is where younger people who fit the requirements are assigned to receive special education.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. You know quite a bit.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Allison added. ¡°I see. So this uniform belongs to the best of the best. If we¡¯re wearing these clothes¡­¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯ll be able to enter any military base easily. Especially ones in the countryside. If you ask one of the guides, you¡¯ll be shown around anywhere you ask. Even their holding cells.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Allison said, her eyes fixed on the uniform. ¡°I have one more set for you.¡± ¡°This is wonderful. What beautiful uniforms.¡± Allison said excitedly. Wil stepped closer to Ladia and whispered, ¡°Did this uniform belong to Levin?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Ladia was astonished. She nodded slowly. ¡°Yes¡­ That¡¯s right. The other uniform belonged to his older brother Tims.¡± ¡°¡­Is it really all right for us to borrow these uniforms?¡± And as though to dispel the rigor from Wil¡¯s expression, Ladia smiled. ¡°Of course. Please, do wear them.¡± ¡°Is this about right¡­?¡± Wil wondered to himself, stepping into the living room in the blue uniform. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ well¡­¡± Ladia smiled, cringing slightly. The shirt was crumpled all over, the tie was crooked, and the sleeves were too short. It would be a lie to call him presentable. ¡°Here, let me fix that.¡± Indicating for Wil to hang his jacket on the back of the chair, Ladia flattened out his shirt. She loosened his suspenders slightly and redid his tie. ¡°There. You look wonderful, Warrant Officer.¡± After adjusting Wil¡¯s tie and collar, Ladia gently put a finger under his chin with a practiced touch. Wil raised his head up straight, slightly surprised. Their eyes met. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Wil looked at Ladia¡¯s darkened expression. He thanked her. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m very grateful.¡± The shadow left Ladia¡¯s face. ¡°This should be about right.¡± Allison said, stepping into the living room in the blue uniform. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°My goodness¡­¡± Wil was lost for words. Ladia was shocked. Allison was dressed perfectly. She had the jacket on with a belt clasped neatly around her waist, her uniform without so much as a wrinkle. Her long blond hair was tied back above her neckline and fastened with a hairclip. Atop her head sat the perfectly-angled beret. ¡°It looks even more convincing on you than a Bezelese person¡­ They say the uniform was made to match those with blond hair, since many residents of Sfrestus are also blond.¡± ¡°What about you, Wil? Tell me what you think.¡± ¡°Oh. Um¡­ It looks better on you than anything I¡¯ve ever seen you wear. I wonder why¡­?¡± ¡°Thanks. I like this uniform, too. I¡¯d almost like to trade it for the boring uniforms we have to wear in Roxche.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough talking about the uniforms. There are some things you should know.¡± Ladia said. ¡°The Royal Guard are the cream of the crop, acknowledged by all. And they¡¯re aristocrats. In other words¡­ They behave a little differently from ordinary soldiers. That is to say¡± ¡°They act all high-and-mighty, right?¡± Allison said without even trying to be tactful. ¡°Well¡­ yes. That also goes for the Youth Corps. So if you want to avoid suspicion¡ª¡± ¡°We have to act that way ourselves.¡± Wil finished. ¡°Yes. Have you heard of ¡®The Princess of Greyruse¡¯? It¡¯s a fairy tale here in Sou Be-Il.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the story about the selfish princess who wants to own everything and gives everyone trouble, right?¡± Wil said. Allison also joined in, realizing that she knew the story as well. ¡°Oh! I remember that one! The selfish princess lives in a kingdom high in the mountains, but she asks for things like dresses, jewels, and even forests, mountains, and lakes. And in the end, she demands to have the clouds and the sun, so she goes up to the sky and asks the sky god to give them to her because she¡¯s the princess. Right?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the story, I¡¯m glad you know about it already.¡± ¡°But that fairy tale¡± Wil said, but Allison cut him off. ¡°In the end, the sky god got so sick of the princess¡¯s selfishness that he ran away. And so, the kingdom was left without a sky. I don¡¯t really get what the moral of the story is supposed to be, but I always liked this fairy tale.¡± ¡°Allison¡­ Who told you this story? Was it Grandma?¡± ¡°No, it was my dad. I heard it from him when I was little. I loved it so much that I still remember it like it was yesterday.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wil went silent. Allison blinked. ¡°Something wrong?¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± Wil said, shaking his head. Ladia asked if she could continue, and returned to her explanation. ¡°You must act like the princess and behave differently towards other people¡ªas though you¡¯re above them. Don¡¯t salute people, even if they¡¯re of a higher rank. If they ask you something, laugh and act like they should be grateful that you¡¯re visiting the base. I don¡¯t have much of a right to say this, but¡­ The nobles of Sfrestus have always been that way.¡± ¡°We understand. We¡¯ll show ¡®em what stuck-up really looks like.¡± ¡°I bet you¡¯ll do that really well.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll do just fine.¡± Wil and Ladia answered her at once. ¡°Take this.¡± Ladia said, bringing a suitcase with a handle on the top. It was made of thick leather and looked very sturdy. ¡°This looks expensive.¡± Allison noted. ¡°Carry your clothes in here. If the soldier on security duty asks to search the suitcase¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯ll just get angry and blow him off, right?¡± ¡°Precisely. Bluff and intimidate them.¡± As Wil listened to Allison and Ladia¡¯s surprisingly well-matched conversation, the latter suddenly said to him, ¡°Wil, have you ever shot a gun before?¡± Wil was a little taken aback at the sudden question, but answered, ¡°Well, yes. I took a class on it at school.¡± ¡°How confident of a marksman are you?¡± Allison answered proudly, ¡°Wil here placed sixth in the 3287 Kaashi Shooting Competition, you know. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d miss.¡± ¡°?¡± Ladia stared, confused. ¡°You¡¯re not making things really clear for her, Allison¡­¡± ¡°Oh, right. Let me explain. There¡¯s a city called Kaashi in the Republic of Raputoa in Roxche. A festival takes place there every year, and Wil got sixth place in their shooting competition. I guess this doesn¡¯t say much, but I promise he¡¯s a better shot than I am.¡± ¡°I see. Then that¡¯s enough.¡± Ladia said. She reached into a drawer next to the fireplace and took out a large object covered in cloth. Carrying the heavy object with both hands, she place it on the table and gingerly unfolded the cloth. Inside was a leather holster housing a handgun. With her thin fingers Ladia pulled out the gun with its muted glint. It was an extremely large handgun, about twice as long and thick as the one issued to Allison. It had a narrow wooden grip with a magazine sticking out in front of it. The chassis was rough and the barrel was thin. ¡°That¡¯s one heck of a gun.¡± Allison said. ¡°Make sure to have this on you. I¡¯ll teach you how to use it. You can practice before you go.¡± Wil slowly shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I could make a snap-decision and shoot someone. Even if I had it, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d ever use it.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you¡¯ve decided, it¡¯s all right. But please keep it with you.¡± ¡°¡­By any chance, did this¡ª¡± Wil began. Ladia nodded. ¡°Yes. It originally belonged to my husband. I passed it down to our children, but they both left this gun at home when they left. So I had it prepared to use for myself. But¡­ take it. Please. Think of it as a lucky charm.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Please.¡± ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll do as you ask.¡± Wil said. Ladia breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you.¡± A truck approached from across the plains. Each time it hit a curve in the road it disappeared from sight and appeared again. Soon, neared Ladia¡¯s house. Allison and Wil stood at the front door in full uniform. Next to them was Ladia, wearing an apron. Wil was wearing the large holster at his side. The leather suitcase was at their feet. ¡°I¡¯m just going to ask one more thing of the two of you.¡± Ladia said. Allison and Wil turned round towards her. ¡°I¡¯m only lending you those uniforms. So please come back to return them to me. I don¡¯t care when. Even if they get worn and you lose the hats, I¡¯d like the two of you to bring them back to me together. Even if you can¡¯t find the treasure, come back here laughing that you never found it.¡± ¡°We understand. You have our word.¡± Wil said. Allison nodded over and over again. ¡°Yeah. We definitely will. We¡¯ll bring them back to you ourselves, even if it means crossing the border illegally again. I have this location memorized, too.¡± ¡°Thank you. The rest is up to you. This is as much as I can do.¡± Ladia said. The truck was coming over to them. It was grey and of an older design, and there was a tarp over the bed like a tent. ¡°Thank you very much, Ms. Travas. I don¡¯t know how to thank you for everything you¡¯ve done for us.¡± ¡°Me too. I mean, I¡¯m not really good at this stuff, but, uh¡­¡± The sound of the engine drew near. Ladia smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. But¡­ would you give me a salute?¡± Allison was shocked. She looked at Wil. Then, she winked and said, ¡°Thank you!¡± On cue, Allison and Wil saluted Ladia. Raising her hand so her fingertips were barely touching her beret, Allison gracefully demonstrated a textbook salute. Wil followed shortly after, a little awkwardly. Ladia took hold of either side of her skirt. Sweeping back her right foot, she slowly bent her left knee and gently bowed her head. ¡°May the gods of war and fate be with you. Good luck.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be back.¡± Allison and Wil replied. As afternoon approached, the moon began to hover over the western woods. A thin layer of clouds covered the blue sky. There was a road that crossed the dense forests like a valley. It was lined on the side by utility poles and several electric lines. A lone vehicle was driving north along that path. It was an old grey truck with a tarp spread over the bed like a tent. In the driver¡¯s seat on the right side of the truck was a large, middle-aged man. Nest to him sat a boy and a girl in blue uniforms. ¡°Uh, if I may, uh¡­¡± The man stuttered awkwardly. ¡°What is it?¡± Asked the blonde girl. The boy¡¯s gaze anxiously wandered left and right. ¡°Well, I¡¯m just a commoner, but could I ask you something?¡± The man asked. ¡°Oh, of course.¡± The blonde girl¡ªAllison¡ªreplied. Having received permission to speak, the man spoke in a more relaxed tone. ¡°Uh, are you two her relatives?¡± ¡°Yes. We came to see her for the first time in a very long time.¡± ¡°I see. Family really is great. I¡¯ve been making deliveries for that woman for ten years now, and I¡¯ve never seen her smile like that before.¡± The man said with a grin. ¡°Really? I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± Allison said with a smile of her own, elbowing Wil in the side. ¡°Do you know why she¡¯s living all alone in a place like that? I once asked her offhand myself, and, well¡­ Got the shock of my life.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Said Wil. Allison looked at him, surprised. With his gaze set forward, Wil slowly answered. ¡°I once heard that¡­ the next time war breaks out and the enemy comes to attack, she would take up a gun and fight where she lived. That she would fight alone against the despicable enemies who took away her family.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the story.¡± The man nodded solemnly. ¡°¡­¡± Allison was still staring at Wil. Wil was still looking ahead. ¡°But that won¡¯t be necessary anymore.¡± ¡°That so?¡± The man wondered. ¡°Yes. After all, we¡¯re the ones who¡¯ll do the fighting from this point on.¡± Wil said, smiling. ¡°That¡¯s real brave of you.¡± The man said cheerfully, driving towards the Teruto Royal Army Base. Volume 1 5 — The Roxchean Spy Volume 1 Chapter 5: The Roxchean Spy ----- The Teruto Royal Army Base was in the middle of a dense forest. Tall coniferous trees stood in the woods, and built within was a castle from the Middle Ages. It was not a very tall structure, but at each corner of the stone fortification was a cylindrical tower used as a lookout point. The castle was the command center of the Teruto Base, and just south of the castle were several barracks that could house hundreds of soldiers. Lined up beside them were military trucks and even armored vehicles equipped with towed cannons and machine guns. North of the castle was a gymnasium-shaped hangar made of metal. The hangar roof was painted green, and there were even tree-shaped patterns to help camouflage the structure. Inside the wide grounds were several paved roads running in straight lines. Between the roads was a field covered in grass and dirt. In the very corner was a shooting range with mounds of earth, used to hold targets in place for practice. On the wide-open grounds in front of the hangar was a long canal, dug in a straight line. The water had been directed from a small river nearby for the canal, which was a runway for seaplanes. At the end was a ramp used to lower boats into the river. Inside the castle, in a lavishly decorated room. There were paintings and suits of armor adorning the walls. In the center of the room was a long table covered with a white tablecloth. Atop it were candlesticks, vases, and plates of steaming hot stew. A group of middle-aged men were partaking in a meal. All of them were wearing military uniforms. Their pants and jackets were dark brown. They were the Sou Be-Il Royal Army uniforms. On the chests and shoulders of the uniforms were the emblem of the curved dagger, shining medals and badges, as well as badges of rank that showed off their lofty positions. Behind them were young orderlies serving as messengers. This was the dining room of the high-ranking officers of the Teruto Royal Army Base. The men were eating in silence. They ate without so much as a word, as though they had nothing else in particular to do. ¡°I¡¯m finished. If you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± One officer said, getting up from his seat. He wiped his mouth on a napkin and threw it to the floor without a second thought. He was about fifty years of age with thinning hair. It would be a lie to say that his physique was balanced in any way. On his uniform was a badge of rank showing that he was a colonel. The rotund colonel snatched his hat from his orderly and left the room, the clacking of his boots echoing down the hall. About twenty seconds passed after the door closed shut. ¡°Phew¡­¡± One of the officers sighed. As if of cue, the rigid air in the dining hall loosened. There was another officer there with a colonel¡¯s badge of rank. He was a man with a mustache. A major in his thirties, sitting across from the colonel, said, ¡°How long are those bastards planning to bum around on our base?¡± ¡°Watch what you¡¯re saying, Major.¡± Said Colonel Elcub, the commander of the Teruto Royal Army Base. And before the major could apologize, he added, ¡°can¡¯t you see I¡¯m doing my best to not punch him in the jaw?¡± A roar of laughter filled the dining room. As the air lightened, the officers began to break out into conversation. ¡°What are the people who accompanied Colonel Nott doing now?¡± Asked a lieutenant colonel. The major from earlier answered. ¡°The same as always, sir. Lazing about by the aeroplanes. Who knows what they¡¯re thinking? They act like we¡¯re not even allowed to talk to them. Although they still do eat in the mess hall.¡± ¡°¡®Aeroplane testing unit¡¯ my ass. More like a group of thugs.¡± Said another lieutenant colonel. The other officers burst into laughter in agreement. ¡°What of the old man they brought in?¡± Asked Colonel Elcub. The major replied, ¡°Still locked up in the basement, sir. We have an orderly keeping watch, but we have no idea what Colonel Nott and his men are doing down there.¡± ¡°I see.¡± At the colonel¡¯s orders, the orderly who took away the finished plates returned with tea. The major stood from his seat. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand, Commander. Is the old man really a Roxchean spy, like Colonel Nott says? How likely is it that they¡¯d happen across an old man crossing the river in the middle of testing the new planes? And even if the man is a spy, why are they interrogating him themselves, instead of handing him to the military police? There¡¯s something¡± Colonel Elcub waved the major back into his seat. ¡°There¡¯s something fishy about all this, no doubt. But a stink alone isn¡¯t enough grounds to make accusations.¡± He said, ¡°Major. I want you to keep a close eye on them. I¡¯m counting on you.¡± The major replied with an enthusiastic salute. Just when the colonel had taken his first sip of tea, there was a knock. The solider next to the door opened it, and a young female soldier stepped inside with a salute. ¡°Apologies for intruding during your meal, sir!¡± She handed Colonel Elcub a small note. The colonel read the message. With a note of acknowledgement, he handed the paper to the lieutenant colonel sitting next to him. ¡°Two young warrant officers from the Royal Guard Youth Corps are asking for permission to tour the base.¡± Hushed murmurs rose up in the dining room. The lieutenant colonel continued. ¡°We¡¯re really getting all sorts out here in the countryside. And from the Royal Guard, of all places¡­¡± ¡°We can¡¯t turn them down, then. Of course, they probably already knew that when they asked for permission. I¡¯m putting you in charge of this, Reig. Make sure you treat them with respect. You know how difficult they can be.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Aren¡¯t you going to meet them, sir?¡± Asked the balding lieutenant colonel. ¡°I hate aristocrats. Don¡¯t even want ¡®em to remember my name or my face.¡± ¡°Apologies, sir.¡± Reig stood, wiping his mouth. ¡°Take care to be respectful. And I hope I don¡¯t need to remind you, but¡ª¡± Lieutenant Colonel Reig nodded. ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll make sure they don¡¯t run into Colonel Nott and his men.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± Checking to make sure that his hat was on correctly, Lieutenant Colonel Reig took a small car towards the front gates of the Teruto Base. On either side of the gate, which sat on a one-lane road, was a guard station. In front of one of the stations were two people dressed in vivid blue uniforms, both in their late teens. They sat with their legs crossed on chairs that the men on guard duty must have brought for them. The lieutenant colonel stepped out of the car and approached the visitors. One was a girl with long blond hair. The other was a boy whose head was wrapped in bandages. On his belt was a large, holstered handgun. It was an expensive weapon (worth about two months of an average soldier¡¯s pay) that was not issued by the military. The visitors slowly stood. The lieutenant colonel saluted them. ¡°Welcome to the Teruto Royal Army Base. I¡¯m Lieutenant Colonel Reig, here on Colonel Elcub¡¯s orders to show you around.¡± The visitors saluted him. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you. Do we have to tell you our names, too?¡± The girl asked brusquely. The boy watched the conversation with a detached look. ¡°Not at all, Warrant Officers.¡± Said Lieutenant Colonel Reig, forcing a smile. ¡°Is that so? We¡¯re just here for a short visit. We have no intention of getting in the way of you little people. We¡¯ll have a quick look around and leave. Would that be too much of a bother?¡± ¡°Not at all, Warrant Officer. Please. Take your time. Have you eaten lunch yet?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need any food, thank you.¡± ¡°I see. Then please let me escort you around the base. If you¡¯d like to come to the car¡± ¡°No thank you.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need a lieutenant colonel to show us around the base. We have no intention of going around with a high-ranking officer while we¡¯re here in the countryside. ¡­You there.¡± The girl¡¯s gaze was fixed on a guard with a rifle slung over his shoulder, standing stiff. He was a young man wearing a green combat uniform and a helmet, probably not yet twenty. He was still at the lowest rank of private. ¡°M, me, Warrant Officer?¡± He croaked. ¡°Yes, you. Could you show us around the base?¡± ¡°¡­Uh¡­ umm¡­¡± Half in tears, the private looked to the lieutenant colonel for help. ¡°Hm. Your name, Private?¡± ¡°R, Ren¨¦ Falkrott, sir!¡± The lieutenant colonel¡¯s response was pitiless. ¡°Hm. Private Ren¨¦. You are hereby relieved from guard duty. I order you to show the Royal Guard warrant officers around the base. Understand?¡± ¡°A, ahh¡­¡± ¡°Your answer, Private.¡± ¡°Y, y, y, yes, sir! Private Ren¨¦, reporting for duty, sir!¡± ¡°Excellent. Watch your manners around our guests. Also¡­¡± The lieutenant colonel went up to Ren¨¦ and whispered something into his ear. ¡°That is all. You have permission to use the car.¡± ¡°No thanks. We¡¯ll walk. Let¡¯s go.¡± The girl said. Ignoring the lieutenant colonel, she began to walk away with her companion. ¡°Th, th, this way, please¡­ F, follow me¡­¡± Said Ren¨¦. One of the guards called him back, reminding him to leave his rifle and helmet. Ren¨¦ took them off and handed them to his friend, panicked, and put on the hat he had hung on his shoulder. ¡°P, p, p, p, p, please excuse me I¡¯m on my way!¡± He hurried after the visitors. Watching the three soldiers depart, one of the guards remarked, ¡°Whew¡­ Glad it¡¯s not me out there. I hate aristocrats.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Said the lieutenant colonel. Everyone stared. Allison, Wil, and Private Ren¨¦ walked down the road to the base. Walking next to Wil, a little behind Ren¨¦, Allison whispered in Bezelese. ¡°It¡¯s going well so far. We even got ourselves a nervous guide.¡± ¡°¡­You know¡­ I think my heart¡¯s just about to stop right now.¡± ¡°Get a hold of yourself. You just have to walk around in uniform like it¡¯s the most normal thing in the world. That¡¯s what every military base is like.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Wil. Since you¡¯re not used to stuff like this, you can just stay quiet like we agreed earlier. And besides, you said we¡¯d rescue the old man no matter what, right?¡± Wil nodded. ¡°Yeah¡­ The problem is the location. They probably have him locked up in that castle they¡¯re using as the command center. They usually have prison facilities in the basements.¡± ¡°Great. First we¡¯ll ask for a tour of the castle. Then we¡¯ll head for the dungeons. And after that, the hangar.¡± ¡°The hangar?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you forgot already. If they have aeroplanes there¡­¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re going to steal one?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to borrow one.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Unable to stand Allison and Wil¡¯s hushed whispers, Ren¨¦ looked back as he continued to walk. ¡°Uh, umm¡­ If there¡¯s a problem with me¡­¡± Allison softened her expression slightly. ¡°No, we weren¡¯t talking about you. We were just complaining about the bigwigs.¡± ¡°I see¡­ My apologies, Warrant Officer.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I picked you out because it¡¯s easier to talk to someone our age.¡± ¡°Th, thank you.¡± Feeling more at ease, Ren¨¦ began to point out the structures around them. ¡°Uh, to our left, you¡¯ll see the barracks. And over there is the depot where we store the weapons and vehicles. The castle over here is the command center, and over there is the hangar. We usually have liaison crafts on standby there.¡± ¡°I see. Actually, there¡¯s something I wanted to ask you, Private.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am?¡± Ren¨¦ asked enthusiastically. ¡°What did that lieutenant colonel whisper to you back there?¡± ¡°¡­¡± His face stiffened. ¡°Uh¡­ um¡­¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Ren¨¦ realized that he had no choice but to tell the truth. ¡°Actually¡­ people from another unit flew in a few days ago¡­¡± ¡°Oh? From where?¡± Allison asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, ma¡¯am. Not from any base nearby, as far as I can tell.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Well¡­ The lieutenant colonel instructed me that I should not let you run into any of them during the tour.¡± ¡°Oh? I wonder why. Do we really look so ferocious?¡± Allison joked. ¡°N, not at all, ma¡¯am. In fact, it¡¯s the opposite. The lieutenant colonel is worried that you might get a bad impression from seeing them. I think.¡± Ren¨¦ said gravely. Allison nodded. ¡°Private Ren¨¦!¡± Wil cried suddenly. Allison turned to Wil, shocked. ¡°Y, yes, sir!¡± ¡°When was it that the men from the other unit arrived?¡± Wil asked, stone-faced. ¡°Four days ago, sir.¡± ¡°Do you know what they are here for?¡± ¡°¡­Only a rumor going around among the soldiers, sir¡­¡± ¡°Tell us.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ve heard they¡¯re here to test out some new seaplane models in the nearby lakes and rivers.¡± ¡°Then they must be using that hangar. How many people? How many planes?¡± ¡°About six people, sir. And I¡¯ve never seen all of the planes in flight at once, but I think there must be four or five.¡± ¡°I see. Is there, by any chance, a double-engine seaplane among them?¡± Allison finally realized what Wil was trying getting at. ¡°Oh, yes, sir. I¡¯ve seen that one.¡± Ren¨¦ replied. Then, he asked hesitantly, ¡°Um¡­ How do you know about that, sir?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter, now, does it?¡± Allison butted in. Wil continued. ¡°Was that seaplane flying in the middle of the night two days ago? Did you hear a loud noise before dawn?¡± ¡°Oh, yes! Yes, sir. I was on duty then, so I saw the lights go on in the canal and the seaplane touching down¡­¡± Allison nodded at Wil, satisfied. She then turned to the confused private. ¡°There¡¯s someplace I¡¯d like you to show us.¡± ¡°Y, yes, ma¡¯am?¡± Allison looked up a the stone building ahead of them. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in the barracks and the commoners there. Show us around the castle.¡± * * * ¡°Second Lieutenant? Um¡­ You¡¯re in the air force, right?¡± A man in his early twenties looked up from his seat. He was neither fat nor skinny, and had short brown hair and a handsome face. He was wearing long black boots and well-cut navy pants. He also wore a thin blue jacket and a navy tie. Hanging over either of his shoulders were suspenders, and around his waist was a belt equipped with a holster. Hanging from the back of his wooden chair was a black leather jacket. On the right arm was the emblem of the curved dagger. On either shoulder was a second lieutenant¡¯s badge of rank, and over the left side of the chest was a pilot¡¯s badge adorned with the emblem of a spread-winged eagle. ¡°As you can see.¡± Said the second lieutenant, twirling his hat around his finger. ¡°The name¡¯s Carr Benedict. It¡¯s a pleasure.¡± Speaking to the pilot was a repair technician around seventeen or eighteen years of age. She had short hair and was wearing green overalls. She also had the emblem of the curved dagger on her right shoulder. ¡°Oh! Pardon me. I¡¯m Private First Class, Jyum Elaine!¡± The technician said, saluting. Benedict also gave her a light salute. They were currently in the hangar. All around were long metal beams, and the ceiling curved over them in a gentle arc. The interior was large enough to host a ball game. ¡°Is this a new model? She¡¯s amazing.¡± Elaine said, her eyes glinting with enthusiasm. Benedict slowly turned to his right. Before them was a plane. The fuselage was streamlined, painted pitch-black. At the front of the frame were a pair of openings for machine gun fire. The cockpit was open, but the front was covered with a windshield. The machine guns could be aimed using a round metal controller. At the back of the eight-meter long fuselage was a thin water cooling engine. At the very end of the plane was a three-winged propeller. The plane had one main wing spreading over either side of the frame, and the perpendicular tailplanes stuck out above and below. Unlike with most other aircraft, the parallel tailplanes were sticking out from near the nose. ¡°This is a fighter seaplane, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes. It is.¡± Underneath the frame were not wheels, but floats. The floats looked very much like the kind attached to canoes for balance, but they were incredibly large. Hanging from either side of the wings were secondary floats. The main floats were atop a flatcar to allow the seaplane to move on land. The flatcar was a tangle of metal pipes in the shape of a box, and on either side were sturdy wheels. It was currently fastened in place. ¡°By the way, she¡¯s completely made of metal. Not a single piece of lumber in this baby.¡± Said Benedict. The technician looked nothing short of delighted. ¡°It¡¯s like an aeroplane from the future. I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re capable of building crafts like this now. You know, Second Lieutenant. I just came back from a six-day leave today. And when I stepped in here, the first things I saw were all these amazing new models. You have no idea how excited I am.¡± Including the one they were looking up at now, there were a total of four planes in the hangar. Two of them were the same model, two-seaters with one seat in front of the other. They were neatly lined up next to each other. Next to them was an amphibious seaplane with two engines above its wings. The four planes took up most of the hangar. The army¡¯s two small liaison aircrafts that usually made home here had been parked outside and covered. They were three-seater biplanes, also equipped with floats. ¡°Do you like aeroplanes?¡± Asked Benedict. ¡°Very much! I¡¯d like to become a pilot. I¡¯m very happy that I became a repair technician and I love my work. But It¡¯s my dream to fly these aeroplanes myself one day.¡± Benedict smiled. ¡°I used to be in the Royal Army as an infantryman.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. After high school, I didn¡¯t want to study any more. So instead of going on to university, I joined the Royal Army. But one day, I spotted an aeroplane flying through the sky and fell in love. Just like you. So I began studying to enter the Royal Air Force Officer Academy.¡± ¡°And you passed the examination, right? That¡¯s so wonderful!¡± ¡°I guess so. I graduated last year, and now I¡¯m piloting fighter crafts. In that sense, my dreams have come true.¡± ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Second Lieutenant!¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why you should do your best, too. I¡¯m sure even I have the right to say something like that.¡± Benedict said, winking at the starstruck technician. ¡°Now, Miss Elaine¡­¡± Still in his seat, he turned to the technician and said plainly, ¡°If you have some spare time later, would you like to take a walk with me? I¡¯ve been told that there¡¯s a stream in the area where the soldiers bathe and swim sometimes. Why don¡¯t you show me how to get there?¡± The technician went beet red. ¡°I, uh¡­ umm¡­¡± ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t mean that we should take a bath there or anything like that.¡± ¡°Um¡­ If you don¡¯t mind¡­ I¡­¡± As Elaine took a deep breath and prepared herself, the hangar door opened without warning and four men stepped inside. They ranged in age from twenty to thirty. Three of them were wearing Royal Air Force uniforms like Benedict. One was a second lieutenant, and the other two were first lieutenants. The last man, who was the tallest of the newcomers, was wearing a Royal Army uniform and sunglasses over his eyes. He was a captain. Benedict stood with a Tch and placed a hand on the technician¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Sorry, but we¡¯ll have to talk later.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± With that, Benedict walked over to the door and greeted the men. ¡°That was quick.¡± ¡°Have fun watching house, Benedict?¡± One of the first lieutenants said in a mocking tone. ¡°Of course.¡± Benedict answered curtly. ¡°By that, you mean you were chatting up a woman again. Quick as ever.¡± Said the other first lieutenant, gesturing at the worried-looking technician with his chin. ¡°That¡¯s practically tradition in the land I was born in.¡± Benedict snickered, the only hint of politeness in his answer being the words he used. The airmen glared daggers at him. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve got no intention of even trying to get along.¡± Said the youngest of the men, the second lieutenant. ¡°Well?! Say something!¡± Benedict¡¯s answer was firm. ¡°In the land I was born in, we don¡¯t make a tradition of chatting up men. Especially not the ugly ones.¡± ¡°Son of a b*tch!¡± The man grabbed Benedict by the collar. Benedict threw him a sharp stare. ¡°Stop this.¡± Said the army captain, who had been standing at the back of the commotion. The second lieutenant let Benedict go, frustrated. Benedict straightened out his collar as though nothing had happened. ¡°Second Lieutenant Carr, you may leave for lunch. Come back here straight afterwards to resume guard duty. Do not waste time trying to flirt with the women.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain Gratz.¡± Saluting the captain, Benedict walked away. He put on his hat and left the hangar. ¡°Damned bastard. He¡¯s all talk.¡± One of the second lieutenants spat as Benedict departed. ¡°This is no place for personal vendettas. We are all comrades-in-arms.¡± Said Captain Gratz. ¡°Why did the colonel bring someone like him into the team, I wonder?¡± Asked the first lieutenant. ¡°Because there are four fighter planes. Say what you will about his behavior¡ªI¡¯ve heard he¡¯s quite skilled.¡± Gratz said. ¡°Really, sir? Better than us?¡± Said a second lieutenant. His two comrades grinned confidently. ¡°I¡¯d like to take him on one of these days.¡± ¡°Could we? What if we asked the colonel to allow us to have a friendly match, if that¡¯s what you want to call it? We¡¯ve got all the ammunition in the world. What do you say, Captain?¡± ¡°We have no time for that now. First, we have to make that old bastard talk.¡± With that, Captain Gratz pulled off his sunglasses. He was the man who had come to Makkaniu two days ago, claiming to be from the tax office. Benedict left the hangar, passing by the command center and entering the barracks, where the mess hall was. Normally, two guards were stationed at the castle entrance, facing forward. But this time, the guards were twisting their necks as far as they could, trying to peek inside. Benedict spotted two people in blue uniforms walking through the entrance. ¡°Blue uniforms, huh. Which unit is that supposed to be again?¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°Guess that¡¯s none of my business.¡± He resumed walking towards the mess hall. ¡°The first floor is being used as the offices. It¡¯s currently lunch hour, so there shouldn¡¯t be many people here.¡± Explained Private Ren¨¦. He, along with Allison and Wil, were walking down the empty hallway. The floor of the halls were made of wood, and the walls were made of stone. There were slots in the walls at regular intervals for inserting torches, but they were rendered obsolete by the lamps hanging from the ceiling. Multiple pipes were stretching out along the ceiling, having been installed in more recent times. ¡°When was this castle built, and by whom? Are there any other castles of similar structures?¡± Wil asked. Allison shot him a glare and elbowed him in the side so Ren¨¦ could not see. Wil waved his hand lightly to apologize. Ren¨¦ looked apologetic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. I¡¯m not really sure. Should I go ask someone?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother. What¡¯s above here?¡± Allison asked. ¡°This castle is made up of four floors. The second floor is the officers¡¯ dining room and their quarters. On the third floor are the command room, the communications room, and the operations room. The fourth floor is not being used at the moment, but I¡¯ve been told it will serve as the command center for the front lines in the event of a war.¡± ¡°I see. Is there anything underground?¡± ¡°Oh. Yes. It¡¯s been preserved the way it was in the past.¡± Allison narrowed her eyes. ¡°Oh? What is it used for?¡± ¡°The basement is used for storing food and wine. And the old dungeons are being used as a prison. The levels further underground used to be a catacomb; it¡¯s been sealed off now.¡± ¡°Medieval dungeons and catacombs? Sounds interesting.¡± ¡°It sure does.¡± Wil sounded honestly enthusiastic. Allison agreed with feigned enthusiasm. ¡°We¡¯d like to have a look ourselves, Private.¡± ¡°Th, the catacombs, sir? I, I don¡¯t think we¡¯re permitted¡­¡± Ren¨¦ stuttered. ¡°Then the dungeons will do. Take us there.¡± ¡°Th, the cells are being guarded by soldiers from the military police. I don¡¯t have the authority to¡± Allison shot him a glare. Ren¨¦ went silent. ¡°Just take us there, then. I¡¯ll get us permission myself. Which way to the stairs?¡± ¡°Th, this way, ma¡¯am¡­¡± Just as Allison, Wil, and Private Ren¨¦ arrived at the top of the stairs. ¡°Give me a big helping of the pickled vegetables.¡± Benedict said to the soldier in charge of handing out the food. ¡®Just what the hell are you doing here,¡¯ said the look in the soldier¡¯s eye. Benedict replied with a look of his own. ¡®Shaddap. None of your business.¡¯ Having received his extra serving of pickled vegetables, Benedict took some bread and fruit and put them on his tray. ¡®I heard he¡¯s from the Royal Air Force.¡¯ ¡®Lounging around in the hangar with those new models, I hear.¡¯ ¡®What¡¯s he doing out here in the countryside?¡¯ ¡®Bunch of thugs, that¡¯s what they are.¡¯ ¡®Wish they¡¯d go eat someplace else.¡¯ Benedict looked around the mess hall¡ªat the soldiers who glanced at him occasionally but never tried to talk to him. He found himself an empty seat. ¡°No female officers around here, huh.¡± When they descended the steps, they emerged into a space bathed in yellow incandescent light. The underground was much cooler than the outside because the walls, floor, and ceiling were all made of stone. But it was humid, and there was a stench in the air. There was a small room furnished with a bookshelf and a ledge. Several bundles of keys hung from the ledge. There was a hallway stretching out next to the room. Past a set of bars just several meters ahead, the walls to the right were lined with prison cells. ¡°P, please wait a moment, Warrant Officers.¡± Said a forty-something sergeant as he stood from his seat at the desk. He had short hair and round glasses, exuding an air of diligence. ¡°Oh? Explain why I have to wait, Sergeant.¡± Allison said without missing a beat. Private Ren¨¦ stiffened. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Scary¡­¡± Wil muttered under his breath. The sergeant was lost for words. ¡°Uh, umm¡­ We have one prisoner in our custody at the moment, Warrant Officer. And our facilities are old and worn, so all we have in there are iron bars. If you¡¯d¡± ¡°Who¡¯s inside?¡± Allison cut in. ¡°Wh, why do you want to know¡ª¡± BANG! Allison slammed her fist on the desk. ¡°Maybe the same reason you want to know why I want to know. I hate it when people ask me stupid questions. Answer me, now!¡± She cried. ¡°It¡¯s best not to get her too angry, Sergeant. She¡¯s scary when she gets mad.¡± Wil confessed. ¡°W, we have an old man in our custody there.¡± The sergeant said wearily. Wil swallowed. ¡°An old man? What¡¯s he in here for?¡± Allison asked. The sergeant¡¯s reply was mechanical. ¡°I¡¯ve been told that he¡¯s a spy from Cross-River. He was arrested a few days ago and brought here.¡± ¡°A Roxchean spy? Hm. When is the execution? I¡¯d like to see one of those in person.¡± Allison said, her eyes narrowing. Ren¨¦, standing behind her, began trembling visibly. The sergeant answered her quickly so as to not draw out the difficult situation. ¡°We don¡¯t know a thing yet, ma¡¯am. No specific charges or anything. We don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s really a spy. Ever since he was brought here, he¡¯s been doing nothing but babble in Roxchean and go around acting like a senile old man. I didn¡¯t think we should show someone like that to officers from the Royal Guard. Until you asked, that is.¡± ¡°I see. Thank you for your concern.¡± ¡°So please, is that enough for¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Let¡¯s have a look inside.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± With a defeated sigh, the sergeant grabbed a bundle of keys and the truncheon hanging from the back of his chair. ¡°You stay here, Private. That string over there triggers the emergency alarm. Don¡¯t touch it unless I give the order.¡± The sergeant said to Ren¨¦, and led Allison and Wil down the corridor. ¡°Come with me, please.¡± The thick steel bars were lodged firmly in the stone walls, ceiling, and floor. The sergeant unlocked the door. It slowly swung open with a loud noise. ¡°This way.¡± As the sergeant led the way inside, Wil wiped a droplet of cold sweat on his face. Telling Allison and Wil that he would check on the prisoner first, the sergeant asked them to wait for a moment. Tightly grasping his truncheon, he slowly walked up to the cell at the very back. ¡°You¡¯re being pretty quiet today, old man.¡± Said the sergeant. A reply came from inside the cell. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ve got some amazing guests today. I¡¯ll accept them with gratitude. It¡¯s such a shame I couldn¡¯t serve them any tea¡ªmy housekeeper¡¯s family sells tea leaves, you know. They gave me some of the best leaves they had in stock. I¡¯m telling the truth this time.¡± The man was speaking standard Roxchean. Allison was smiling. Wil clenched his sweaty fists. ¡°I told you, old man. I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying. But thanks for staying a little calmer today. We¡¯ve got some really important guests here today.¡± Said the sergeant. The old man replied in Roxchean. ¡°Ah, yes. I know.¡± ¡°You see? We can¡¯t communicate a thing, and you don¡¯t know if he¡¯s going to leap out to try and grab you from behind the bars. So please stay back. This way, please.¡± The sergeant advised. Allison and Wil slowly walked up to the small cell. It was furnished with nothing but a bed. Under the dim light, the old man sat on the bed in the same clothes he had been wearing when he was kidnapped. He looked at Allison and Wil brazenly. Seeing one another for the first time in two days, the man and the duo stared at one another for some time. ¡°Um¡­ Warrant Officers?¡± The sergeant squeaked hesitantly. Allison turned. ¡°Is this prisoner supposed to be the spy? He¡¯s just a senile old man!¡± ¡°But he was found right next to the buffer zone, ma¡¯am. Apparently he was crossing over on a small boat. I think those clothes he¡¯s wearing right now must be from Cross-River.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Allison made a point of looking into the prison cell. She called to the old man in a mocking voice. ¡°What are you doing here, anyway? Looking for some fairy-tale treasure?¡± And she discreetly tossed the old man a wink. ¡°I see¡­ You believed what I told you. I can¡¯t imagine how you managed to get a hold of uniforms like that. But it was an excellent idea to use uniforms from the Royal Guard.¡± The old man mumbled in Roxchean. Allison turned to the sergeant. ¡°What did this man just say? Was he complimenting us?¡± The sergeant shrugged apologetically. The old man suddenly turned to face the wall, mumbling as though sleep-talking. ¡°From what I can tell, the only one who spoke Roxchean was the man who claimed to be from the tax office. I spotted a gun in his pocket, so I went along with him because I thought he might shoot you if I refused to go. I think he must be from the special forces here. He probably remembers your faces. Make sure you do not run into him.¡± The old man glanced at Allison and Wil. Wil nodded discreetly. The old man turned back to the wall and began to mutter to himself again. ¡°They asked me all kinds of strange questions. Where was the general¡¯s stash of gold, they asked. They must have gotten the wrong idea. The treasure I know of can¡¯t be compared with gold. I didn¡¯t tell them a thing. And I don¡¯t intend to let slip anything to those mannerless bastards. Anyway, where is this place? They had me drugged when they kidnapped me.¡± ¡°Is he always like this? Talking to the walls, I mean.¡± Allison asked the sergeant. He replied that the old man was being relatively calm today. ¡°That¡¯s a bore.¡± Allison said, turning to Wil. ¡°I¡¯m sick of this tour. What do you want to do?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve come all this way into the countryside, so let¡¯s have a look around for some entertainment. The closest settlement to the Teruto Base should be Gerrue, twenty kilometers to the west. The next settlement is Coil, fourteen kilometers south of Gerrue¡­ Is there anywhere else, Sergeant?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ afraid those are the only towns in the area, sir. This is the countryside, after all.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Wil nodded. At that moment, the old man in the cell began to bellow at the top of his lungs. Shouting gibberish for a moment, the old man suddenly leapt onto his bed and lay there. He flailed his arms and legs, then went still. He soon began to mutter as though to himself. ¡°I know where you must go. It¡¯s not far from the river or the mountain range. I know that you¡¯re determined to leave. You¡¯ll make it if you take a seaplane. You¡¯ll be able to find the treasure, too. Can you memorize this?¡± Wil suddenly sneezed. Allison turned to him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯m good.¡± Wil replied. He turned to the old man, who began muttering into his bed. ¡°Fly south from here until you hit the confluence of the Lutoni River. There, go east. At the first fork, turn right. Enter the woods and follow the winding river until you reach a point where you¡¯re surrounded by ten-meter-high cliffs on either side. Keep going along the river. When you see a two-peaked mountain about four hundred meters high on your left, find the river that circles around it. There¡¯s a plain just west of those peaks; you¡¯ll find the caverns there. Make sure to take a very strong light with you. Look for an opening with an army rifle sticking out of the ground in front of it. Go inside, and you¡¯ll find yourself in a large cavern. Go into the twelfth hole on your right, and in about twenty paces you¡¯ll come out into a large cavern again. You¡¯ll find the treasure in the spot where the rifle is sticking out of the ground. That is all. Did you get all that?¡± ¡°What is this man saying? Is he trying to cast a spell?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, ma¡¯am.¡± As Allison made small talk with the sergeant, Wil nodded firmly at the old man. Suddenly, the old man leapt up and jumped at the bars. The sergeant brandished his truncheon at the old man, who cried out at Allison and Wil. ¡°Stop that! Get back!¡± The sergeant hit the bars several times, but the old man continued to scream as though mad. He was speaking in Roxchean still. ¡°If! If you like what you find! Report it! Reveal it to the world! That amazing treasure! If you can accept it! Show it to everyone! Do what I couldn¡¯t do! That is why I returned alone! Just like your teachers taught you! I leave everything to you now! Forget me and go!¡± ¡°I told you to stop, old man! Get back!¡± The sergeant warned, striking the bars again. From behind him, Allison quickly saluted the former lieutenant colonel. Wil nodded once more. Soon, the old man went silent like a spent clockwork toy. He took his hands off the bars and fell seated onto his bed with a vacuous look. Taking off the shoe from his right foot, he began to giggle at it and mutter to himself. ¡°There¡¯s no need for three people to go. I wish I had a hairpin. I¡¯ll stay behind, and in fifteen minutes, I¡¯ll make a large commotion. Use that to your advantage. Keep up your act and get a hold of a seaplane. And find the treasure.¡± The old man tossed the shoe against the wall. It landed on the floor. The old man took off his left shoe and began muttering at it. Allison glanced at her wristwatch. ¡°Ah¡­ Such interesting children, the two of you. And still so young. I¡¯m sure you have no idea where you should head from this point on. Let me give you a piece of advice. Go where you want to go. I pray that the god of fortune will be with you.¡± Wil put a hand on Allison¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Right¡­ Now what?¡± ¡°Remember what the lieutenant colonel said to us before?¡± Wil said, ¡°let¡¯s follow his advice.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Allison turned to the sergeant. ¡°Thank you, Sergeant. It was interesting, seeing a madman in person. We¡¯ll be going now. Take us to the stairs, please.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± The sergeant said, beginning to leave. Wil followed after him and glanced at the old man. ¡°Who knows, old man? Maybe we¡¯ll get to meet again one day.¡± ¡°Of course. If you get back before I do, give my regards to Norma for me.¡± ¡°I had no idea what you¡¯re talking about, but goodbye.¡± Allison said, reaching for the back of her neck and then waving at the prison cell. The hairpin she tossed fell between the small gaps in the bars and landed without a sound in the hands of the former Lieutenant Colonel Walter McMillan. ¡°Thanks for that, Sergeant.¡± Allison said at the desk, as they returned to the room where Private Ren¨¦ waited. ¡°N, not at all, Warrant Officer.¡± Said the sergeant, saluting Allison and Wil. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Allison said turning to Private Ren¨¦. He was standing stiff. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Without answering Allison, the private glanced at Wil¡¯s holstered gun. Wil slowly reached for the holster and undid the leather cover. He drew the gun. ¡°Did you want to have a look at this gun, Private? Should I give you a demonstration?¡± He asked. ¡°Y, no, sir¡­ No¡­¡± Ren¨¦ stuttered, nodding, and then shaking his head. ¡°Yes, or no?¡± Allison chuckled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Let¡¯s go upstairs. You put that gun away.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Wil replied, holstering the gun. Ren¨¦ briefly saluted the sergeant and began walking up the steps. ¡°Damned aristocrats¡­¡± The sergeant muttered to himself, hanging the bundle of keys back on the ledge. He hung his truncheon on the back of his chair and took a seat, sighing. ¡°Finally, some peace and quiet.¡± At that moment. ¡°¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª! ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª, ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª!¡± A series of incomprehensible words and the sound of the iron bars being battered came from the furthest cell in the hall. ¡°Give me a break¡­¡± The sergeant sighed. ¡°Th, the hangar, Warrant Officers? U, understood¡­¡± Private Ren¨¦ led Allison and Wil out of the castle. They ran into a female repair technician along the way, and Ren¨¦ asked her where the people from the other unit were now. The technician told him that they were in the hangar until just earlier, but that they had gone to nap as they usually did; even before one of their members had even come back from his lunch break, she added. She then flushed an angry shade of red. ¡°Those people are really awful!¡± ¡°Excellent timing. Let¡¯s have a look inside the hangar.¡± Wil said, glaring at Ren¨¦. ¡°Y, yes, sir.¡± ¡°Argh¡­ Shut up, old man! Stop it!¡± The sergeant cried, as the old man¡¯s racked continued with no end in sight. But instead of stopping, the old man began to make an even bigger commotion. ¡°¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª! ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª!¡± ¡°This is insane¡­¡± The sergeant took up his truncheon and a bundle of keys, and again opened the bars and entered the corridor. He walked up to the old man¡¯s cell. ¡°¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª! ¡ª¡ª¡ª!¡± The old man was shaking the bars furiously as he screamed. ¡°Look, old man. Your door¡¯s not going to open that easily.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s already open.¡± The old men replied in Bezelese, looking the sergeant in the eye. The sergeant¡¯s thoughts came to a screeching halt. Suddenly, the door of the cell swung open. It hit the sergeant and knocked him back against the wall. ¡°Ugh!¡± The old man leapt out in the blink of an eye and struck the sergeant in the gut, knocking him unconscious. ¡°Gah!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this, Sergeant.¡± Walter said, helping the limp man onto the floor. He then glanced at the sergeant¡¯s wristwatch. ¡°Are you from the capital, Second Lieutenant? I¡¯m from the countryside myself, so I always had so many dreams for the big city.¡± Carr Benedict was standing in front of one of the barracks, holding his jacket on one arm. Standing in front of him was a starry-eyed young secretary. Two army warrant officers, having just eaten lunch, passed by them with daggers in their eyes. ¡®Gimme a break! Not again!¡¯ ¡®Hope that womanizer goes to hell.¡¯ Benedict continued chatting with the woman, not even batting an eye at the warrant officers¡¯ glares. ¡°Really? But the countryside has its own charms, don¡¯t you think? Actually, why don¡¯t you come help me go shopping for gifts nearby after work?¡± ¡°Gifts¡­ for your wife, you mean?¡± ¡°No, no. I¡¯m not married. I¡¯m thinking of getting a gift for my nephew. The sweetest little kid. Every time I see him, he begs me to let him ride an aeroplane. I always tell him he¡¯s gotta grow up a bit. He¡¯s only three years old right now, you know.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± The woman chuckled. ¡°Ugh! You¡¯re awful! You just chat up every girl you meet, don¡¯t you?! You¡¯re no different from the rest of your unit!¡± Cried the repair technician, who had caught up to him without even eating lunch. As the two women departed in a huff, Benedict mumbled to himself grimly. ¡°This better be the first and last time I work with those bastards.¡± An infantryman who had been watching from the beginning shot him a look. ¡®Just what the heck are you doing here?¡¯ ¡®Shaddap. None of your business.¡¯ Benedict replied with a look of his own. ¡°Well¡­ I guess I¡¯d better be off, too. They¡¯re all probably asleep by now. And I¡¯m in charge of watching the planes. Great.¡± Benedict headed for the hangar. Cutting through the castle, he made it to the entrance when a female soldier happened to step out. They nearly bumped into each other. ¡°Oh! Excuse me. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± She apologized. ¡°Not at all.¡± Benedict said gently. ¡°Actually, are you busy right now, Miss? There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask you¡­¡± The weather was still clear that afternoon. There was nothing in the blue sky but the shining sun. The temperature was rising slowly but surely. Four repair technicians were standing around the seaplane parked outside the hangar. One of them was a middle-aged man, and the other three were men in their twenties. The repair technicians lifted the covers off the plane and began to do maintenance work. But as Allison, Wil, and the scared-stiff Ren¨¦ briskly approached them, the technicians stopped what they were doing. The young technicians¡¯ gazes were all on Allison. ¡°Back to work, men. Except you. Come here for a minute.¡± Allison said, pointing at the oldest technician. The man came down, not knowing what was going on, and saluted Allison and Wil. The other technicians looked on in shock. ¡°G, good day. Th, the warrant officers here are, are from the Royal Guard. Th, they¡¯re here t, to take a tour of the base.¡± Ren¨¦ stammered. Wil was standing behind him. ¡°Is this the plane you use on this base?¡± Allison asked. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I¡¯m the foreman of the repair crew.¡± ¡°This is a seaplane, correct? Where does it take off from?¡± ¡°Over there, Warrant Officer.¡± The foreman pointed to a small hut in the field. Next to the hut was a flagpole and a flag used to determine wind conditions¡ªthe flag hung limp, as there was no breeze¡ªand next to the flagpole was a small vehicle. ¡°You can¡¯t see very clearly from here, but there¡¯s a canal we use as a runway over there. We take the planes there on the flatcars.¡± ¡°Can they taxi with the flatcars under them?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. We have vehicles for towing the flatcars, but normally we just take the planes, flatcar and all, to the canal. The flatcar comes loose once it gets into the canal. Then we use that tow over there to pull it up.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s an interesting mechanism. This might come in handy.¡± Allison said, resuming her walk. Ren¨¦, Wil, and the foreman followed after her. They stood where they could see the hangar clearly, its wide-open doors and all. Allison looked up at the black planes lined up together and grinned. ¡°What are those planes?¡± ¡°Those¡­ belong to another unit that¡¯s currently training here.¡± The foreman said, trying to skirt the issue. Allison laughed. ¡°I see. You see, I really love aeroplanes. One of my relatives own several planes, so I¡¯ve gotten to fly along with him many times. I¡¯ve even taken the controls myself once.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Are all these aeroplanes ready to fly?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. They¡¯ve been fully fueled and loaded with ammo. ¡®Always be prepared¡¯ is our motto.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. I¡¯d expect nothing less.¡± Allison said, honestly impressed. ¡°Thank you, Warrant Officer.¡± The foreman replied abashedly. ¡°I¡¯d like to try sitting in one of those. Bring me that one. Right now.¡± The foreman¡¯s expression went rigid. A small towing truck with caterpillar tracks soon pulled one of the fighter planes outside. The jet-black frame of the plane made it look rather like a gigantic crow. The plane Allison had chosen was a two-seater, with one seat in front of the other. The seats were up very high because of the floats underneath, so the technicians placed ladders next to them. Allison climbed into the pilot¡¯s seat and began firing off one question after another to the foreman, who was in the second seat. Things about the engine¡¯s capabilities; how to start the ignition; the maximum speed; cruising speed; the speeds and angles for takeoff and landing; how to work the machine guns; how to adjust the seats; how to use the radio; and small details about the devices in the pilot¡¯s seat. ¡°I¡¯m surprised, ma¡¯am. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d know so much about aeroplanes.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to compliment me every other minute, so just answer my questions, please. What does this lever do?¡± The technicians watched in awe at Allison and the foreman¡¯s conversation. Ren¨¦¡¯s face was covered in cold sweat. And Wil was standing behind him. ¡°I see. That¡¯s enough.¡± Allison said, glancing at her wristwatch. As the foreman climbed out of his seat, she asked him if there was a camera around; saying that she and Wil would sit in the aeroplane for a commemorative picture, she demanded that they photograph them, develop the film, and send it to the capital. The foreman was hesitant; the camera was not for personal use. But Allison would not take ¡®no¡¯ for an answer. ¡°So what? Just bring it.¡± She added that she would compensate him as much as necessary. The foreman had no choice but to obey. The younger technicians excitably asked if they could join Allison in the photograph as well, standing in the back. Allison smiled and agreed. ¡°But just get the two of us first. Get rid of these ladders and the towing truck; I want it to look like we¡¯re about to take off.¡± Allison pointed at Wil and tapped on her wristwatch. ¡°Get on. Quickly.¡± ¡°All right. Be right there.¡± Wil answered loudly. He then whispered under his breath, so only Ren¨¦ could hear. ¡°Thank you for everything, Mr. Ren¨¦. We really appreciate it.¡± ¡°¡­Ah!¡± Ren¨¦ flinched, unable to say a word. Wil had spoken to him in Roxchean. ¡°We¡¯re going to escape on that seaplane. Please don¡¯t get in our way. If you do, I¡¯m really going to shoot you, even if I have to fire from the seaplane. You understand what I¡¯m saying, don¡¯t you? Thank you for not saying a word back there in the dungeons.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Uh¡­ Ahhhhhh¡­¡± Ren¨¦¡¯s teeth were clattering. Wil gave him a tap on the shoulder and said in Bezelese. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± Ren¨¦ fell limply to his knees. Wil climbed the ladder, carrying his suitcase. Once he was in his seat, the technicians removed the ladders from both of the seats. Wil opened the suitcase. He took out his and Allison¡¯s jackets, aviator hats, and goggles. ¡°I¡¯m taking the picture now. Please look this way.¡± The technician behind the tripod said, not suspecting a thing. The moment the foreman noticed Ren¨¦, who was sitting in a heap on the floor, alarm bells went off all across the base. Volume 1 6 — Walter’s Battle Volume 1 Chapter 6: Walter¡¯s Battle ----- After pulling the string that triggered the emergency alarm, Walter climbed up to the ground floor. The bells rung through his head as he quickly knocked down two soldiers he happened across with his stolen truncheon. ¡°All right. Off to the roof.¡± He muttered, grabbing the soldiers¡¯ handguns. Second Lieutenant Carr Benedict and the female soldier he was talking with at the castle entrance were taken by surprise by the sudden alarm. ¡°Sheet. This is not my lucky day.¡± He swore, and turned to the soldier. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we¡¯ll have to talk more some other time.¡± Winking at the woman, he ran for the hangar. The second floor. The second lieutenant, first lieutenants, and Captain Gratz woke to the clamor of the emergency alarm. ¡°What¡¯s all this noise¡­?¡± ¡°Wish they¡¯d just let us sleep in peace.¡± The second lieutenant and one of the first lieutenants complained. ¡°An alarm. Be ready, men.¡± Grtaz said, quickly getting up and putting on his uniform. ¡°Captain Gratz. This is probably just a minor fire or a false alarm.¡± Said the second lieutenant, who was half-asleep with his shirt open. ¡°¡­¡± Gratz ignored him, slinging his submachine gun over his shoulder and stepping into the hallway. ¡°!¡± The moment he left the room, he ran into a well-built army major and two armed soldiers. Gratz first saluted the major. ¡°Sir. What is going on here?¡± ¡°We are still investigating.¡± The major replied mechanically. Suddenly, ¡°No need for an investigation, my friends! This is what¡¯s happening!¡± A loud voice called from down the corridor. The voice was speaking in Bezelese. Gratz turned. ¡°You¡­¡± The major and the soldiers gaped. An old man was dancing in front of the stairwell. ¡°Tell me, my friends. Do you like waltzing?¡± He was holding a pair of handguns, one in each hand, and dancing jovially. Gratz quickly loaded his submachine gun. ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°Could you really afford to shoot me, you false tax official?¡± Walter replied, continuing to dance. ¡°Damn you¡­!¡± ¡°Catch me if you can!¡± As soon as Walter disappeared into the stairwell, the major grabbed Gratz by the shoulder. ¡°Explain yourself, Captain.¡± ¡°Major. That man is a Roxchean spy. He must have escaped from his cell. Permission to dispatch an armed unit to capture the man alive? I will provide a detailed explanation afterwards.¡± With that, Gratz kicked down the door of the room he had been sleeping in. He shouted at the bewildered, half-asleep men. ¡°The old man has escaped! Alert the colonel!¡± The technicians in front of the hangar ran over to the foreman, panicking at the sound of the alarm. The foreman, who was walking over to Ren¨¦, turned and ordered a soldier to find out what was happening. ¡°Uwaaaaahh¡­¡± The foreman ignored Ren¨¦, who was still sitting with his head in his hands, and cried out to the seaplane. ¡°Warrant Officers! We have an emergency!¡± ¡°Wil!¡± Allison cried to the back seat. ¡°Here!¡± Wil passed her a Roxche Air Force jacket and aviator hat, both embroidered with the Spear of Seron. ¡°The radio¡¯s below you, to the right! Wrap it around your neck so the mic comes under your chin! The talk button¡¯s the red one to the bottom-right! The seatbelts are the same as the one from before! Okay?!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± ¡°Quickly! We¡¯re taking off!¡± Allison undid her hair, put on her jacket, and wrapped a belt around her neck. It was a throat microphone, which picked up sounds directly from one¡¯s vocal cords. Allison put on the Roxche Air Force hat and headset, and put her goggles around her neck. ¡°Warrant Officers! We¡¯re bringing the ladders back! Please, climb back down!¡± The foreman cried, but Allison ignored him. Wil put on his jacket and adjusted his holster. Then, he put on his seatbelt and began to fiddle with the microphone and headset. ¡°Are you ready yet?¡± ¡°Give me a second!¡± ¡°What is this?¡± As he rushed out of the castle, Benedict was shocked to find a seaplane outside the hangar. He could see someone sitting in the pilot¡¯s seat, and it was not the second lieutenant or one of the first lieutenants. He also noticed that the ladders had already been taken away. ¡°Those imbeciles¡­ What do they think they¡¯re doing? Snapping photographs or something?¡± Benedict spat, looking at the technicians standing around the plane. He spotted a tripod. ¡°This is outrageous. Who¡¯s in charge of keeping an eye out on those bastards? ¡­Wait. That was me.¡± His pace quickened. ¡°Just putting on my hat now!¡± Wil cried. Allison roared at the foreman, who was bringing along the ladder. ¡°Get back! Never mind us, just stay back!¡± Wil spotted a man carrying a black jacket heading in their direction. ¡°Someone¡¯s coming!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay! He¡¯s not the fake official!¡± Wil fumbled with the straps of his aviator hat and cried out to Allison. ¡°I¡¯m almost done!¡± ¡°Hey! What is going on here?! Don¡¯t bring out the planes without permission!¡± Benedict shouted, finally arriving at the hangar. He then turned to the foreman. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? Why did you let someone onto one of our planes without authorization?!¡± ¡°S, Sir! Those two are warrant officers from the Royal Guard Youth Corps. Please ask them to get off the plane!¡± The foreman pleaded desperately. ¡°What¡¯s that about the Royal Guard now?¡± Benedict looked directly at the person in the pilot¡¯s seat. ¡°Hey! I don¡¯t know who you are, but get down from there! I know you can hear me!¡± Allison turned and shouted back. ¡°Silence, you commo¡± She froze. ¡°What?! Anyway, get down! This seaplane is¡ª¡± Benedict also froze. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± They looked at one another for several seconds, the silence between them only broken by the alarm bells. ¡°No¡­¡± Allison gasped. ¡°You?! Y, you¡¯re¡­ You¡¯re Allison! Wh, what are you doing here?!¡± Benedict yelled. ¡°Not good! The cat¡¯s out of the bag, Wil!¡± ¡°What? Wait! Don¡¯t tell me¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah! He¡¯s the love letter man!¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Wil muttered, finally tying the straps of his hat together. ¡°Hey! Wait!¡± ¡°Done! Ready!¡± Benedict and Wil cried at the same time. ¡°All right! Engines on!¡± Allison hit the switch. The motor began to rumble from inside the engine of the black fighter plane. A mixture of fuel and air, compressed in the cylinder, was ignited by the spark plug. The V12 engine easily roared to life. The propellers began to spin. ¡°This is some excellent maintenance work, everyone! Goodbye! You too, Second Lieutenant!¡± Allison cried to the foreman and Benedict. But the plane was so loud that they could not hear her. The seaplane slowly began to move. ¡°Hey! Stop right there!¡± But the plane did not stop. ¡°Stop! Stop, or I will shoot!¡± Benedict threatened, pulling out a handgun. It was a six-shot revolver that could be folded in half. He held the gun with both hands, aiming at Allison in the pilot¡¯s seat. ¡°This is no good¡­¡± He turned, holstering the gun. Benedict ran for the hangar. ¡°Whoa!¡± Ren¨¦ popped up out of nowhere and latched on to him. ¡°Second Lieutenant! Those two people! They¡¯re spies, sir! Spies! From Cross-River!¡± ¡°I know that! Get off me! I don¡¯t give rides to men!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Benedict tossed aside the weeping private. He passed by the thunderstruck repair technicians and sprinted for the telephone installed by the hangar entrance. He chose a recipient and turned the rotary dial. Even as the signal beeped, the fighter plane was growing distant. ¡°C¡¯mon, pick up already!¡± Finally, he reached someone. ¡¸This is the canal. Seaplane spotted preparing for takeoff. Is this an authorized flight, sir?¡¹ So laid-back was the soldier¡¯s response that Benedict bellowed into the receiver. ¡°This is Second Lieutenant Carr! Put a car in front of the ramp! Make sure that seaplane does not enter the canal!¡± ¡¸Sir?¡¹ ¡°Right now! They¡¯re stealing our plane! Quickly! Move!¡± ¡¸Y, yes, sir!¡¹ The soldier hung up. ¡°Damn it all¡­ What in the world is going on here?¡± Benedict muttered to himself. ¡°Injure him if necessary. But do not kill him. Aim for his limbs.¡± Said Captain Gratz, holding up his submachine gun in one hand. The soldiers standing behind him, armed with rifles, nodded. They were on the spiral staircase of one of the cylindrical towers used as a lookout point. The soldiers kept their guns trained above them as they slowly climbed upstairs, with Gratz in the lead. ¡°What a beautiful sight.¡± Walter was at the top of the tower. The blue sky, the green woods, and the army base were all clear in his eyes. He could even see a fighter plane taxiing towards the canal. ¡°What a beautiful sight.¡± Behind him was the door leading into the spiral staircase. It was open. He could hear people approaching from below. ¡°Not yet.¡± Walter pointed his gun in the general direction of the door and fired three times. Gratz and his men ducked. ¡°Station snipers on the other tower to shoot him. But we must retrieve him alive. Understand?¡± Gratz ordered, crouching on the stairs. ¡¸Now we just have to take off!¡¹ Allison¡¯s voice ran in Wil¡¯s ears. He hurriedly lowered the volume on his headset. The fighter plane¡¯s engine was warming up as it neared the canal. ¡¸Can you hear me, Allison?¡¹ Wil asked, testing his microphone. Allison responded. ¡¸I hear you, Wil. Check your seatbelt one more time. And make sure to put on your goggles. It¡¯s just a little further to the canal. ¡­Huh?¡¹ A soldier leapt into a car by the canal and began to drive. It stopped right in front of the ramp. ¡°Hey! Out of the way!¡± The solider jumped out of the car, and it began to move again. The panicked soldier tried to stop it, but his attempts ended in failure. The car rolled straight down the ramp and into the canal. ¡°Wh, what is he doing?!¡± Allison howled. ¡¸I, I¡¯m sorry, sir! I forgot the parking brakes and the car drove into the canal!¡¹ ¡°That¡¯s fine. Keep away from the seaplane; it¡¯s very dangerous. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± Benedict hung up. ¡°That¡¯ll hold ¡®em. So¡­ now what? What do I do?¡± ¡¸What do we do?¡¹ Wil asked. ¡¸The canal¡¯s useless now¡­¡¹ Allison replied, stepping down on the left rudder pedal. The plane slowly began to swerve left. A wide, clear area opened up before them. ¡°¡­¡± In the distance, they could see the gates through which they had entered. And the perfectly straight road leading there. ¡¸Say, Wil.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah?¡¹ ¡¸There¡¯s a way to take off from here. Although it¡¯s a little dangerous.¡¹ Wil answered immediately. ¡¸All right. Go for it.¡¹ Allison smiled and pulled down her goggles. ¡¸Okay!¡¹ The plane turned in the middle of the road. The nose was pointed directly at the front gates. ¡¸Here we go.¡¹ She wrenched back the throttle lever. The sound of whirring grew in a gentle crescendo. It reached its peak and filled the forest base with the roar of the engine. ¡°No¡­ it can¡¯t be¡­¡± Benedict gasped. The seaplane began to taxi on the road, flatcar and all. It sped up, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake. Countless eyes fell upon the plane from the windows of the castle and the barracks. The eyes of soldiers and officers, and the eyes of an old man at the top of a tower. The seaplane continued down the road, gaining speed. White smoke began billowing from the flatcar¡¯s two axles, worn out from the friction. ¡°That¡¯s amazing¡­ Is this some sort of a takeoff training, Second Lieutenant?¡± Asked an ignorant technician. ¡°No¡­¡± Benedict half-mumbled. ¡°Okay! Keep going!¡± Allison called to the seaplane. It continued to barrel down the road. In the shaky scenery flying past them from beyond the windshield, they could see the gate drawing closer and closer. And when the needle of the speedometer reached a certain point, ¡°Great! Now, FLY!¡± Allison pulled back the control stick, which she had been holding down all this time. The floats and the flatcar fell off the plane. The frame lifted off into the sky in a gentle arc. The flatcar continued down the road all alone. ¡°They actually made it¡­ Amazing¡­¡± Gasped a soldier who had been watching from by the gates. ¡°Huh? WHOA!¡± But he soon spotted the flatcar zooming in his direction. He hurriedly stumbled away. The flatcar crashed into the gates. There was the sound of metal crunching against metal, and sparks flew in the wake of the impact. ¡¸See? We did it!¡¹ Allison celebrated. ¡¸C, congrats¡­¡¹ Wil answered, still rattled. The seaplane was flying over the forest. Under them and to the left, they could see their makeshift runway grow smaller. Allison tilted the frame to the left and began to swerve towards the Teruto Base. ¡¸What are you doing, Allison?¡¹ ¡¸Saying goodbye!¡¹ Allison pressed the machine gun switch. The first shot was loaded by motor power, and the ¡®Ready to Fire¡¯ light came on in the cockpit. The firing lever was above the control stick. ¡°They actually made it¡­¡± Benedict murmured blankly. The seaplane was safely into the air. It then swerved to the left. ¡°What?¡± Its nose was pointing at the base. ¡°Is she planning to open fire?¡± The fighter plane continued towards the Teruto Base, gliding low near the ground. There was no time to get ready. The seaplane flew over the barracks and quickly ascended, slipping past the towers. It then did a 360-degree spin. It was a victory roll, a sort of ceremony done by pilots to celebrate a successful mission. The seaplane stopped rotating. The engine puffed out a small cloud of black smoke. ¡°You got me, Allison¡­¡± Benedict looked up into the sky, shielding his eyes from the sun. The seaplane swerved to the right and disappeared over the roof of the hangar. ¡°What a beautiful sight.¡± Walter muttered in Roxchean, still atop the tower. The seaplane carrying Allison and Wil flew by overhead, bound for the eastern sky. Suddenly, he spotted someone¡¯s shadow on the tower. ¡°A sniper, eh? I¡¯m not too fond of pain.¡± Walter leaned against the railing to his right and fell seated on the ground. He quietly looked up at the bright blue sky. ¡°What a beautiful sight.¡± He directed his voice to the heavens. ¡°First Lieutenant Unell Esther. Staff Sergeant Foss Bay. Sergeant First Class Dee Halaki. Second Lieutenant Meen Ted. Staff Sergeant Vincent Welley. Master Sergeant Canira Dawken Kenroff. Sergeant Bel Opus. Second Lieutenant Stol Gemue¡­¡± Walter raised his right hand, and the gun he clutched in it. ¡°All of you must have wanted to die under such a beautiful sky, too. I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t ask you to forgive me. Now, curse me all you want. And Norma¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t be able to keep my promise to you. Don¡¯t blame those two children. This is all my responsibility. I¡¯m sorry.¡± He placed the barrel against his temple. ¡°Ah¡­ What a beautiful sight.¡± And pulled the trigger. ¡°What was that?! Who opened fire?!¡± Captain Gratz cried, looking at the old man¡¯s bloodied corpse at the top of the tower. ¡°I did not give permission to fire!¡± The soldiers looked down at the body without a word. One person, who was wearing a radio, timidly spoke up. ¡°S, sir¡­ none of the snipers shot him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Gratz slowly sat the corpse upright. There was a gun in his right hand. The barrel was stained red. ¡°Damned bastard¡­¡± Several officers, including Colonel Elcub, were gathered in the command room. The emergency alarm had stopped, and everything was quiet. ¡°Sheet!¡± The rotund colonel swore, bringing in his three thugs. ¡°Is there a man-shaped hole in the dungeons here?!¡± The mustached Colonel Elcub, however, sounded utterly serene. ¡°Why, if it isn¡¯t Colonel Nott. You didn¡¯t have to come all this way.¡± ¡°Explain the situation! Where is the old man now?!¡± Colonel Nott¡¯s demands were more than enough to earn him the animosity of every soldier in the room. ¡°I received word from Captain Gratz, Colonel.¡± Said a signaler. ¡°Um¡­ He reported that the escaped spy shot himself.¡± Colonel Nott flushed a furious red. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡± Said Colonel Elcub, not sounding in the least sympathetic. He ordered the men to lift the state of high alert. ¡°Ah, by the way, Colonel Nott. What was that fighter plane that took off just now? You know it¡¯s dangerous to do something like that without giving us any notification.¡± ¡°I know nothing about any fighter crafts! If you¡¯ll excuse us!¡± Nott howled, and turned to leave with the second lieutenant and the two first lieutenants. At that moment, ¡°Colonel Nott, sir. You have a call from Second Lieutenant Carr.¡± Said the signaler. ¡°I¡¯ll take it myself. Connect him to the next room.¡± Colonel Nott and his men entered the next room over. He took the call and heard Benedict¡¯s panicked voice. ¡¸Colonel! One of our fighter crafts has been stolen! It was the Roxchean sp- ¡­the Roxcheans!¡¹ ¡°Hm. Explain the situation.¡± Benedict explained that two Roxcheans had infiltrated the base, contacted the imprisoned old man, and discussed some sort of treasure. ¡¸Agh¡­ Uh¡­ what do I do¡­?¡¹ Ren¨¦ said in half-sobs, next to Benedict. ¡¸Wh, what am I supposed to do, Second Lieutenant?¡¹ Benedict pushed Ren¨¦ aside and continued. ¡¸¡­And that is how we lost one of our crafts. That is all, sir.¡¹ Benedict neglected to mention that one of the Roxcheans was Allison. Colonel Nott replied. ¡°I see. Here are your orders, Second Lieutenant Carr. Follow after them at once on another fighter craft. And order the Roxcheans to fly the stolen craft back to the base.¡± ¡¸Sir.¡¹ ¡°If they try to flee, shoot them down without mercy. They infiltrated this base to make contact with the spy in our custody. The spy has just killed himself. There is a chance that those Roxcheans may return Cross-River with the classified information we codenamed ¡®The Treasure¡¯. If you cannot bring them back, shoot them down before they cross the border.¡± ¡¸¡­¡¹ ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡¸But, sir¡­¡¹ ¡°I am giving you an order on the basis of your skill, Second Lieutenant. Or would you prefer that I assign someone else this mission?¡± ¡¸N, no, sir.¡¹ Colonel Nott hung up. ¡°Easier than training a dog.¡± He mumbled. He then turned to the first lieutenant, who was listening to the conversation. ¡°The fighter crafts are equipped with signal transmitters, correct?¡± The first lieutenant grinned. ¡°Yes, sir. Just like the one on Terreur¡¯s biplane. Carr doesn¡¯t know, of course. It¡¯ll run for at least half a day even after the engine¡¯s been shut off. We can track them easily.¡± ¡°Good. The three of you, follow after him. If Second Lieutenant Carr shows any sign of suspicious behaviour, kill him. I leave this to you.¡± The three men laughed. ¡°Private! You stay quiet, understand? Do not tell anyone anything! Forget everything that happened just now!¡± Benedict cried after hanging up, and turned to the technicians. ¡°I¡¯m taking off! Bring out a single-seater!¡± As the technicians prepared the fighter craft, Benedict put on his jacket and grabbed his aviator hat and goggles. He hesitated about putting on a parachute, but eventually decided against it. Lightly equipped, Benedict climbed up the ladder. ¡°Second Lieutenant! I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t use the canal yet!¡± A technician said as Benedict took a seat. ¡°There¡¯s a car in the water, sir. We have to hoist it out of there. Give us a little time!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Benedict put on his hat and goggles. ¡°Put the ladder away! I¡¯m taking off!¡± ¡°Sir?¡± ¡°Never mind! Just do it!¡± The technician climbed down and took away the ladder. The plane¡¯s engine began to roar. Benedict¡¯s fighter craft began to warm up as it taxied down the road. The gate grew further and further. His breathing grew harsh. Benedict glared at the road ahead through his sights. ¡°If she could do it¡­ so can I!¡± The soldiers who were out on the road scattered in panic. Finally, his way was clear. Benedict pulled back the throttle. ¡°Another one!¡± ¡°What are those bastards thinking?!¡± ¡°Move!¡± The soldiers who were trying to pull the flatcar out of the gates yelled in confusion. The second fighter craft came zooming at them, leaving a trail of dust in its wake. ¡°Argh!¡± The plane lifted off before it hit the gates, rushing by over the men¡¯s heads. The second flatcar barreled in their direction, just like the first one had. But this time, it ran straight through the gates. Volume 1 7 — This is, in and of itself Volume 1 Chapter 7: This is, in and of itself ----- A black fighter plane was flying over the forest. Allison, sitting in the front seat, spoke to Wil in the back. ¡¸I did it, Wil! I did it! How do you feel?¡¹ ¡¸Ugh¡­ I¡­¡¹ ¡¸Hm?¡¹ Wil burst out without even taking a breath. ¡¸Allison! You might not have noticed, but that private knew! He spoke Roxchean! I threatened him as best I could, but I was terrified! If he said anything to anyone, we¡¯d have been finished! We could have been killed any second!¡¹ ¡¸Oh. Really?¡¹ ¡¸Yes! And that pilot just now!¡¹ ¡¸Right¡­ I was really surprised to see him here. I hope he¡¯s not still angry that I turned him down.¡¹ ¡¸Argh, that was too scary! I never want to do anything like this ever again¡­¡¹ ¡¸Really? I actually enjoyed it. Playing dress-up and acting like an aristocrat.¡¹ ¡¸¡­Yeah. Now that I think about it¡­ you did a really convincing job. You were perfect.¡¹ ¡¸Thanks!¡¹ ¡¸That wasn¡¯t a compliment.¡¹ ¡¸¡­Anyway. Do you remember where to go?¡¹ ¡¸The old man¡ªthe former Lieutenant Colonel McMillan¡ªsaid, ¡®Fly south from here until you hit the confluence of the Lutoni River. There, go east. At the first fork, turn right. Enter the woods and follow the winding river until you reach a point where you¡¯re surrounded by ten-meter-high cliffs on either side. Keep going along the river. When you see a two-peaked mountain about four hundred meters high on your left, find the river that circles around it. There¡¯s a plain just west of those peaks; you¡¯ll find the caverns there. Make sure to take a very strong light with you. Look for an opening with an army rifle sticking out of the ground in front of it. Go inside, and you¡¯ll find yourself in a large cavern. Go into the twelfth hole on your right, and in about twenty paces you¡¯ll come out into a large cavern again. You¡¯ll find the treasure in the spot where the rifle is sticking out of the ground¡¯.¡¹ ¡¸I expected nothing less from you, Wil! Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll find the treasure, and come back for Mr. McMillan. Okay, so we¡¯re first heading for the Lutoni River. Once we get close, I¡¯m going to descend a bit and head south.¡¹ ¡¸All right. Let¡¯s go.¡¹ ¡¸There¡¯s something I want to try before that, though.¡¹ ¡¸What is it?¡¹ ¡¸Hold on tight.¡¹ Allison moved the control stick to the right and pulled it back. ¡°Whoa!¡± Wil screamed as the fighter craft began to dive. Then, the engine¡¯s roar grew into a crescendo as the craft rose, then made a large turn perpendicular to the ground. Once the plane was level again, Allison maneuvered it into a large left turn, then a right turn. The plane finally returned to level position. ¡¸Wil¡­ This plane is amazing. I¡¯ve never flown anything like this before.¡¹ Wil replied feebly, ¡¸Allison¡­ this is no time for fooling around¡ª¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m not, Wil. I¡¯m just trying to figure out the craft¡¯s capabilities. We¡¯d have trouble on our hands if we got into a dogfight, you know.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right. So let¡¯s get away as fast as we can.¡¹ ¡¸Too bad. I¡¯ve always wanted to fly a fighter plane. Then let me just try one more thing.¡¹ The craft flew into a dive again, headed straight for a plain in the midst of the forest. A second before raising the nose again, Allison fired off a series of shots into the ground. There was the noise of gunfire, accompanied by some light vibrations in the frame. ¡°¡­¡± Allison brought the plane back to level position, flying over the woods. ¡¸Wil¡­ you¡¯re right. If we do get into a dogfight, we should get away as fast as we can.¡¹ Benedict was flying at maximum speed. On occasion, he slid the craft sideways to search for Allison¡¯s plane. Suddenly, his caught sight of something. ¡°There you are¡­¡± He spotted an aircraft of the same design as his own, flying a little ahead and below from his position. Benedict descended and loaded his machine gun. The ¡®Ready to Fire¡¯ lamp came on. ¡¸Is that the Lutoni River?¡¹ Allison asked. Wil looked down. ¡¸No. The Lutoni is much wider than that. This one must be a tributary running parallel to it.¡¹ ¡¸I see. A little further, I guess.¡¹ The moment Allison spoke, a black fighter craft appeared next to them. It had approached without warning from underneath, sliding in right next to Allison¡¯s craft. ¡¸Allison!¡¹ ¡¸I see it.¡¹ Allison angrily glared to her right. Benedict was in the pilot¡¯s seat, looking her in the eye. ¡¸The love letter man. He¡¯s kinda persistent, huh?¡¹ ¡¸Wh, what do we do?¡¹ ¡¸He hasn¡¯t opened fire on us, so that must mean¡­¡¹ They could see Benedict gesturing with his left hand, making a turning motion with his fingers. ¡¸What does that mean, Allison?¡¹ ¡¸He¡¯s telling us to go back.¡¹ ¡¸And¡­ what happens if we refuse?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ll ask.¡¹ Allison raised her left fist and made a gesture like she was smashing something. ¡°¡­¡± Wil looked on, bewildered. A moment later, bullets flew from the nose of Benedict¡¯s plane. He had opened fire. Empty shell casings and clips fell to the distant earth. ¡¸He¡¯s saying he¡¯ll shoot us down.¡¹ ¡¸Right¡­ okay.¡¹ Benedict held up his left hand and began to hold up his fingers in a succession of symbols, and repeated the gesture several times. ¡¸What¡¯s that?¡¹ ¡¸Maybe he¡¯s telling us some numbers?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re right.¡¹ Allison adjusted the radio at her seat to a certain frequency. She then spoke. ¡¸Can you hear me, Second Lieutenant Love Letter?¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t call me that. My name is Carr Benedict. It¡¯s been a while, Allison.¡¹ Wil could hear Benedict¡¯s voice as well. ¡¸It¡¯s been a while, Second Lieutenant Carr. You look like you¡¯re doing well. I¡¯m sorry, but we¡¯re very busy right now, and we don¡¯t have time to chat with you. Would you mind if we went on ahead?¡¹ Allison asked. ¡¸Of course not. I want you to come back to the base with me.¡¹ ¡¸Oh? Are you asking me out again?¡¹ ¡¸Unfortunately, no. I¡¯ve been ordered to either convince you to come back or shoot you down. You entered a Sou Be-Il army base in disguise and took of with one of the Royal Air Force¡¯s fighter crafts. You two are criminals.¡¹ ¡¸I see. But I¡¯ll have you know that the crimes started with your people first. We only did this to rescue an old man who was kidnapped from Roxche.¡¹ Benedict was silent for a moment. ¡¸¡­What do you mean?¡¹ ¡¸Allison. I think he¡¯s¡ª¡¹ Wil said. ¡¸I think so. Let¡¯s tell him.¡¹ Allison nodded. Allison explained to Benedict that the old man had been kidnapped via seaplane from Roxche to Sou Be-Il. That the Bezelese army seemed to be searching for the general¡¯s gold ingots, which did not actually exist. That the old man¡¯s treasure was something far better, and that they were now on their way to find it. However, Allison followed Wil¡¯s advice and left out the fact that the old man was Lieutenant Colonel McMillan, the man behind the poison gas attack. ¡¸Is all this true?¡¹ Benedict asked, astonished. ¡¸So you didn¡¯t know anything after all.¡¹ ¡¸So Colonel Nott wasn¡¯t here to test out the new fighter crafts. He was¡ª¡¹ ¡¸You were helping him commit a crime. It looks like that colonel of yours is the ringleader.¡¹ ¡¸¡­Damn it! So you were the ones on that craft I shot down before.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, but you didn¡¯t land a singe hit. We crash-landed, so don¡¯t put that on your kill count.¡¹ ¡¸Right¡­ Thank you for telling me all this.¡¹ ¡¸No need. So can we go now?¡¹ ¡¸No. You can¡¯t. You¡¯re coming back to the base.¡¹ ¡¸Why?¡¹ ¡¸I have no proof that what you¡¯ve told me is true. We¡¯ll have to confirm all the details back at the base. And I can¡¯t let you just use a Sou Be-Il craft however you want. As a soldier, I can¡¯t let this slide.¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re surprisingly uptight. Can¡¯t you let us off, just this once?¡¹ Allison asked. ¡¸Allison, are you really a soldier?¡¹ ¡¸Allison, you¡¯re just too flexible.¡¹ Said Benedict and Wil. ¡¸And if we go back to the base,¡¹ Allison said, ¡¸you¡¯ll put us in the dungeons like you did to that old man. I¡¯d prefer to avoid that.¡¹ ¡¸Allison¡­ the old man is dead.¡¹ ¡¸What?¡¹ ¡¸Did your men kill him, Second Lieutenant Carr?¡¹ Will asked. ¡¸You¡¯re the one in the back seat, right? Let me answer. No, we did not kill him. He shot himself right after you took off. I don¡¯t know why he did what he did.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­¡¹ Before their eyes, a vast body of water¡ªso large it could have been a lake¡ªbegan to emerge. It was the Lutoni River. ¡¸Allison. That¡¯s it. Let¡¯s get going.¡¹ ¡¸Right.¡¹ Allison nodded and turned to Benedict. Second Lieutenant Carr? We¡¯re not going back to the base. But thanks for telling us everything.¡¹ Several seconds later. ¡¸Allison. Earlier, you said that the treasure was something so valuable it could end the war between Roxche and Sou Be-Il.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right.¡¹ ¡¸You, and the person in the back¡­ do the two of you really think something like that could exist?¡¹ Allison and Wil nodded firmly in unison. ¡¸I am obligated to fulfill my mission. So I¡¯m going to say once more: demonstrate your intent to return to the base at this instant. If not¡ª¡¹ ¡¸If not?¡¹ Allison asked, despite already knowing the answer. ¡¸I will open fire.¡¹ Benedict replied. ¡¸Look, Second Lieutenant Carr. I respect your attitude. I think I could really learn from your work ethic.¡¹ ¡°I think so too.¡± Wil nodded quietly to himself. ¡¸But we¡¯ve come this far; we can¡¯t back out now.¡¹ ¡¸¡­I see. Then you leave me with no choice.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ve got a fighter craft too. It¡¯s also got a machine gun.¡¹ ¡¸I know that.¡¹ ¡¸Then if we win¡ª¡¹ ¡¸If you win?¡¹ ¡¸Will you come with us to find the treasure?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡¹ ¡¸What do you say?¡¹ ¡¸All right. If I¡¯m still alive at that point.¡¹ ¡¸Then that¡¯s it for negotiations. Oh, wait a second. I¡¯m just going to discuss with my friend here about what to do. Could you give me a second?¡¹ ¡¸All right. Finish up before we cross the river.¡¹ Benedict said. ¡¸Wil. The plane¡¯s going to shake a lot. Are you going to be okay?¡¹ ¡¸Are you really going to shoot him down?¡¹ ¡¸You¡¯re such a nice person, Wil. And no, I¡¯m not. I¡¯m just going to win. That¡¯ll solve everything, won¡¯t it?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡¹ ¡¸What should we do? If you tell me to stop¡­ I¡¯ll surrender. I don¡¯t want to put you in danger.¡¹ ¡¸What are our chances?¡¹ ¡¸Decent, but not 100%.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡¹ ¡¸What do you say?¡¹ ¡¸Remember how when we were nine, we went sledding during the winter?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah?¡¹ ¡¸We were at the hills. You dragged me up the slope, saying we should slide down. I was scared and I didn¡¯t want to go. But I couldn¡¯t say no, and I ended up sledding down the hill. We went so fast that we ended up flipping over.¡¹ ¡¸Oh, right. I remember that.¡¹ ¡¸You know, I remember thinking: Before I slid down, I was just scared. Going down the hill was scary, but it was fun. And by the time we ended up landing in a snowdrift, all that fear was gone, and I felt great. If I was all alone, I would never have had the courage to go sledding, and I never would have had such fun. I thought you were amazing, Allison. So now¡­ I¡¯m expecting something even better. I won¡¯t tell you to stop. Let¡¯s win, and find the treasure. That¡¯s all I have to tell you.¡¹ ¡¸¡­Seriously! That¡¯s so like you, Wil!¡¹ ¡°What¡¯s going on over there?¡± Benedict wondered, watching Allison gesticulate excitedly. She soon came back with an answer. ¡¸Second Lieutenant Carr! We¡¯ve made our choice.¡¹ ¡¸And your answer is?¡¹ ¡¸¡®Shaddap and come help us find the treasure¡¯! That is all.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡¹ Benedict was lost for words. ¡°You¡¯re giving him orders, Allison¡­¡± Wil sighed. ¡¸Then let¡¯s get started. We¡¯ll swerve right and diverge to go face-to-face, then we¡¯ll pass each other. What do you say? Let¡¯s climb a little higher, too.¡¹ ¡¸All right.¡¹ The two planes swerved right together and began to climb southward. Suddenly, Benedict¡¯s plane began to grow distant to their right. It sped up and flew further away. ¡¸What¡¯s happening, Allison?¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯re going to go face-to-face now.¡¹ The moment Allison began to turn right again, Benedict¡¯s plane turned in their direction. ¡¸What¡¯s that?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s like a ceremony you do before a dogfight. You look one another in the eye, face-to-face, and pass by each other. Then the battle starts.¡¹ The two planes began to fly towards each other. ¡¸What if he opens fire while we¡¯re getting closer?¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about it. The second lieutenant wouldn¡¯t do that. And I wouldn¡¯t, either.¡¹ ¡¸It sounds almost like a code of chivalry.¡¹ ¡¸Maybe. Anyway, we¡¯re going to start attacking as soon as we pass each other by. Hold on, Wil.¡¹ ¡¸All right¡­ I¡¯m counting on you, Allison.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah.¡¹ The two planes advanced rapidly. Air pressure pressed down on them as they brushed past at arm¡¯s length, both Allison and Benedict saluting with their left hands. ¡°Here goes!¡± Allison pulled back the throttle with a cry. She then stepped on the left rudder pedal and pulled the control stick to the left. The plane made a sharp left turn. As gravity pushed her into her seat, Allison turned and glared at Benedict¡¯s plane. Wil could not even turn his head¡ªhe looked down at the forest to his left and whispered silently, ¡°Beautiful¡­¡± Benedict also pushed his engines to full throttle, swerving left. The two fighter crafts each flew in half a circle. Making a quick turn, Benedict made it behind Allison¡¯s plane and put pressure on his right hand, clutching the control stick. His entire body creaked under the increased strain, but he continued to pull back the control. Allison¡¯s plane finally came out of its swerve. The frame slowly tilted to the right, flying parallel to the ground for a moment before tilting and swerving to the right. Benedict slowed his swerve and flew behind Allison¡¯s plane, within firing range. His right index finger reached the trigger. Allison¡¯s craft was within range. But Benedict did not open fire. Instead, he flew in even closer. The stolen plane came into the circle of his crosshairs. It came closer and closer, until the plane was too big to fit in the circle. At that moment, Allison¡¯s plane tilted even further and began to fly upside-down. At the same time, she tilted the nose downward and descended rapidly. The gigantic floats on the bottom of the plane faced the sky as the frame left the crosshairs. Benedict followed, swerving to the right into a sharp descent. He could see the stolen plane cast in the green backdrop of the ground. The plane¡¯s size remained the same, but the green woods below grew closer and closer. ¡°This time, it¡¯s a 9.9mm machine gun. You¡¯re not getting away without some damage, Allison. But¡­¡± The nose of Allison¡¯s descending craft pointed up again. Benedict mirrored her move, but with more force. He approached her craft, climbing to the left and approaching the stolen plane as though bearing down from above. But he had drawn too close; his target was too far from the crosshairs. To the lower right of the circle he could see Allison¡¯s goggles, facing in his direction. If he opened fire now, he would hit something for certain. ¡°Sh*t!¡± Benedict swore yet again as he held off on the machine gun and slowed his turn. Allison¡¯s plane grew distant to his left. ¡°He¡¯s really good!¡± Allison cried, watching Benedict¡¯s plane grow distant after approaching their left side. ¡¸Wil! We can win this now! Can you hear me?¡¹ ¡¸¡­Yeah¡­¡¹ Wil said blankly. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Benedict groaned, chasing after Allison¡¯s plane again. He mimicked her angle as she climbed at maximum speed. Suddenly, she stopped her ascent. And at a lazy speed unthinkable for a dogfight, she began to turn left. Benedict approached Allison¡¯s plane. The tail of the plane entered his line of sight. It grew closer in the crosshairs. ¡°All right¡­¡± The moment the engine moved into the middle of the crosshairs, Benedict put pressure on his index finger. ¡°!¡± At that point, he flinched at the sight of the stolen plane, growing closer to his craft against his will. Allison had slowed down without warning. At this point, they were already near the point of colliding in midair. ¡°Argh!¡± A second before the inevitable impact, Benedict made a hard left turn. Allison¡¯s craft passed by to his right, flying behind him. ¡°All right!¡± Allison exclaimed, opening the throttle and pointing the nose of her plane to the lower left. There in her sights was Benedict¡¯s plane, which had pulled out of a near-collision. The man in the cockpit looked at her. ¡°Damn¡ª¡± ¡°Take this!¡± Allison opened fire without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Countless shots were fired at a rhythmic pace. The rounds hit the top of Benedict¡¯s plane in a straight line, before hitting the cockpit. The green woods and the blue sky reflected in Benedict¡¯s eyes instantly turned red. He felt an impact on the back of his head as his body shook several times. ¡¸=¡¹ Benedict¡¯s plane was flying nearly level with the ground. The red fluid covering his face dribbled into his mouth. It was incredibly bitter. Benedict reflexively spat out the liquid and reached up to his goggles. He wiped the lenses with his gloves, and the red world gave way to the blue sky. He quickly pulled up the goggles. The cockpit was dotted with red liquid. But nothing had been damaged. ¡°¡­¡± His blood-red arms and legs moved as well as they ever did. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± At that moment, Allison¡¯s voice suddenly entered his ears. ¡¸That¡¯s a plus one to my kill count!¡¹ Benedict lightly shook his head. He then spotted Allison¡¯s craft flying next to him on his left. She was holding up her left hand. Wil was sitting limply in the back seat. ¡¸What is this?¡¹ Benedict asked. ¡¸You¡­ you got me, didn¡¯t you?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah, but all we had here were paint bullets.¡¹ From the center of the frame to the nose, Benedict¡¯s plane was stained with red paint. It stood out like a sore thumb against the black frame. ¡¸¡­And did you know that from the start?¡¹ ¡¸Of course.¡¹ ¡¸¡­It¡¯s my loss. I repeat. It¡¯s my loss.¡¹ Benedict flashed Allison a grin. ¡¸Then you¡¯re coming with us, right? Follow me.¡¹ Allison said, taking the lead. From this position, Benedict could shoot her down with ease. ¡¸Affirmative. I¡¯ll comply with your intentions.¡¹ Wiping his goggles, Benedict followed Allison as she turned south. The two planes were flying in formation once more. Finally back to a peaceful flight, Allison turned her attention to the back seat. ¡¸Are you okay, Wil?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. I¡¯m just glad I didn¡¯t eat anything recently¡­¡¹ ¡¸Take a look behind us. The second lieutenant¡¯s coming to help us find the treasure.¡¹ ¡¸That sounds great.¡¹ The vast Lutoni River was sided by forests and plains. Ahead stood the peaks of the Central Mountain Range. Two planes were flying through the airspace. From the distance, they looked like little more than a pair of dots in the sky. And two more dots were approaching them from behind. ¡¸Allison.¡¹ Benedict said. ¡¸What is it?¡¹ Allison asked, looking back. Benedict held up his left hand and held up two fingers. He then pointed behind him with his thumb. ¡¸Once we finish this discussion, I want you to reset your radio frequency and keep quiet for a while. For about fifty seconds, just in case. And make sure to remain in the lead. I¡¯ll take care of the rest. Do you understand?¡¹ Allison nodded visibly. ¡¸Wil. We might be in for more turbulence. We have two guests behind us.¡¹ ¡¸All right. I trust you two.¡¹ ¡¸What?¡¹ ¡¸Our new friend, too.¡¹ ¡¸Oh, right.¡¹ The moment Allison changed the frequency, ¡¸Benedict, you bastard! Answer me, now!¡¹ A deep voice entered their ears. ¡°Man, that¡¯s one heck of a voice.¡± Allison turned left and looked behind her. Two fighter crafts of the same model as hers were in flight. ¡¸I hear you. What¡¯s the point of screaming into a radio, Second Lieutenant?¡¹ Benedict answered. One of the first lieutenants replied, ¡¸Where are you going, Benedict? The base is in the opposite direction. Take the spies and return to Teruto.¡¹ ¡¸I refuse.¡¹ ¡¸¡­What did you say?¡¹ ¡¸I said, I refuse. I fly for my own purposes now. Consider our affiliation void from this point on.¡¹ ¡¸You son of a bitch! Thinking of monopolizing the treasure, are you?!¡¹ The second lieutenant in the one-seater plane cried. ¡°Idiot.¡± ¡°That nitwit.¡± The two first lieutenants in the two-seater mumbled simultaneously. ¡¸That¡¯s my line. Thanks for keeping me in the dark all this time. Also, Second Lieutenant. Weren¡¯t you supposed to keep quiet about the treasure in front of me? Looks like someone needs an intelligence check.¡¹ ¡¸Second Lieutenant Benedict. We will shoot you down for failing to obey orders. And you spies there. I know you¡¯re listening. If you intend to surrender, move your flaps immediately. If not, we will shoot you down at once.¡¹ Allison¡¯s and Benedict¡¯s planes continued to fly as they did. ¡¸All right.¡¹ Said the first lieutenant. ¡¸Second Lieutenant. Shoot down Second Lieutenant Carr Benedict. We¡¯ll take the spies.¡¹ ¡¸Roger that! Finally!¡¹ The two planes lowered their noses and charged at Allison¡¯s and Benedict¡¯s planes. As if on cue, Allison¡¯s plane and Benedict¡¯s plane broke formation. The former swerved to the upper right, and the latter to the lower left. The single-seater followed the single-seater, and the two-seater followed the two-seater. ¡¸So what was your name again, Second Lieutenant? I have a lot of trouble with men¡¯s names, you know.¡¹ Benedict said to his pursuer, swerving right. ¡¸Asshole! As if I¡¯d tell you at this point!¡¹ The second lieutenant¡¯s plane followed after Benedict¡¯s, slowly closing the gap between the crafts. ¡¸Huh. It might be a good idea to tell me, seeing as this is your only chance. I¡¯m going to shoot you down. Run now if that doesn¡¯t sound like a good idea. You don¡¯t want to die yet, do you?¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t make me laugh! I see those paint splotches! You lost to those Roxcheans! Pathetic! You¡¯re a disgrace to Sou Be-Il! I¡¯ll kill you this instant!¡¹ The second lieutenant pulled the trigger. Two rows of flashes emerged from the nose of his plane. The flashes missed Benedict¡¯s swerving plane by a long shot. ¡¸Damn you!¡¹ ¡¸That was miserable, Second Lieutenant. A complete waste of taxpayer money.¡¹ At that moment, Benedict¡¯s plane disappeared overhead. The second lieutenant¡¯s shots disappeared into the distance. ¡°What?¡± He turned and looked up. ¡°Wha¡­?¡± Benedict¡¯s plane was there. The frame descended as though sliding. Two flashes of light erupted from its nose as bullets pierced the air. The second lieutenant¡¯s plane entered the line of fire as though jumping in voluntarily. The machine gun fire blasted off the second lieutenant¡¯s head and landed directly on the engines. The metal covering was blown away; the engine stopped; the fuel caught fire. The plane began to fall to the right, spouting flames and black smoke. Benedict¡¯s plane flew overhead. The smoking wreck exploded in midair, scattering everywhere. ¡°Goodbye, Second Lieutenant.¡± With that, Benedict headed off to find his next prey. He could see two fighter planes ahead. ¡¸Damn it!¡¹ ¡¸Hey, I¡¯ll take the controls! Hey!¡¹ The two first lieutenants were beginning to argue over control of their craft. Allison¡¯s plane was continuously making quick right turns to avoid them. The first lieutenants¡¯ plane opened fire, but they missed. ¡¸I¡¯ll take it!¡¹ The man in the second seat cried. ¡¸Just a little more! Sh*t!¡¹ Allison¡¯s plane again evaded them, and swerved left without warning. From that point, the first lieutenants could see black smoke and signs of an explosion in the distance. ¡¸He got Benedict. Perfect. Now we take care of these two.¡¹ ¡¸Give me the controls!¡¹ The man in the second seat demanded again. ¡¸All right. Take it.¡¹ The man in the front pulled out of the turn and took his hands off the controls. The man in the second seat took hold of the control stick and smoothly turned the nose of their plane towards Allison, who was flying in a straight line. He rapidly gave chase. ¡¸Almost!¡¹ The gap between them was closing. The first lieutenant placed a finger over the trigger. Allison¡¯s plane turned, flying to the lower left. At that moment, another plane appeared before them. The intruding plane suddenly pointed its nose in the first lieutenants¡¯ direction and approached rapidly. ¡°Wha¡­?¡± ¡°Sh*t!¡± The men cried out in unison. ¡°Take this!¡± Benedict opened fire as he charged at the plane. The machine gun rounds pummeled clear through the frame and the people sitting inside. Benedict quickly swerved left, flying past his foes¡¯ seaplane. The plane without a pilot quietly dropped nose-down, and slowly fell into the forest in a trail of smoke. Then, there was an explosive noise, alongside fire and a plume of black smoke. ¡¸Are you all right, Allison?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. We didn¡¯t take a single hit. Thank you.¡¹ ¡¸Not a problem.¡¹ Benedict¡¯s plane quickly joined back up with Allison¡¯s. The two planes once more resumed their journey south. ¡¸Allison¡­¡¹ Wil said, looking down at the column of smoke. ¡¸Are those people¡­ dead?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. They are.¡¹ Allison said, sounding no different from usual. ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m not going to clap and cheer about it, Wil. But it¡¯s better than being down there ourselves. It¡¯s better than you dying.¡¹ ¡¸I know¡­¡¹ Wil looked at the plane flying next to theirs. It was a new black fighter craft of the same model as theirs. ¡¸That aside, it all ended so fast.¡¹ He said. Allison also glanced at Benedict¡¯s plane. ¡¸You¡¯re right. He¡¯s really good. I¡¯d hate to say it, but he¡¯s way better than me.¡¹ ¡¸Then why couldn¡¯t he shoot us down earlier?¡¹ Wil wondered. Allison answered immediately. ¡¸Because he was aiming for our engine.¡¹ ¡¸What does that mean?¡¹ ¡¸He was only aiming for our engine, so we wouldn¡¯t get hurt. He wanted to force us to make a landing on the Lutoni River. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t randomly open fire at us. If this were a war, we¡¯d have been shot down almost immediately.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡¹ ¡¸I knew we only had practice ammunition, so I didn¡¯t show him any mercy. It must have hurt.¡¹ ¡¸You mean¡­ you knew he didn¡¯t mean to kill us?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right. Would you kill someone who sent a love letter to you, even if you were caught in a dogfight?¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll ever happen to me¡­ But what if he wanted to shoot us down?¡¹ ¡¸Then my first recorded kill would end up being my first time being killed.¡¹ ¡¸¡­Looks like we owe him a proper word of thanks.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. Later. Look ahead, Wil.¡¹ Wil looked up. A magnificent scene was opening up before them. The great river to their lower left was beginning to split into two even branches. ¡¸The confluence of the East and West Lutoni Rivers. You don¡¯t see a sight like that every day.¡¹ Allison said. ¡°The treasure, huh¡­¡± Wil mumbled. ¡¸=¡¹ In front of the Teruto Royal Army Base Hangar. Two amphibious planes were being warmed up for takeoff. Sitting in the cockpit was Captain Gratz, wearing his sunglasses. Next to him in the seat was a submachine gun. Gathered a short distance from the plane were several officers. ¡°Leaving so soon, Colonel? That¡¯s a terrible shame.¡± Said the mustached Colonel Elcub to Colonel Nott. ¡°I have no patience for sarcasm! If you¡¯ll excuse us!¡± Colonel Nott roared, his voice almost a match for the engines. ¡°I see. I¡¯d really love to charge you for your stay, as well as the repair costs for our gate.¡± ¡°Bah. Send the bills to the capital if it makes you happy.¡± ¡°What should we do with the old man¡¯s corpse?¡± Asked a well-built major. ¡°We don¡¯t need it.¡± Colonel Nott spat. ¡°You take care of it! Throw it to the wolves or something.¡± He then turned and climbed into the seaplane. The repair technicians undid the fastening. The seaplane began moving towards the canal. It entered the canal, taxied for a short distance, then took off. The seaplane disappeared into the distance. The major mumbled, ¡°The bastard¡¯s not gonna die a pretty death.¡± ¡°Watch your words, Major.¡± Said Colonel Elcub. He then added, ¡°although I do agree with you.¡± The roar of the engines grew dim, then faded altogether. Colonel Elcub turned to a lieutenant colonel who was standing behind him. ¡°What of those two aristocrats?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been told that they left before the commotion, saying they were bored to death.¡± The lieutenant colonel answered. ¡°Is that so? Finally, some peace and quiet.¡± ¡°What were the colonel and his men doing, anyway? Stirring up some trouble to start a little war of their own?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Colonel Elcub replied. ¡°War, eh? All we need to do¡ªboth here and Cross-River¡ªis forget all that and keep up this quiet staring contest for all of time. There are too many fools on both sides who just don¡¯t understand that.¡± ¡¸=¡¹ ¡¸I see. If those are the instructions, we¡¯ll be better off going by river.¡¹ Benedict said, as Wil told him the directions. Allison agreed. The two fighter crafts were flying low over the shores of the Lutoni River. Two shadows glided over the woods. ¡¸I¡¯ll land first. Follow my lead.¡¹ Benedict slowly turned left. Allison followed him onto the air above the river. Listing off speeds and angles to Allison, Benedict landed in the middle of the river. The floats on his plane drew white wakes on the peaceful surface. ¡¸Don¡¯t push yourself. Take your time and try as many times as necessary to land properly.¡¹ But before Benedict could finish, Allison turned and lowered her speed and altitude. ¡¸¡­Keep going. You¡¯re doing well.¡¹ She then landed next to Benedict, slowly closed the throttle, and stopped just ahead of Benedict¡¯s plane. ¡¸Excellent. Full points.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you. This model is really easy to work with.¡¹ The two fighter crafts continued upriver side by side, using their propellers. The Lutoni River flowed at a gentle pace. ¡¸It¡¯s almost like being on a boat, but higher.¡¹ Wil said, looking around to his left and right. Each side was in perfect symmetry with the other. On the right was a forest in Sou Be-Il, and on the left was a forest in Roxche. When they reached the confluence of the Lutoni River, they headed left. It was the East Lutoni River, on the side of Roxche. Although the river was half its original width here, it was still hundreds of meters wide. ¡¸Be careful.¡¹ ¡¸I know. I¡¯ve got my feet secured to the seatbelts.¡¹ Wil had gotten up from his seat and sat down on the frame. His line of sight grew wider. He could feel the engine vibrating from the back of the plane. The propellers were still spinning, sucking in air. ¡¸Is that it over there?¡¹ ¡¸I think so.¡¹ ¡¸I agree.¡¹ They saw a tributary flowing in on their right. And beyond the woods, they saw the land rising up without end. They were at the foot of the Central Mountain Range. ¡¸Come back down, Wil. We¡¯re turning right.¡¹ The two planes turned right. Unlike when they were in flight, centrifugal forces forced the planes into a leftward tilt. The supporting floats under the left wings tapped the surface of the water. The river narrowed considerably, its width now at about fifty meters. Allison informed Benedict and closed the throttle even more. They slowed down. The edges of the river grew crooked and began to zigzag. The two planes maneuvered towards the center of the river, trying to keep away from the shores. ¡°Urgh¡­ C¡¯mon¡­¡± Allison grumbled as she carefully controlled her heading with the rudder alone. Cold sweat dribbled down her face. ¡°Amazing¡­¡± When she looked around, Benedict¡¯s plane was following her easily at an even distance. ¡°Agh¡­ Damn it¡­¡± Benedict grumbled as he carefully controlled his heading with the rudder alone. Cold sweat dribbled down his face. ¡°Amazing¡­¡± Allison¡¯s plane was leading easily at an even pace. Wil observed their surroundings in awe and mumbled with a chuckle, ¡°It feels like I¡¯m on a field trip.¡± Eventually, the river began to run straight again. Its either shores rose up as though encasing it, turning into ten-meter-high cliffs just as Walter described. The two seaplanes continued down the river. The roars of their engines echoed loudly. ¡¸If someone happened to hear this, I bet they¡¯d be completely confused.¡¹ Allison commented. ¡¸Yes. But that¡¯s not possible¡ªwe¡¯re in the middle of the buffer zone. And to add, I¡¯ve now illegally entered Roxche.¡¹ Benedict replied. ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about that. Congratulations on your illegal crossing, and welcome to Roxche.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you. I¡¯m looking forward to finding the treasure that¡¯ll make up for all our misadventure.¡¹ ¡¸A two-peaked mountain about four hundred meters high¡­ I think that¡¯s it.¡¹ Allison and Benedict agreed with Wil. The cliffs on either side had given way to gentle slopes, and on their left they could see the mountain. They found the river that encircled the mountain. It did not branch out into smaller streams, and instead flowed straight into a field at the foot of the mountains. ¡¸Let¡¯s stop here.¡¹ Wil said. ¡¸I¡¯ll go first. We¡¯ll stay on course, going as slowly a possible. If I¡¯m successful, follow my lead.¡¹ Benedict said, opening the throttle and taking the lead. Benedict chose a shore on the inner side of a leftward curve in the river. It was a gentle slope where the current was slow. Keeping up an awkward pace, he pointed the nose of his plane at the shore, and shut off the engines a second before making contact with land. The plane stopped when the floats were about halfway on the sand. Benedict took out a rope ladder from under his seat and climbed it down onto the shore. He grabbed a rope that was stowed under the frame and secured it onto a pair of hooks on the floats, and tied either end of the rope on two trees nearby. He then guided Allison as her plane came to a stop beside his, and expertly secured it with another rope. Allison stepped onto the shore, taking off her jacket. ¡°Thank you, Second Lieutenant. Would you like a tip?¡± Benedict was bewildered to see her in a Royal Guard uniform, but managed to shoot back. ¡°Not at all, Warrant Officer. Where in the world did you get a hold of that uniform?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a secret.¡± Wil disembarked, carrying their suitcase. ¡°Let me introduce you, Second Lieutenant Carr. This is Wil¡ªWilhelm Schultz. He¡¯s an old friend of mine. Wil, this is Second Lieutenant Carr.¡± ¡°Carr Benedict. As you can see, I¡¯m from the Sou Be-Il Royal Air Force.¡± Benedict offered Wil a handshake. Wil accepted it. ¡°Th, thank you.¡± Wil said. ¡°Hm? What for?¡± ¡°For making sure Allison wasn¡¯t shot during that dogfight.¡± Benedict was a little surprised. ¡°Oh¡­ You¡¯re an interesting person. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Wil.¡± ¡°The pleasure¡¯s all mine.¡± ¡°What happened with your head? Are you injured?¡± Benedict asked, looking at Wil¡¯s bandages. ¡°No, I just got into some trouble trying to play hero.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°As someone who saw you playing hero, I¡¯ve gotta say you looked pretty cool.¡± Allison said. Wil grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s be off, then. We¡¯re going on a treasure hunt.¡± They looked up at the mountain. Before them was a vast forest. Wil suggested that, at the very least, they should change their shirts. He and Allison put their Royal Guard jackets and hats into their suitcase, and changed into their own shoes. Allison tied her own jacket and bag around her waist. Wil put on his bloodstained shirt and slung the suitcase over his back like a knapsack. The gun, however, would not fit inside. He kept it on a holster at his side. Benedict put on a black jacket, and clipped a survival pack from the seaplane onto his belt. Allison wondered if he wouldn¡¯t get hot, to which Benedict replied, ¡°Patience is an officer¡¯s virtue. ¡­Or I should say, a man¡¯s virtue.¡± ¡¸=¡¹ They walked through the woods. All kinds of trees were growing on the gentle, grassy slope. Although the way was by no means overgrown, it was still difficult to see where they were going. ¡°Stay close. We¡¯ll have a lot of trouble on our hands if we get separated.¡± Benedict said, taking the lead and clearing a path through tall grass and branches. He also kept an eye out for caves to his left. ¡°I get it.¡± Wil mumbled. Allison asked him what he was talking about. ¡°He kept his jacket on because he was going to take the lead and clear out a path for us.¡± ¡°That makes sense. You¡¯re really good at this, aren¡¯t you, Second Lieutenant?¡± ¡°Well, yeah.¡± Benedict replied. ¡°I did this a lot back in the army.¡± ¡°It really was a good idea to bring him along.¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t have to put it that way, Allison¡­¡± ¡°You think so? But I¡¯ll make sure the three of us split the treasure fairly once we find it.¡± ¡°No, I mean¡­¡± Benedict chuckled bitterly as he made a way through the foliage. Eventually, they spotted a cavern. It was overgrown on top, but the opening was large enough for a person to enter without crouching. They scanned the interior with a flashlight. The dank cavern continued, but they spotted no rifle. ¡°Not here.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make a note of this place and search for the next cavern.¡± They discovered several more similar caverns along the way. Some were too small to enter, and others suddenly dropped off into a deeper level. They did not find a rifle anywhere. ¡°It might have fallen, or it might have been buried. It has been thirty years since then.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± They took a short rest for Wil¡¯s sake and quickly wolfed down some rations. Then, they set off once more. The sun began to set between the trees. ¡°This is the tenth one.¡± Allison said, pushing aside the foliage and peering inside with a flashlight. ¡°Hey, guys¡­ I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to have to look for cavern #11.¡± Benedict and Wil looked inside. The cavern opening was large enough to enter upright. The light from their flashlights were focused on an old rifle. The metal was rusted red with age, and the wood was on the verge of rotting completely. But the rifle was still firmly stuck in the floor of the cavern. Just as Walter had told them, when they stepped inside they found themselves in a large cavern. It was about the size of a classroom, and was located partly underground. Underfoot was damp stone, and stalactites were hanging from the ceiling. The light from the entrance dimly illuminated the interior. ¡°This must be it.¡± Allison¡¯s voice echoed loudly against the walls of the cavern. ¡°This must be a limestone cave. There must be a lot of these in the area.¡± ¡°Okay. Where to next?¡± ¡°Wil.¡± ¡°The twelfth hole on the right.¡± Benedict pointed his flashlight at the right side of the cavern. The three began to walk, counting the openings. ¡°Twelve¡­¡± ¡°Here.¡± ¡°This must be it.¡± The three flashlights stopped over one large opening. It was large enough to pass though upright, and the path led down in a gentle slope. Benedict hung his handkerchief in front of the opening. ¡°I¡¯m putting this here just in case. Now we take twenty steps, correct? Would you mind if I took the lead?¡± ¡°Not at all. Go ahead.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor.¡± Before Benedict could finish his sentence, Allison added, ¡°You¡¯re the tallest one here. Please tell us if you hit your head on something along the way.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wil was astonished. Benedict chuckled wryly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you nervous at all, Allison?¡± ¡°In my own way, yes.¡± Allison replied. ¡°Nineteen¡­ twenty¡­ there.¡± Benedict took several more steps forward, then moved aside and led his companions into the large area. ¡°Wow. This is amazing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just like the old man said¡­¡± The path quickly gave way to a wide space with high ceilings. The floor was nearly level, and it was impossible to see where the cavern ended even with the flashlights. The beams of light moved from one place to another in the pitch-black darkness. ¡°This must be it. Look over there.¡± Wil said. His flashlight was pointing at a rifle stuck in the ground about twenty meters away. ¡°Wait, Allison.¡± Benedict said as Allison moved. He took out a mirror from his bag and propped it up near the path from which they had come. ¡°Once we go all the way inside, we won¡¯t know how to get back out.¡± ¡°Oh. Thank you. Can we go in now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rush.¡± Keeping their flashlights trained on the damp ground, the three carefully approached the rifle. ¡°I can¡¯t be sure, but this gun doesn¡¯t look Bezelese.¡± Benedict said. Allison spoke up. ¡°The treasure must be here somewhere. Congratulations, everyone.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Wil trailed off. ¡°It might be a lot of work to try and search this entire cavern.¡± Benedict said, surveying their surroundings. ¡°But we have to. We¡¯re going to comb every inch of this place.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be trouble if we get separated in here.¡± Wil said. Benedict agreed. ¡°That¡¯s right. And we can¡¯t go too far from the entrance. Both of you, turn off your flashlights for a second.¡± The three turned out their lights, one by one. The cavern was filled with darkness. They could see nothing, even with their eyes wide open. ¡°See? I can¡¯t even tell where the two of you are from here. If we run out of batteries while we¡¯re inside, we won¡¯t make it out alive.¡± Benedict turned on his flashlight once more and pointed it at the mirror by the entrance. ¡°We¡¯ll need a lot of rope, some stronger lights, and some more people.¡± ¡°I wish he¡¯d have at least left us a clue.¡± Allison pouted. ¡°¡­¡± Wil brought his light to the rifle again. The wooden stock was not as badly decayed as the one outside. ¡°Here!¡± ¡°What?¡± Wil crouched by the rifle and leaned in close to the stock. ¡°This must be a hint. I see letters carved into the wood. It¡¯s in both Roxchean and Bezelese.¡± ¡°Read it.¡± ¡°Read it.¡± Wil nodded and read out the message. ¡°¡®A beautiful sight¡¯.¡± Several seconds passed by in silence. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Allison and Benedict asked. ¡°¡­That¡¯s all. It¡¯s the same thing in both languages. ¡®A beautiful sight¡¯.¡± Wil examined the flip side of the stock. ¡°Nothing. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Seriously¡­ that old man¡­¡± Allison grumbled. ¡°A beautiful sight¡­?¡± Wil stood. ¡°A beautiful sight¡­¡± Mumbling quietly to himself, he looked up, holding up the rifle in his hand. Wil looked up at the rocky walls. ¡°There¡­ Both of you. Look up at the wall behind us.¡± Allison and Benedict pointed their flashlights at the walls in unison. Three lights illuminated the smooth stone walls. There they saw pictures. Pictures on the grey surfaces. Humans drawn in black, leading along a brown bull. Next to them was a small, four-legged creature, likely a dog or a monkey. ¡°Murals¡­¡± Benedict said, following the images with his flashlight. There were other pictures on the walls. People surrounding a red fire. Men carrying what looked to be bows. Although the people¡¯s faces were not drawn in, everything else was surprisingly realistic. The images were even shaded. ¡°These murals¡­ they¡¯re from a time when written script didn¡¯t exist.¡± Wil said. ¡°Is this what we were looking for? That treasure the old man was so excited to find?¡± Allison wondered. There was a moment of silence. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Wil said tentatively. ¡°I agree.¡± Benedict said. ¡°Why?¡± Allison asked. ¡°This definitely is a rare find. It¡¯s a valuable academic resource. But murals like this have been found in several other places.¡± Benedict replied. ¡°Is that true, Wil?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ There¡¯s a place called Ban¡¯na Valley in the Principality of Touls on the southeastern tip of Roxche. They found murals like this there. The geology is similar¡ªlots of limestone caverns. They found tools and bones of ancient people. The people who lived there are called the Ban¡¯na people. And I heard about this on the news, but they found archeological evidence just like that in Sou Be-Il, near the capital. And there are a few other places, too. Although none of the discoveries were near the Lutoni River.¡± ¡°Huh. So there were a lot of them, huh. Then even if we report this¡ª¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be earth-shattering news by any stretch of the imagination.¡± Benedict said firmly. ¡°But there will be conflict.¡± ¡°What?¡± Allison gasped. Wil chimed in. ¡°I agree. I think this might cause strife between Roxche and Sou Be-Il. Let¡¯s say both sides dispatch archaeologists to the cavern. The Roxcheans will just say, ¡®these murals were drawn by the Ban¡¯na people. This is evidence that their civilization expanded to this area, and even to the West¡¯.¡± ¡°I think so too. The scholars from the Royal Academy of Science will claim that these are similar to the murals they found in Sfrestus, and claim this as evidence that humanity originated in the West, and that the Roxchean people and their culture were an offshoot of ours.¡± ¡°Oh. That argument again. This is stupid.¡± Allison groaned. Wil surveyed the mural, moving his flashlight. A scene of many people lined up to listen to one person¡¯s speech. A person sleeping in the midst of splotches of particularly vibrant colors. It was probably a funeral scene. ¡°Still, this is fascinating. I¡¯m happy I got a chance to see this, if nothing else.¡± Wil said. Allison sounded a little angry. ¡°But Wil. The old man said that the treasure could bring peace between Roxche and Sou Be-Il. If this is the treasure he was talking about¡­ he was really blowing things out of proportion.¡± ¡°Maybe. But this is still something very important.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Wil. Can you tell me when the murals in Roxche were found?¡± Benedict asked. ¡°Twenty-four years ago.¡± ¡°Of course¡­ That¡¯s about the same time as the ones on our side, if I remember correctly. In that case, it¡¯s understandable.¡± Benedict said, crestfallen. ¡°You¡¯re right. That¡¯s probably what happened.¡± Wil agreed. Allison demanded that she be told what they were talking about. ¡°The old man found this mural during the Great War. In other words, over thirty years ago. At the time, no one knew that ancient people left such intricate drawings on the walls that still survived, almost completely intact.¡± Wil explained. ¡°Oh. I get it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not surprising that he was ecstatic to see something like this. I¡¯m sure I would have reacted the same way if I were in his shoes. And if he never paid attention to the news afterwards and continued to remind himself that he found something great, he might have ended up inflating the value of these murals in his head.¡± ¡°Right¡­ you¡¯re right. You¡¯re probably right.¡± Allison turned off her flashlight. Wil turned his flashlight towards her hand. ¡°Can I borrow that?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I just want to take a closer look at the murals. These people lived here over ten thousand years ago and left such amazing works of art. And the colors haven¡¯t been distorted or changed at all, just like frescoes. This is a really valuable sight. Even if, in the worst-case scenario, the old man was mistaken, I still think this is a treasure in and of itself.¡± ¡°A treasure in and of itself, huh. ¡­Here.¡± Wil examined the murals, holding Allison¡¯s flashlight in his left hand. There was a person riding a horse. People putting on some sort of clothing. A woman who looked to be pregnant. A pair of animals¡ªmother and child¡ªmost likely sheep. ¡°But if you¡¯re right¡­ this is a pretty big disappointment.¡± Allison said. ¡°Agreed. It¡¯s¡­ a little disheartening.¡± Benedict also turned out his light. Wil was still taking in the murals, turning and shifting the flashlights. There were images just above the entrance as well. People lined up in orderly rows, and men doing something at the front of the people. When Wil shifted his flashlight once more, he caught sight of something. ¡¸=¡¹ ¡°¡­¡± At first, he was not sure if he had found it. Wil fell into thought. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Once he understood what he had seen, he exclaimed softly. ¡°Oh¡­ ah¡­ ah¡­ it¡¯s¡­ ah¡­¡± Then, he found himself unable to parse together coherent words altogether. He froze with his eyes as wide as dinner plates. His hands and feet would not move. ¡°¡­¡± He desperately tried to move his mouth, at least. But he could not bring himself to do much more than gape like a fish begging for food. Wil managed to shut his eyes. He then counted to five in his head, opened his eyes again, and looked upon the discovery once more. ¡°Ah¡­¡± It was right there. ¡°The treasure¡­¡± Wil gasped. ¡°Whoa.¡± ¡°Ow.¡± Benedict and Allison suddenly found light shining directly into their eyes. They covered their faces. Wil was pointing his flashlight at the two of them. ¡°Cut that out, Wil.¡± Allison said. The light slid down to her shoulder. Allison and Benedict were standing side-by-side. From Wil¡¯s perspective, Allison was on the left, and Benedict was on the right. Allison¡¯s left shoulder and Benedict¡¯s right shoulder came into view at once. As did the Spear of Seron and the Curved Dagger on their arms. Wil said nothing. He would not even move. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Wil?¡± Asked Allison. Benedict turned on his own flashlight and pointed it at Wil. In the light, they could see that he was smiling. Allison and Benedict exchanged glances. They were both confused. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Allison repeated. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful¡­ so beautiful.¡± Wil said, awestruck. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I saw something beautiful. I really did.¡± ¡°I, is your head all right?¡± Allison asked. Although she was obviously joking, Wil nodded. ¡°Yeah. Although I almost thought it wasn¡¯t. I held on. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to react quite as badly much as the old man did, though.¡± ¡°Say, Wil?¡± Allison and Benedict exchanged glances again. ¡°Both of you. Take a deep breath before you look.¡± ¡°Wil?¡± Without another word, Wil moved his flashlight away from Allison and Benedict. He then turned, illuminating the treasure. They could see the mural on the wall. Several people standing in a row, and men doing something just above them. Perhaps they were taking part in some sort of a ritual. The men were dressed in different colors and reaching out their hands towards something in the center. It was an intricate beacon. It was made of wood, and was about the height of a person. In the middle of the structure was a black rod. Its pointed end was lodged in the ground, the tip shaped like an arrowhead to secure it in the ground. At the top of the rod was a crescent-shaped object, its either ends pointed upwards. In the middle of the gentle arc of the crescent, and at either of its tips, were drawn red zigzag patterns. Warm colors were drawn around it. The zigzags must have symbolized fire. ¡°It¡¯s a picture of a beacon? So what?¡± Allison asked. ¡°There¡¯s more to the mural.¡± Wil replied, moving the light upwards. The next image was there. Two men stood side-by-side, each holding something in their hands. On the right stood a man holding the rod of the beacon in his right hand. The lower tip was in the shape of an arrowhead, and the part near the top which crossed the crescent in the previous picture was a little thicker than everything below. The man was holding the beacon by this part. At the very top of the rod was a flame. On the right stood a man holding the crescent in his left hand. The fire had gone out from one of the sides, which was the part by which the man was holding the crescent. On the other end of the crescent, the flame continued to burn. ¡°Does this mean that they shared the beacon and the fire with one another?¡± Allison asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Wil replied. At that moment, ¡°Ah! ¡­AAAAAAAHHHHH!¡± Benedict yelled without warning. Allison flinched at the sudden sound. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Hey? Wil, what¡¯s going on here?¡± Wil once more pointed his flashlight at the two soldiers¡¯ shoulders. Allison looked down at the two emblems in the light. ¡°What¡­? She then looked back up at the mural. ¡°Hey¡­ Are those¡­ the emblems on our uniforms?¡± Wil nodded. ¡°That¡¯s it, Allison. This is the origin of both. Roxche¡¯s Spear of Seron and Sou Be-Il¡¯s Curved Dagger. These designs have been around since ancient times.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s¡­ the treasure?¡± Wil nodded firmly. ¡°This mural can clear up the dispute between the two sides. We can clarify which side humanity originated from. The old man was right.¡± Benedict chimed in excitedly. ¡°He certainly was! This is an incredible discovery, Allison! I don¡¯t believe this! Incredible!¡± Allison looked up at the mural again and mumbled to herself. ¡°It¡¯s a little¡ªI mean, a lot different from what I imaged a treasure would be.¡± She then smiled and turned to Wil. ¡°So, was it worth it?¡± Wil smiled back and nodded profusely. ¡°Yeah. It really was, Allison. Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. As long as you¡¯re happy, I am too.¡± Allison looked up at the treasure. ¡°It¡¯s really nothing like what I imagined, but¡­¡± She smiled, her eyes narrowing. ¡°Well, I guess this is a treasure in and of itself.¡± Wil slowly approached Allison and Benedict, and returned their flashlights. This time, the three looked up at the murals with their own lights. For some time, they examined the drawings without saying a word. Benedict eventually broke the silence. ¡°Heh¡­ I remember what they taught me in school. That the curved dagger was a dangerous weapon made by proud warriors of the past. That the blade was meant to slit the throats of the loathsome enemies in the East.¡± Wil smiled. ¡°I was always taught that the Spear of Seron was made to pierce the barbarians of the land of dusk.¡± Allison chuckled. ¡°That was a total lie, wasn¡¯t it? They weren¡¯t even weapons in the first place.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Today, history changes. It¡¯s a wonderful day.¡± Benedict said.¡± ¡°The most important thing isn¡¯t ¡®how to convey the truth¡¯, but ¡®how we convey only certain facts for the most advantageous conclusion¡¯¡­¡± Wil mumbled. ¡°But why didn¡¯t that old man announce this discovery when he first stumbled on these murals?¡± Benedict wondered, ¡°if he did, he would have gone down in history. At this point, I don¡¯t think any amount of thanks will be enough.¡± ¡°You probably know his name already, Second Lieutenant.¡± Wil said. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something we¡¯ve been hiding about him until now.¡± Wil looked at Allison. She nodded. ¡°We¡¯re sorry for keeping this secret from you. But I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll understand once we explain. The old man¡¯s name was Walter McMillan. He was a lieutenant colonel during the Great War, and a member of the Roxchean Army¡¯s special forces.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Benedict thought for a moment, then spoke up. ¡°Aha! I¡¯ve heard the name before. There¡¯s no one in the Sou Be-Il military who doesn¡¯t know his name. How could I forget? Especially since I was an infantryman. They wouldn¡¯t stop lecturing us about the dangers and inhumanity of poison gas¡­ But you mean¡­ Ah! That¡¯s when he found¡ª¡± ¡°Yes. He was hiding in this cavern just before the poison gas attack, when he happened to come across these murals. Of all the times, it had to be just before he launched an attack that would kill thousands of people. Even though this discovery could have ended the war there and then. I¡¯m sure he must have been torn apart.¡± Benedict closed his eyes. ¡°¡­Of course. I understand. And it was likely that neither side would accept evidence like this in the middle of, or just after a war. And if a majority of the people felt that way¡­ then these murals might have ended up being destroyed. And then nothing would ever have been fixed. This treasure would have been forever.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Is it okay to announce it now?¡± Allison wondered. ¡°I think it will be, now.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s now.¡± Benedict and Wil replied. They pointed their lights to the murals again. They stared in silence once more. ¡°It looks better and better the more I look at it. I have to thank Mr. McMillan.¡± Allison said. ¡°Hey, sorry¡­ I need to get some air.¡± Wil said suddenly, and walked off towards the mirror alone. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Allison wondered. ¡°Anyway, it looks like all our hard work finally paid off. ¡°It did. This is¡ªreally, it¡¯s incredible.¡± Benedict nodded. He then turned, taking a deep breath. Then he exhaled. ¡°Allison.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Marry me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Allison looked at him. He was looking at her intently. ¡°Um¡­ what did you just say?¡± ¡°I asked you to marry me. In other words, this is a proposal.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ what¡­? What does¡­? Um¡­¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re incredibly charming, Allison. I know you shot me down once before, but we ended up meeting again, discovering a world-changing treasure in the process. I think ours was a serendipitous reunion.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I¡­ guess¡­ it might be¡­? Um¡­¡± ¡°You and I are soldiers from the East and West. In other words, we were technically at each other¡¯s throats. But if we announce this discovery and our marriage to the world together¡­ there would be nothing more romantic, wouldn¡¯t you agree? I¡¯m sure countless people will give us their blessings. I¡¯m not joking around with you. I¡¯m being completely serious. I¡¯m asking you now because I think this might be the best time.¡± Allison¡¯s arm swung through the air. Her light moved in all directions, but eventually stopped at the ground. Allison¡¯s eyes, however, were still wandering. ¡°Uh¡­ well¡­ you see¡­¡± ¡°Allison. Staff Sergeant Allison Whittington. Will you marry me?¡± ¡°Uhh¡­ Oh, right. Maybe we should get a second opinion¡­¡± Allison waved her flashlight. There was no one else in the cavern. ¡°Maybe Wil stepped out to give us some privacy.¡± Benedict said, hooking his flashlight onto his belt. ¡°Allison.¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± In the dim light, Benedict placed his hands on Allison¡¯s shoulders. He then stated solemnly, ¡°In Sou Be-Il, it¡¯s said that marriages between pilots are blessed.¡± ¡°Uh, well¡­ I..¡± Benedict gently bent forward. His face drew near to Allison¡¯s. ¡°May the blessings of the god of love be with us for all eternity¡ª¡± ¡°Uh¡­ wait. Wha¡­?¡± As Allison stammered in confusion, Benedict leaned in close. ¡°¡­Wil¡­¡± One name escaped Allison¡¯s lips. Benedict froze for a moment. He frowned slightly and mumbled, ¡°¡­Sorry. But the first to shoot takes the kill.¡± He slowly brought his lips to hers. A slight distance away, Wilhelm Schultz froze as he watched two figures in the dim light. The echo in the caverns was loud enough that he could hear every detail of their conversation, and he could understand exactly what they were talking about. ¡°¡­¡± Wil slowly reached for his holster. ¡°¡­¡± He opened the cover slowly, so as to not make a sound, and pulled out the gun¡ªthe gun Ladia gave him as a good-luck charm¡ªwith his right hand. It was already loaded. ¡°I can¡¯t let this happen¡­¡± The weight of the gun heavy in his hand, Wil mumbled in silence as though in prayer. ¡°I can¡¯t let this happen now¡­¡± Wil glared at the figures. ¡°This is murder¡­¡± Listening to the conversation, Wil slowly raised the hammer. There was a click, but the figures did not notice. Wil then disarmed the safety. ¡°But¡­¡± Placing his left hand over his right, Wil slowly raised his gun. He then got into shooting position, as he had done so many times in the past in practice and at the competition. ¡°I don¡¯t know which is the right answer. I just don¡¯t know. But¡­¡± Of the two figures, he took aim at the taller silhouette. The barrel of his gun was pointed squarely at the man¡¯s head, not trembling in the least. Wil¡¯s index finger reached the trigger. ¡°I¡­¡± He opened fire. An ear-shattering noise rang throughout the cavern. ¡°Whoa!¡± Allison was jolted back to her sense by the noise. ¡°Huh?¡± When she looked up, she saw Benedict¡¯s profiled face. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°What was that noise?¡± Benedict wondered, his hands still on Allison¡¯s shoulders. ¡°That¡­ That was gunfire!¡± Benedict looked up at the direction of the sound. ¡°From the entrance¡­¡± ¡°Oh no! Wil!¡± At that moment, a second gunshot rang out through the cavern. It was a lighter sound than the first one. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°He must have opened fire.¡± Benedict said, pointing his flashlight at his holster and checking for his gun. ¡°Then¡­ Wil!¡± Allison rushed over to the entrance. Benedict caught up quickly. He pulled a revolver from his holster and ran ahed of her. ¡°Turn out your light! I¡¯ll take the lead!¡± They turned out their lights and groped through the darkness. Along the way, they heard three more shots. They were all on the lighter side. They could see faint light coming from the cavern entrance. There was another gunshot. And once they were just a few steps from the main cavern¡ª ¡°Freeze!¡± They heard Wil¡¯s voice. ¡°Wil!¡± Allison ran from Benedict¡¯s side and turned on her flashlight. The light of dusk was filtering into the main cavern. Wil was sitting behind a boulder with his knees in front of him, taking aim with both hands. ¡°Wil! Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah! But that¡¯s not the problem right now!¡± Wil¡¯s aim was locked on a rotund man in uniform, who was standing at the entryway. The man was holding a smoking revolver. ¡°Colonel Nott¡­¡± Benedict growled. There was a man lying still at the colonel¡¯s feet. Next to him on the ground was a submachine gun equipped with a flashlight. ¡°Captain Gratz¡­ you came after us¡­¡± ¡°Damn you, Second Lieutenant Carr!¡± Colonel Nott roared, glaring at Benedict. ¡°Don¡¯t move! I know you¡¯re out of ammunition!¡± Wil threatened. ¡°Sh*t!¡± Colonel Nott threw away his revolver. Once the sound of his gun rolling on the ground came to a stop, everything went silent. ¡°Wil¡­ you¡¯re not hurt, are you? You¡¯re okay, right?¡± Allison slowly approached Wil, who kept his sights trained on the colonel. Wil got up. He was covered with dirt. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just bumped into a lot of things when I fell.¡± ¡°Thank goodness¡­¡± ¡°You can put your gun down now, Wil.¡± Benedict said. He picked up the submachine gun and slung it over his shoulder. Then he looked at the colonel. Wil armed the safety on his gun and lowered his hand. He and Allison walked over to Benedict. ¡°Oh¡­ the fake official¡­¡± Allison said, looking down at the fallen man. He was dead, his head covered in blood. ¡°I shot him. I¡­ I saw them coming inside¡­ and I heard them talking¡­ The fat man over there told the fake official to kill us on sight. So¡­ I did it. I shot him. I¡­ killed him.¡± Wil whispered, nearly in tears. He looked directly at Allison. ¡°Allison. I don¡¯t know what the answer is.¡± ¡°Oh, Wil¡­¡± Allison reached out her hand towards his back. ¡°I¡¯m covered in mud, Allison.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± She gently stroked his back. ¡°Damn you!¡± Spat Colonel Nott. ¡°I¡¯ve also shot down two or so crafts. To defend our own lives and the treasure.¡± Benedict said. Nott scowled. ¡°So you¡¯ve found it! And now you¡¯re planning to keep it for yourself!¡± ¡°Yes and no. That treasure is not something anyone can claim for themselves.¡± Benedict said, shaking his head. ¡°Enough of your nonsense, Second Lieutenant Carr! This is an order! Shoot those Roxchean spies this instant! They are criminals!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Benedict looked at the colonel. Allison reached for Wil¡¯s gun. ¡°I refuse, sir.¡± Benedict replied. Wil made a point of holstering his gun. ¡°What is the meaning of this this, Second Lieutenant?! Fine! ¡­Shoot one, and take the other back to do what you wish with them!¡± Benedict¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°I see, Colonel. Shoot one, eh?¡± ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re finally on board.¡± The colonel grinned. ¡°Yes. This might sound strange to you, sir, but you¡¯ve just made me feel a lot better.¡± Benedict said, drawing his handgun. ¡°That¡¯s right, Second Lieutenant Carr. Shoot!¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Benedict pulled the trigger. With the crisp sound of gunfire, a hole was blown through Colonel Nott¡¯s chest. ¡°Wha¡­¡± Colonel Nott fell limply to the ground, his mouth wide open. His uniform grew damp in the red mist. ¡°Apologies, Colonel.¡± Benedict holstered his gun and looked at Allison and Wil. ¡°I¡¯m also an accomplice now. I will do anything to protect the treasure.¡± ¡°Thank you, Second Lieutenant Carr. And about what you said before¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Allison said, her arm still on Wil¡¯s back. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Never mind, then¡­ It¡¯s all right.¡± Benedict said, closing his eyes and shaking his head. He then looked back at Allison and Wil. ¡°Now, what to do with you two? We¡¯re going to have to announce this to both sides at once. Should I send up an emergency flare from the planes? We¡¯ll get help immediately if we do.¡± ¡°That sounds like a plan.¡± Allison nodded. ¡°Second Lieutenant Carr¡­¡± Wil said. ¡°You just said that you¡¯d do anything to protect the treasure, right? Then¡­ I have a favor I want to ask you.¡± Benedict nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. I did. And I also owe you a debt. What do you need me to do?¡± ----- Volume 1 8 — The World of Two People Volume 1 Chapter 8: The World of Two People ----- Lowe Sneum Memorial Secondary School was situated between farmlands and plains. There was a boy sitting on the grass, with his back against the red brick of the school building. The air was humid. Fluffy clouds were passing by in the distant sky. A group of first-years were sitting the shade of a large tree ahead of him. The boy watched them blankly. ¡°It was neither! Neither! Neither Roxche nor Sou Be-Il was the ancestors!¡± Cried the tall, middle-aged teacher. ¡°What a find! What a find!¡± Drawn on the blackboard was a diagram of the beacon made up of the two emblems. ¡°When I was your age, I was taught that Sou Be-Il was an evil empire. A bull-headed and proud race in spite of being founded later than Roxche¡ªa people we should subjugate. But that wasn¡¯t it! What a find!¡± The teacher was holding a newspaper. On the front page was the title, ¡®Sou Be-Il pilot announces historic discovery to both nations¡¯. Photographs of the mural and ¡®Second Lieutenant Carr Benedict¡¯ also decorated the page. ¡°It says here that he ended up flying into the Roxche side of the buffer zone by mistake while flying. He then crash-landed due to mechanical trouble, and that was how he came by the murals in the cave. It was such a marvelous discovery that instead of hiding it for himself, he announced it to both sides at the same time. What a heroic act. And¡ª¡± Suddenly, Wil heard footsteps approaching. He turned. ¡°Hey, Wil. Finally out of your bandages, eh?¡± It was his classmate, who was being held back for remedial classes. ¡°Yeah. Wait, are classes finished already?¡± ¡°Yeah. The teacher just left the class part of the way through. Said something about listening to the radio broadcast about the mural. Well, I¡¯m happy to get out early. But take a look at that.¡± Wil¡¯s friend gestured at the man teaching the first-years. ¡°From this point onwards, East and West will co-exist in peace. It¡¯s all thanks to this discovery. By the time you graduate from school, you might be able to travel to Sou Be-Il. There¡¯s another fascinating article in the papers¡ªthe President just announced that they¡¯ll be building a bridge between the nations! Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s incredible? A bridge over the Lutoni River! And it says that it¡¯ll be opened for service on Lestki Island, where the conflict ten years ago took place. They¡¯ll be connecting the two military-use railways on Lestki Island! From this point on, we¡¯re going to have to pour our efforts into building good relations with these people who share our origins. And¡ª¡± Wil¡¯s friend was astonished. ¡°He¡¯s completely changed his tune. Back in third year, the old guy wouldn¡¯t stop raving about how Roxche has to rule over Cross-River. Those poor first-years. Now they¡¯ll never believe in adults ever again.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Anyway, it looks like there¡¯s a lot of work ahead. For both Roxche and Sou Be-Il.¡± Wil¡¯s friend plopped down on the grass next to him. ¡°Ah, well. Whatever happens, happens. Anyway, Wil.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Did you go somewhere with that girl? No¡ªwhere did you go with her? For two whole days, even?¡± ¡°I told you. We snuck out at night to go camping, and I ended up falling and getting hurt. And then I couldn¡¯t move.¡± ¡°As if I¡¯d believe that, Wil. I¡¯m not as naive as the matron! I bet you did something more exciting! C¡¯mon, buddy. I¡¯m your friend. Be honest. Something not even a five-page reflective essay and two days of hall cleaning duty would excuse! Something that might get you expelled on the spot! I won¡¯t tell a soul! C¡¯mon, Wil!¡± Wil smiled. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll make an exception for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about! So what happened?¡± Wil¡¯s friend sat up and listened intently. ¡°Allison and I¡­ we stole an aeroplane and flew into Sou Be-Il. We were chased by a fighter craft and ended up crash-landing, but a Bezelese noblewoman living in the woods helped us out. Then, we infiltrated an army base and wreaked havoc before stealing a fighter plane and escaping. Then we found a heap of gold and silver. I even shot one of the people who came after us, though I don¡¯t know if that was the right thing to do. And then, a pilot from Cross-River gave us a ride back to Roxche in the middle of the night. That¡¯s how we got back in one piece.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wil¡¯s friend looked disappointed. ¡°So it was just a camping trip after all, Wil? ¡°I told you.¡± ¡°Man¡­¡± Wil¡¯d friend lay on the grass again and looked up at the sky. ¡°Never mind. By the way, Wil. What¡¯re you planning for summer break? Stay at our place for a while, same as usual? Let¡¯s go fishing.¡± ¡°Maybe. I just want to have a normal summer vacation.¡± ¡°All right. Don¡¯t feel too self-conscious, though. It¡¯s great having you at our place! Summer homework is a ton easier with you around. Not because I¡¯m stupid; because you¡¯re smart.¡± ¡°Heh. All right. I¡¯m going to have to go now. It¡¯s almost time for the train.¡± Wil said, grinning. ¡°Huh? So you¡¯re the one who signed out the motorcycle? Who¡¯re you picking up at¡ª¡­oh, that girl, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Wil nodded. His friend waved. ¡°All right. Have fun.¡± Wil nodded and began to walk. ¡°Ah, Wil. About that crazy story just now. Did you see it in a book somewhere? Sounds like something I¡¯d like to read sometime.¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± ¡¸=¡¹ ¡°Trains are the most boring things in the world!¡± Allison complained at Makkaniu¡¯s small train station. She was wearing a plain dark red air force uniform with a necktie. She was carrying a small suitcase. ¡°And you know what people say to me now? ¡®Since there won¡¯t be any wars from now on, the air force is going to be disbanded¡¯! As if! Flying¡¯s not going to end this way, no sir! Start with the army, damn it! The army!¡± They climbed onto the motorcycle and the sidecar. Wil drove, leaving the village and going along a narrow country road. ¡°Wil¡­ you really don¡¯t regret anything?¡± Allison asked. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. But maybe I shouldn¡¯t have done what I did, for your sake at least.¡± ¡°I just stuck with you, so I don¡¯t regret it one bit. So don¡¯t feel sorry about me. Next time we meet Major Carr, we¡¯ll just have to ask him to buy us dinner.¡± ¡°¡®Major¡¯? The morning paper said he was a captain.¡± ¡°I heard it on the radio on the night train. He just got promoted to a major. Apparently he¡¯s the youngest major in Sou Be-Il history.¡± ¡°Must be tough.¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s the one who said he¡¯d do anything, right? I¡¯m glad we stayed out of the spotlight. Sometimes, if you get promoted, they don¡¯t let you on aeroplanes. And¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°If we weren¡¯t out of the spotlight¡­ we wouldn¡¯t be able to relax together like this.¡± Allison said shyly. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Wil replied. After a long drive, they saw a small house in the distance. Allison spoke up. ¡°Did you end up going?¡± ¡°No. This is my first time back. I felt a bit uneasy about going alone¡­¡± It was a little red house made of brick. So small was the building that it probably contained only the bare essentials. In front of the well was a small motorcycle that looked like a bicycle with an engine. Allison and Wil stepped off the motorcycle without a word. When the knocked on the door, they heard a woman¡¯s voice. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Excuse us.¡± Wil said, opening the door. A woman in her late forties was cleaning the room in an apron. There was a teapot and teacups inside a neatly-packed wooden box. ¡°Oh¡­ it¡¯s you two. I¡¯m afraid the old man won¡¯t be coming back.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Norma, right?¡± Allison asked. The woman nodded. ¡°Mr. McMillan¡­ he told us to give you his regards. He can¡¯t to that himself anymore, so¡­ so we came in his stead.¡± Allison said slowly. Norma nodded and offered Allison and Wil a seat. And. ¡°So he told you where the mural was, didn¡¯t he? And you went to find it with a trustworthy Sou Be-Il pilot.¡± Norma said with a smile. Allison was shocked. ¡°So¡­ you knew? You knew everything¡­?¡± Wil asked. ¡°Of course. That man never lied to me.¡± ¡°I see¡­ I get it. After we found the murals, we left the announcement to the pilot. Would you like to hear how everything happened?¡± Norma shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s all right. I¡¯m sure that man can rest in peace now. He always used to say¡ªwhen the time came for the murals to be revealed, he would already be gone. He probably took his own life after leaving things to the two of you.¡± ¡°But why¡­? Why couldn¡¯t he announce the discovery himself when the time was right? I don¡¯t understand.¡± Allison said. Do you know why that man returned alone from his mission during the war?¡± Norma asked. Wil and Allison looked at one another and shook their heads. ¡°I see¡­ then let me tell you. That man¡ªLieutenant Colonel Walter McMillain¡ªshot and killed his own men. Right after the poison gas attack.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Wh, why¡­?!¡± ¡°I see. His subordinates must have seen the murals, too.¡± Wil commented. Norma nodded. ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Allison looked at Wil. He continued. ¡°The subordinates must have thought, ¡®we don¡¯t need to get along with Sou Be-Il. Let¡¯s destroy the mural¡¯.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Apparently they were just about ready to throw grenades at it.¡± ¡°The old man¡ªLieutenant Colonel Walter McMillan¡ªhe must have wanted to protect the mural, so he ended up¡ª¡± ¡°Yes. He always regretted what he did. He probably killed the men in a moment of panic. But he always wondered if there could have been another way. If that really was the right thing to do. He used to weep sometimes, calling the names of his subordinates one by one. So he swore he would never announce the discovery himself. He told me everything, and left me with the decision of what to do if he died. But sometimes, he couldn¡¯t bear the burden of that secret alone. That¡¯s when he told other people while disguising it as a lie. He told all sorts of tall tales, mixing in the true story about the treasure sometimes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I asked him once¡ªwhat would he do if someone actually believed his story? He told me that if the person was interesting, he would tell them where to find the treasure. If not, he would just make up another lie. I suppose he must have taken a liking to the two of you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Allison nodded, smiling. ¡°Thank you for taking the time to come see me. I¡¯m going to leave this house now, too. And I¡¯m not going to blame the two of you for what happened. But I suppose I¡¯ll miss waltzing with him to the radio broadcast next week¡­ although I can¡¯t imagine he would have been any good.¡± Norma smiled. Wil stood. ¡°Thank you for having us over. Thank you for telling us everything.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t serve you anything.¡± ¡°Not at all. Let¡¯s go, Allison.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Allison and Wil walked over to the door. Suddenly, Wil stopped. Allison nearly bumped into him. ¡°Ms. Norma. There¡¯s one thing I want to ask you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If Mr. McMillan died here¡­ what would you have done? Would you have announced the discovery?¡± Norma smiled gently. ¡°Who knows?¡± ¡¸=¡¹ About four kilometers south of the school was a lake and a wetland. Groundwater from the Central Mountain Range created a lake in a large hollow in the plains, which was surrounded by a marsh. There was a motorcycle parked by the docks, where several boats were moored. Wil stood next to the motorcycle, looking out at the lake. Allison was standing next to him. ¡°It really is a beautiful place.¡± ¡°Oh, one more thing. I just got this in the mail today.¡± Wil said, holding out a postcard. It was international mail that had been put through customs. The sender was Travas Ladia, and the address was somewhere in the capital of Sfrestus. The contents of the message were short. [I heard everything from the pilot. Please come back to return what you borrowed. P.S. This time, we¡¯ll have them roasted whole.] ¡°Roasted whole? What¡¯s she talking about?¡± Allison asked. ¡°The potatoes we¡¯re having for breakfast.¡± Wil answered. Allison chuckled and returned the postcard to Wil. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s go to Sfrestus sometime.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you get into trouble, Allison?¡± ¡°Hm? Oh, about my badge of rank. Yeah, I did. They even docked my pay. 40% for three months.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°But everyone in my unit said I did good. They said that the captain¡¯s the only one in the unit who hasn¡¯t gotten into trouble now. And they didn¡¯t take away my flying privileges, either.¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t coming here today considered ¡®getting into trouble¡¯?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m just dropping by for a quick visit.¡± ¡°Wait a second¡­¡± Wil looked up at the sky. Four seaplanes were flying in formation. They were biplanes with a pair of floats underneath. One of the planes suddenly descended rapidly, passing over their heads. On the side of the frame was the Spear of Seron. Hand-written under the emblem were the words, ¡®Not to pierce, but to illuminate¡¯. The seaplane circled the air before finally coming to a stop on the lake. Allison took out her jacket and aviator¡¯s hat and put them on. The plane made a showy swerve and stopped at the edge of the docks. ¡°Thanks, Wil. I¡¯ll come visit again.¡± ¡°Any time, Allison. But make sure you contact me ahead of time.¡± ¡°Okay. See you later.¡± With that, Allison ran over to the docks. Halfway through, she turned and waved to Wil. Jumping onto the floats, Allison climbed into the back seat. Soon, the engine roared again as the seaplane taxied along the water before taking to the skies. Wil watched the seaplanes until they disappeared into the distance. He then returned to his motorcycle and started the engine. Wil lazily rode his motorcycle on the road through the plains. The sky was a clear azure. The smooth earth was covered in green. In the distance loomed the Central Mountain Range. Some of its great peaks were still capped with snow. When the winds began to blow in from the south, summer would arrive upon this land in full force. -To be continued in Volume II- Volume 2 Prologue Volume 2 Prologue ----- When the great shadow passed over the sky, Day returned to night. Light returned to the room. And there, I met me. ¡®I¡¯ looked so very sad. ¡®I¡¯ looked so very kind. ¡®I¡¯ knew everything. ¡®I¡¯ left everything to me. But, All this time, I did not understand. All this time, it was a mystery. I was a child. I grew into an adult. But all this time, I did not understand. All this time, it was a mystery. Until one day, When a man known as a hero came to us. I had no interest in heroes. But that man Brought with him the final piece of the puzzle. Who am I? Where did I come from? Where must I go now? I¡­ All alone, I¡­ Volume 2 1 — Letters and Conversations Volume 2 Chapter 1: Letters and Conversations ----- Dear Mr. Wilhelm Schultz, How are you, Wil? It has been a long time since I last wrote to you. It has gotten much colder recently. Are you healthy? I always worry that you might kick away your blankets in your sleep and end up catching cold. As usual, there is no need for you to worry about my health, at the very least. Mostly thanks to my sleeping bag. I am currently writing this letter from a certain base in a certain country in the Roxcheanuk Confederation. As usual, the precise location is a military secret and cannot be revealed. I am not trying to hide anything¡ªafter all, I just wrote that I am keeping this secret. You might think this is strange, Wil, but as usual, I am writing to you in a very formal way. I remember you asked me about it once, so I will explain. In the past, Grandmother Mut would often tell me that I spoke too coarsely, and that I should take care when writing because letters can remain forever. This is a sort of habit of mine, or a personal rule I try to keep. Also, I always try to do everything Grandmother told me to do (do you have a very dubious look on your face as you read this, I wonder?). In any event, the biggest news is, naturally, the signing of the peace treaty. The war between the Roxcheanuk Confederation and the Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa is finally officially over. I am writing this to you today, on the day after the signing of the treaty. All flights were grounded yesterday, and every soldier was forced to listen to the radio broadcast of the ceremony. The hangar was packed like a tin of sardines. I was very glad it was autumn. The ceremony itself, which took place on the Lutoni River, was boring. Neither our president nor their king or prime minister took part¡ªit was just one long speech after another from the ambassadors and generals. There were some people on the base (mostly from the army) who fought in the Great War when they were young, and they were glaring daggers at the speakers to the end. So I could not bring myself to doze off during the broadcast. After the ceremony, everyone on the base had a moment of silence for those who died in battle(including my beloved father¡­ although I do not even remember his face at this point) before being dismissed. Yesterday must have been a historic day, but to be perfectly honest it did not move me very much. Although I do acknowledge that it is not a bad thing for the two nations to finally make up and move on past their past hostilities. Last night, I heard someone from the army ask, ¡®I wonder what¡¯s going to happen to us now?¡¯. I wanted to ask that question myself. It is inevitable that the defense budget will be slashed starting from the year after next, but rumors say that the biggest cuts will happen to the air force, which was only founded six year ago and is(considered by many to be) the biggest strain on the military¡¯s resources. I do not want to think about it, but the members of my unit and myself may soon face unemployment. Although I cannot be certain until the time comes¡­ I suppose this might be a bit depressing to read when the war has just ended. Oh, I heard an interesting story from an elderly army sergeant. Apparently members of the special forces are placing bets on the animals on their tags. They claim that the one I have now is an eel. Although I cannot be sure if that is correct. I hope school is going well for you, Wil. Although I am not worried in the least. Please use your grades to crush those uppity heirs and heiresses who fill the secondary school. I will end this letter here. I will write to you again soon. Because of my responsibilities in transporting aeroplanes, I do not know where I will be next time. Please send your next letter to my unit without an address, as usual. Staff Sergeant Allison Whittington P.S. This might be a late question, but have you decided on how you will spend your winter break? I am not sure how my schedule will be at that time¡­ * * * Dear Allison, Hey there. I¡¯m doing just fine. I haven¡¯t caught a cold or anything. Things have gotten chilly here in Raputoa, too. They¡¯ve started to serve stew at the cafeteria more often now. Sometimes during the winter, they¡¯ll serve it every day. Although I don¡¯t really mind, since I love stew. They might start heating the dormitories soon. Everyone¡¯s placing bets on the date¡ªit¡¯s practically an annual tradition here. What do we wager? The apples we get with dinner. The people who win can eat their own apple, then take the rest to their room to eat as a midnight snack. There¡¯s even a rumor that so many people tossed apple cores out the windows that we once had an apple tree sprouting on the flower bed, and that the matron got so angry that she chopped it down. Anyway, I finally understand why your letters are always so formal. For your information, I didn¡¯t make a dubious face when I read what you wrote. Do you know what Grandma told me to do? ¡®Don¡¯t ever take your eyes off Allison, Wil. And if you ever spot her blue eyes sparkling excitably, you must call one of the adults¡¯. Although I never really had the opportunity to do that¡­ We had a day off from classes on the day of the peace treaty. They didn¡¯t force us to, but I went to school anyway and listened to the radio broadcast in the auditorium with the teachers. It definitely was a historic day. It¡¯s like a line dividing one era from the next. Neither side won or lost. The border¡¯s still the same as before. But it definitely was an important moment in history. One of our teachers fought on the Lutoni River thirty-five years ago. He told us that the ship he was on was sunk, and that he nearly drowned. He said he lost many friends in that sinking. He told us, ¡®the world is better off without war. You¡¯ll be happier from now on¡¯. I understand what he means. I don¡¯t think anyone would want to find themselves having to choose between life and death, or killing and being killed. At the same time, I felt sort of strange. The war between Roxche and Sou Be-Il ruined so many lives and killed so many people. But at the same time, the war was the reason Grandma crossed over to Roxche for her beliefs. And it was thanks to her and the people who helped her found the Future House that I received her care. I¡¯m here¡ªgoing to school, having met you, Allison, and having gone through those three amazing days¡ªthanks to all that. The war ruined so many lives, but people like me ended up better off thanks to the war. I just don¡¯t know. What makes the world happy and what makes the world unhappy? This might sound kind of contrary, but it¡¯s definitely a good thing that the chances of war have been reduced to nearly zero (the teacher I just wrote about says that the chances are never completely zero, and that we should always be cautious). I want to be happy about it without having reservations. And about the mural that changed everything¡ªI bought a photograph of it at the store recently. It¡¯s really beautiful, no matter how many times I look at it. I¡¯ll never forget the person who protected it¡ªand the fact that I¡¯ve seen it, so to speak. I understand why soldiers like you must be worried about your careers. On the news four days ago, they were talking about ending Roxche¡¯s conscription laws. Some of the teachers here were worried¡ªwithout conscription, fewer students will go to university to delay their military service, which might make students lazier. But anyway, they¡¯ve stopped teaching us that Cross-River is evil now. They¡¯ve even blacked out inappropriate parts of the textbooks. The younger students are completely befuddled. I¡¯m sure many things will change even faster now. I really don¡¯t know what will happen to us from this point on. But still, I¡¯m very happy to be alive like this, here and now. Also, I noticed in the newspaper¡ªMajor Carr Benedict, the hero who found the murals, attended the ceremony, too. He was wearing this heavy dress uniform and a really annoyed face, sitting in between all the important people. I hope he doesn¡¯t blame whoever put him in that seat. About winter break¡ªI¡¯m probably going to stay at the dorms this year. I¡¯ll stay for the new year, too¡ªRaputoa doesn¡¯t celebrate it, you know. The new batch of first-years are going to arrive at the dorms on the fourth of the first month, and then we¡¯ll all be busy running orientation meetings and welcoming parties. The new school term starts on the eighth. I¡¯ll finally start my final year. I¡¯m staying behind this year because my friend who usually invites me to his place during the breaks is going on a study trip. They do this every year¡ªabout twenty students(and some teachers acting as chaperones) tour historic cities for several days. It sounds great, but it¡¯s actually a makeup course for students who don¡¯t have enough credits. If you hand in a research paper after coming back from the trip, they give you a credit. But it¡¯s pretty expensive, since you have to pay for the course on top of the fees for the trip itself. My friend decided to go on the trip(actually, he sounded so relaxed even though his credits weren¡¯t looking good that I had to tell him to go), so I¡¯m just going to stay behind. Apparently they¡¯re going to the Kingdom of Iks this year. It¡¯s the first time our school¡¯s going there. You know where it is, right? The country on the Central Mountain Range, southwest of the Republic of Raputoa. When I first heard they were going to Iks, I really wanted to go along. But my scholarship won¡¯t cover the travel expenses. It¡¯s a little disappointing, but I¡¯ve decided to wait for next year. Write back once you have your schedule, Allison. You can probably stay at the dorms. Although I¡¯ pretty sure the matron remembers you, so she might give you a bit of a scolding. I¡¯ll write again. Wilhelm Schultz * * * Dear Wil, What is the itinerary for the trip to Iks? Please give me as many details as you can. And the names of the cities they will be visiting, if possible. Please reply as soon as you can. And for your information, I am sending this postcard from a completely different place from where I bought it. Allison P.S. You are one of those people too, Wil! Before you forget, be proud of yourself! * * * Dear Allison, Did you buy the postcard near the Casna Coast? It¡¯s beautiful¡ªI stuck it onto my desk. I¡¯d like to visit it sometime. I¡¯ve always wanted to see the lands they reclaimed from the sea. Anyway, your unit is really flying all over Roxche, isn¡¯t it? I guess this is obvious, but I¡¯m really amazed. And a little jealous. This is the itinerary for the study trip. They don¡¯t have all the details hammered out yet, but they have the cities all lined up. Days leading up to the trip: Orientation and shopping for supplies. The 19th: Depart from dorms in the morning and take a train to the city of Elitesa at the southernmost tip of Raputoa. Spend the night in Elitesa. The 20th: Enter the Kingdom of Iks by bus and head to the town of Mushke in the north side of the country. The 21st: Tour Mushke. The 22nd: Tour Mushke. The 23rd: Head to the capital city of Kunst. The 24th: Tour Kunst. The 25th: Take a bus to Elitesa from Kunst. Spend the night at Elitesa. The 26th: Dismissal at Elitesa. Students who live nearby can go directly back to their homes. Classes end on the 10th. Then we have a goodbye party and a graduation ceremony for the sixth-years. On the 15th we have a end-of-year cleaning day, and afterwards the dorms will be completely empty. You¡¯ll be able to stay at the visitors¡¯ rooms anytime after that. But Raputoa can be pretty cold, too¡ªbundle up before you come. Are you going to arrive by aeroplane this time too? Wilhelm Schultz * * * Dear Mr. Wilhelm Schultz, Go! you might be confused because this letter began with a one-word command, but go! Go on that study trip! You have to participate, Wil! Make sure you do! My schedule is completely packed during your winter break, so I cannot come visit you at the school. Then you would be left all alone in the dorms! So I think it will be much better for you to go on the study trip with your friend to a country you have always wanted to visit. Your only problem is money, right? Since the credit cost is covered by your scholarship, you only have to worry about the travel costs. I¡¯ll cover it. So please, go! Please do not get the wrong idea. This is not charity, Wil. I am only lending you this money. You can pay me back once you finish university and find a job. You are going to graduate next year, Wil. This is your one and only chance to go on this trip. I do not mean to brag, but I have quite a bit of money saved up from working in the air force. It is only that I have no time to spend it, as I am constantly flying from one place to another. Is it not too late? If you can, sign up for the trip now. And please send me a telegram with the amount of money you need. You can send the telegram to the Air Force Command Center in the capital, addressed to my name, rank (still a staff sergeant, for your information), and unit name. Please just send me the number of the amount. I will send you a postal order by express delivery. And please do not hold back! I can also cover any other fees, like spending money you might need or money for books and travel supplies. Go! Act now! I will be waiting for your response. Allison Whittington P.S. Is the itinerary set in stone at this point? If there are any changes, please let me know immediately. * * * Dear Allison, First off, thank you so much. The postal order came in this morning. I took it straight to the school office and paid for the trip. I¡¯m officially part of the study trip now. Actually, the registration deadline was about three days ago. But luckily enough, one of the fourth-years had to cancel on the trip, so the teachers were happy to have me join. My friend was ecstatic too, since he won¡¯t have to share a room with the teacher. Although I haven¡¯t told him anything about the money. Again, thank you so much, Allison. It can¡¯t have been an easy decision to lend me so much money. I hope you won¡¯t be strapped for cash because you helped me out this time. I¡¯ll never forget what you did for me. I promise I¡¯ll pay you back, no matter what. So please wait until I start earning money. ¡°Allison? C¡¯mon, it¡¯s chow time. Allison? Allis? Hello? Alli-ling?¡± ¡°There you are. Ah, you¡¯re reading a letter from your boyfriend. Sorry to bother you, Allison.¡± ¡°What? I really like this new nickname. ¡®Alli-ling¡¯ sounds so cute. Anyway, FYI. The cooks worked so hard that we¡¯re gonna get to eat early. Hurry on over or there won¡¯t be anything left. That is all. Take your time reading!¡± And the itinerary hasn¡¯t changed. We¡¯ll be departing on schedule. There¡¯s less than two months left now. I¡¯m already looking forward to it. I¡¯ll write back again. Wilhelm Schultz * * * Dear Mr. Wilhelm Schultz, It has gotten cold recently, hasn¡¯t it? Have they started heating the dormitories yet? Have you won any apples? I am glad that you made it in time for the registration. And please do not worry about me. I have no time at all to spend my money, what with work and all. And if I really need help, I can always borrow money from a co-worker. And please do not rush; take your time paying me back. And do not go looking for a job straight out of secondary school just to pay me back. You have to go to a university, Wil. I am sure that is what Grandma would want as well. Times like this always remind me that it is better to have money than not. If the ¡®treasure¡¯ we found that day was actually gold and silver, I think I would have used it all to put you through school. Then you would have finished secondary school and taken the entrance exam for Confederation Capital University many times over by now. And you could have found yourself an apartment there, too. What we found was a treasure in and of itself, but sometimes I still wonder. ¡°Wil! Zoning out again? C¡¯mon, it¡¯s dinnertime. They¡¯re serving stew again.¡± ¡°Ah. Reading a letter, huh. From that cool pilot?¡± ¡°All right, all right. I¡¯ll save you a seat and grab your dinner too, so take your time reading.¡± If you ever hear a similar rumor again, let¡¯s go search together! Leave the aeroplane acquisition to me. Anyway, your trip is only a month away. Please take care of yourself. I hope you do not get so excited that you end up waking up on the day of the trip with a fever. Allison Whittington P.S. I received a pay raise last month, just as scheduled! I was afraid I wouldn¡¯t get one this year, you see. I am very happy. Please do not worry about me. * * * The 20th day of the final month of the year 3287 of the World Calendar. ¡°I get it. So that¡¯s how you ended up joining last-minute.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to thank Allison for all this.¡± They were inside a moving bus. It was a rather large bus, with the engine sticking out from the front of the vehicle like a snout. There were eight rows of seats behind the driver¡¯s seat, with an aisle in the middle dividing each pair of seats. At the very back was an area reserved for luggage and other cargo. The rightmost seat at the very back of the bus was empty. In the seat next to it sat Wilhelm Schultz. He was a seventeen-year-old with light brown hair and brown eyes. Across the aisle from him sat his friend, who was from the same year. There was no one else in the seat next to him, either. The two students were wearing identical outfits. They wore thick, short boots, dark grey wool pants, light green turtleneck sweaters, and fur-lined leather coats that cut off just above the knee. Over the left breast were their name tags, and embroidered on their right arms were the crest of Raputoa¡¯s Ministry of Education¡ªa book lying on a small boat. The bus was driving along a snowy mountain road. The steep slope was covered in snow. The trees they saw on occasion were also coated in white. The road snaked up and down, and though it was paved and wide, it was extremely slippery. The bus spewed black smoke as it struggled up the mountain. There were no other vehicles in front of of behind it. There was nothing but snow-white mountains all around. On the other side of the U-shaped valley they saw yet more razor-sharp mountain peaks. The sky was blue. The morning sun shone blindingly. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful¡­ I¡¯m glad I came on the trip. I¡¯m glad I got this chance.¡± Wil said, staring out the window. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s all good save for the cold.¡± His friend replied, fixing his collar with a gloved hand. The interior of the bus was freezing. Every window had been opened, allowing the cold mountain air to sweep inside. The interior of the bus was a sad sight, for yet another reason. In the first row sat three teachers from Lowe Sneum Memorial Secondary School. Sprawled out haphazardly behind them were eighteen fourth-and fifth-year students, all looking quite pale. Each student was huddled over a bag made of wax paper. Because the bus shook violently along the snowy mountain road, the students were all suffering from motion sickness. And because the heating made their sickness worse, the driver shut off the heater and the windows were opened to let fresh air inside. ¡°I mean, I grew up motorboating and horseback riding, so I¡¯m perfectly fine. But I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re all right, Wil.¡± Wil¡¯s friend said, looking ahead at the sorry scene before him. Wil thought for a moment, and responded. ¡°I¡¯ve been on something worse, so this doesn¡¯t feel too bad in comparison. It¡¯s been a long haul, so I¡¯m not surprised everyone is sick. But I think the others pushed themselves too hard, staying up so late. And they ate too much, too.¡± ¡°Right.¡± The teachers and students had left the dorms in the village of Makkaniu the previous morning. They spent half the day on a train, comfortably heading to the city of Elitesa at the southernmost tip of Raputoa. It was a city affectionately known as the ¡®Knee of the Central Mountain Range¡¯. They were scheduled to arrive in the evening; then they would get some rest for the difficult trip awaiting them the next day. But the train was delayed over and over again. Wil noted that it might be best to get some sleep on the train while they could, so he and his friend napped in their seats. But the other students chattered excitably, eventually being scolded by the teachers and the other passengers. The train finally made it to Elitesa late that night. It was midnight by the time the students got to bed, having had to skip dinner. They forced themselves out of bed early the next morning, then had breakfast. It was a simple meal, much like the one they had when they left the dorms. ¡°Since we¡¯re taking the bus, we¡¯ll be better off eating light.¡± Wil said. His friend followed his advice. But most of the other students, too hungry to think, stuffed themselves. They departed from Elitesa while it was still quite dark. The road soon grew rough, curving everywhere. They had to spend a long time on the shaking bus, with precious few stops at gas stations along the way. They were scheduled to arrive in Iks sometime in the afternoon. The bus shook violently as it continued along the snowy mountain. Yet another student leaned over his bag and vomited. ¡°I can practically hear what he¡¯s thinking. ¡®I should have studied harder¡¯, I bet. But it¡¯s not like he¡¯s gonna die from this.¡± Wil¡¯s friend said casually, and reached into his luggage behind him. He groped through a pocket on the side of the bag and fished out a bag of dried apricots. Taking out two pieces, he tossed one into his mouth and held out the other to Wil. Wil took it with a word of thanks. Wil¡¯s friend chewed on the apricot for a while, then swallowed. ¡°Anyway.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°What kind of a country are we headed for?¡± ¡°Wha?¡± Wil turned. His friend was serious. ¡°Sorry, man. Back at orientation, I was sitting at the back of the class, sleeping with my eyes open. So I don¡¯t remember a thing. All I know is the name of the place.¡± Wil chuckled, amused. ¡°All right. It¡¯ll be no fun if you go in there without knowing a thing. Let me explain.¡± ¡°Sweet. That apricot just now was your payment. Deal?¡± The Kingdom of Iks, or ¡®Iks¡¯ for short. This was what the country was called in the Roxchean language. In Iks, however, the country was officially called ¡®Ikstova¡¯. The potato-shaped continent was the only landmass on the planet. The Roxcheanuk Confederation was on the eastern side of the continent, and was composed of fourteen countries of varying size, the Capital District, and the Economic District. The Kingdom of Iks was part of Roxche, on the easternmost tip of the Central Mountain Range that vertically bisected the continent. It was one of the westernmost countries in Roxche, and the only mountainous country in the Confederation, which consisted largely of flat plains. The Central Mountain Range was the longest and largest mountain range in the world, with several peaks that stood over ten thousand meters tall. On the eastern part of the mountain range was a hollow, on the inside of which was the massive Lake Ras. The lake stretched vertically from north to south for about 100 kilometers. At its widest, the lake was approximately forty kilometers in width. It was about 1500 meters above sea level. The lake and the valleys surrounding it were all created by glaciers during the ice age. Human settlements were scattered around the lake. Of them, only two were large enough to be called ¡®cities¡¯. One was Kunst, the capital city located on a plain southwest of Lake Ras. The other was the bus¡¯s current destination¡ªMushke, northeast of the lake. Both cities had populations numbering at tens of thousands. There were villages nestled within the deep valleys surrounding the lake. Because there were steep slopes just a stone¡¯s throw from the lakeshore, there was nowhere else in particular where people could settle. There was one village per one of hundreds of valleys. The individual villages were extremely small, with populations numbering from hundreds to two or three thousand. Many tiny communities were scattered everywhere. ¡°So that Lake something-or-other¡­¡± ¡°Lake Ras.¡± ¡°Right. So is the area around Lake Ras the only place people live? Nobody else lives any higher up?¡± ¡°They couldn¡¯t, even if they wanted to. A little further from the lake, the mountain climbs at a sharp angle. And the snow never melts, even in the summer. Also, the western border of the Kingdom of Iks is also part of the border between Roxche and the Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa. But Iks¡¯s western border isn¡¯t clearly defined. That¡¯s why neither Roxche nor Sou Be-Il know exactly how big the Kingdom of Iks actually is.¡± ¡°I get it. What else?¡± Historically, the Kingdom of Iks had little contact with the countries on the plains. For certain reasons, people came to settle the lake area in the distant past. Eventually, a small kingdom emerged around Lake Ras. Time passed, and the Middle Ages began. That was when a kingdom on the western edge¡ªin other words, a kingdom that existed near present-day Raputoa¡ªinvaded Ikstova to conquer it. But the kingdom¡¯s prized mounted forces were rendered powerless by the mountains, and they were driven back by Ikstova¡¯s army, which had been lying in wait in the mountain passes. Now and then, the only ways to enter the country were through one of two mountain passes. One was the northern pass, along which the bus was currently moving. The other was the southern pass, which connected Kunst to the lowlands. The northern pass, which was located at an extremely high altitude, would soon be blocked by snowfall. This was the reason why Ikstova was one of the few countries that participated little in the conflict between East and West. Of course, it had no contact with the West, which was across the mountain range. In the year 3122 of the World Calendar, the Roxcheanuk Confederation was formed peacefully for the united purpose of defeating Sou Be-Il. Ikstova resisted membership to the end. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Apparently, the biggest reason was the Roxchean language. The Roxchean we speak now is an artificial language based on the words and script used in what is now the Capital District. It¡¯s completely different from the language of Ikstova. That¡¯s why they were more reluctant to use Roxchean or teach it in their schools than other countries. They eventually joined the Confederation, but they continued to teach classes in Ikstovan for a long time.¡± ¡°Right. ¡­But we¡¯ll be able to talk to the people there, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Everyone this side of the river can speak Roxchean now. You know how almost no one speaks Raputoan anymore, right?¡± ¡°Gran used to swear in Raputoan sometimes before she passed away. Nobody understood what she was saying, but she always chuckled to herself. But Wil, why¡¯d they have to make everyone speak the same language?¡± ¡°It makes things a lot more efficient. But the biggest reason is because of the military. It was to make sure that, even if a large war broke out against Sou Be-Il, all soldiers under the Confederation¡¯s banner could communicate with one another.¡± ¡°I get it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get back on track.¡± ¡°Right.¡± The Royal Family of Iks had an unusual custom. It was mandated that the monarch have only one child, who would eventually take the throne. This tradition was supposedly created to prevent feuds between family. But it was nearly a miracle that the royal line remained unbroken for four hundred years. Another unusual tradition of the Royal Family was their incredible secrecy. Members of the family other than the king(or queen) did not so much as come out in public, let alone allow themselves to be revealed on canvas or photograph. Not even their names were revealed prior to their deaths. This was why most civilians knew very little about them. There is an interesting anecdote about this custom. There was once a music teacher who was extremely strict on a boy who came to learn the violin. The boy was a hard worker and an obedient student, but he would adamantly refuse to take off the pendant around his neck, even though it got in the way of his playing the violin. Several years after he finished his lessons, the music teacher was called to the royal palace, only to find out that the boy was actually the prince of Iks. The little golden coin on his pendant was proof of his royal lineage. The boy eventually succeeded the throne and became a beloved king who greatly supported the development of music in the kingdom. After joining the Roxcheanuk Confederation, Iks slowly transitioned into a constitutional monarchy, like other kingdoms. The monarch had even fewer opportunities to appear in public. However, the kings and queens of Iks remained very popular. The people of Iks, quite simple and trusting, loved the Royal Family. And their steadfast nature in the face of the deadly climate was enough to give the people a slow, peaceful life. ¡°That¡¯s pretty amazing. Completely different from the Royal Family of Raputoa and all their backstabbing. Although Raputoa¡¯s not a kingdom anymore.¡± ¡°Iks doesn¡¯t have a monarch anymore, either.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°There was an unfortunate incident about ten years ago. A fire broke out in the royal palace in the middle of the night, and everything went up in smoke. The queen, her husband, and their young daughter all went missing. They probably died¡ªthe investigators found a lot of burnt corpses in the rubble. And they only figured this out later, but some of the bodies showed signs of having been shot.¡± ¡°So it was a coup d¡¯¨¦tat? Or terrorism?¡± ¡°The thing is, no one benefitted from the royal family¡¯s death. No one claimed responsibility for it, either. No one knows what really happened, and the perpetrators are still at large. There¡¯s even rumors that soldiers from the West crossed over the mountains and assassinated them.¡± ¡°Is that even possible?¡± ¡°Probably not. How could anyone climb over mountains ten thousand meters high, in the middle of winter? It¡¯s probably just a rumor. Although some people still believe it.¡± ¡°Huh. You said that was ten years ago, right? I never heard about any of this. Didn¡¯t it make the news or anything?¡± ¡°According to the guidebook, it did. They had a picture of the newspaper from the day, with the queen¡¯s portrait published and everything. But that happened to be at the peak of the Lestki Island conflict. The entire world was on the verge of a second Great War.¡± ¡°Right. I remember that part. My entire family was just about to skip town to head further east. Leaving all the employees behind.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ something.¡± ¡°Awful, ain¡¯t it? Anyway, I think I¡¯m getting the picture. Keep going.¡± Afterwards, Iks came to be known as a kingdom without a king. Although there was no one on the throne, laws regarding the monarch remained steadfast within the country¡¯s constitution. A park was built on the land where the royal palace once stood. They were scheduled to visit the park during their stay at the capital. The park was famous for the ceremonial changing of the guard, which still took place today. As of today, Iks was neither particularly rich in resources nor particularly developed. But it was peaceful and beautiful. Its major industries were dairy farming, forestry, and fishing in Lake Ras. Iks exported dairy products, high-quality lumber, and traditional handicrafts to the lowlands. Of particular note was the kingdom¡¯s historic gold mines. Intricately crafted gold accessories from Iks were famous in Roxche, and sold for a hefty price. So refined was Iks¡¯s metalworking technique that elaborate family crests could be carved into something as small as a button. There were rumors that the kingdom strictly regulated the emigration of artisans to prevent their techniques from being leaked to the outside. But in reality, even the common villager was capable of such intricate work, which probably meant that the rumor was only a rumor. During the summer, Iks made a great deal of money from visitors who came to escape the heat, tour the country, or go mountain climbing. The most notable of Iks¡¯s imports was automobiles and other machinery. There was not a single factory capable of creating automobiles or engines in all of Iks. Their main mode of transportation was still horse-drawn carriages or sleds, which did not need expensive gasoline. A strange fact about Iks was that transportation is easier and more active during the cold winter months. The transportation of produce and lumber from the villages to the cities always took place during the winter. ¡°Why do you think that is?¡± ¡°What is this, a pop quiz? C¡¯mon, Wil. Give me a hint.¡± ¡°You said before you¡¯ve been horseback riding, motorboating, and skating before, right?¡± ¡°Ah! I¡¯ve got it. The lake. The, uh¡­¡± ¡°Lake Ras.¡± ¡°That. It¡¯s because the lake freezes over, right? In the summer, you¡¯d have to go around it or take a boat, but in the winter, you can just take a sled over it.¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s why there¡¯s a clock tower that works as a lighthouse at the entrance of every village and city. They light the area with a bonfire or a gas lamp. On clear days, people use the towers as beacons and cross the lake in a straight line with nothing but a compass.¡± ¡°Uh huh. ¡­Hey, we¡¯re pretty high up. I wonder if we¡¯re near the pass yet?¡± ¡°I hope we are. Before we get there, I¡¯ll tell you a couple of things you should know.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The city of Mushke was on the northeastern tip of Lake Ras. A little ways up the mountains northeast of Mushke was a massive valley. The valley was a path carved by a gigantic glacier in the distant past. It spanned a distance five kilometers wide, leading endlessly into the heart of the Central Mountain Range. The drop was a whopping eight hundred meters at an angle perfectly perpendicular to the ground. ¡®Terrifying¡¯ was an understatement. If the land northeast of Mushke had been a little lower¡ªin other words, if the Lake Ras glacier, connected to the gigantic glacier, had dug in a little deeper, the water from Lake Ras would have flowed into the valley, leaving the land desolate. The cliff carved by the glacier was called ¡®Slankalans¡¯ in Ikstovan, and it was the highest known cliff in Roxche. It was currently a famous tourist destination¡ªthere was a viewpoint on the edge of the cliffs, just a little way up from Mushke. The students were scheduled to visit this spot tomorrow. ¡°That sounds fantastic! I¡¯m so glad I joined this trip!¡± ¡°I guess you really did sleep through classes. We learned about Slankalans back in second year geography.¡± ¡°Not to brag or anything, but I dozed off then, too. But this is amazing. An 800 meter-high cliff, huh. Amazing. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d like to climb that, but it¡¯d feel nice to jump off it, I think.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯d die.¡± ¡°Whoa, I¡¯m not jumping off until after I¡¯ve figured out a way to survive. Can you think of anything?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t teach us in class.¡± ¡°Heh. That was pretty funny, Wil.¡± ¡°Ah. About the name ¡®Slankalans¡¯.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°It means ¡®not even the soul returns¡¯. If you fall, I mean. In the old days, people didn¡¯t even come close to the cliffs. And today, it¡¯s a popular suicide destination.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Still thinking of jumping?¡± ¡°Not for a while. So what was the other thing you wanted to tell me?¡± ¡°This doesn¡¯t really matter to us, just to warn you. It¡¯s about politics.¡± ¡°Politics? Forget it. Just give me the summary.¡± ¡°All right.¡± In two days¡ªthe 22nd¡ªthere would be a referendum taking place in Iks. A small political party was pushing for Ikstova¡¯s withdrawal from the Confederation. In other words, they intended for Ikstova to exist as an independent nation as it was in the past. The party wanted the citizens¡¯ opinions, making speeches in the city square in Kunst every day. Ikstova was probably going to be quite busy today and tomorrow, with the referendum drawing near. Even if Ikstova pulled out of the Confederation now, it could not go back to isolation like before. It would also stop receiving an annual budget from the government of Roxche. Because of these reasons, and many others, it was likely that very few people would agree with the proposal for independence. But it was indeed true that a referendum like this was a first in Roxche¡¯s history. Now that the chances of another war had been greatly diminished, the glue holding the Confederation together was slowly beginning to crumble. ¡°That last part I read in a newspaper. The referendum¡¯s why we¡¯re starting with the north and leaving Kunst for later¡ªto avoid the hustle and bustle.¡± ¡°Man¡­ politics. Nothing to do with me. But thanks for the lectures. I think I¡¯ll be better off now, Wil. I really owe you. ¡­By the way, have you decided on a topic for your research paper?¡± ¡°What? No, not yet. I wonder what I should do. The teacher gave me a few ideas. I might use one of those.¡± ¡°What ideas?¡± ¡°¡®Transportation in Iks, where automobiles and carriages are both in use¡¯. ¡®The history of Iks in relation to Roxche¡¯. ¡®A discussion on the isolation of Iks¡¯. ¡®Flora unique to the mountain regions¡¯¡­ And titles from some reference books. I think one of the teachers might have brought them.¡± ¡°Tell me once you¡¯ve decided on a topic. I¡¯ll use the second-best one. Apricot?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± * * * ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at the northern pass. Let¡¯s take a short rest. There are restrooms outside if anyone would like to use them.¡± Said the bus driver. Sighs of tired relief flooded the seats. The bus soon drove down a slope and entered a parking lot by the pass. The northern pass was once a small fortress. The corner of the flat piece of land was reinforced with a stone wall. The stone building with a watch station on its roof was still intact, used as a viewpoint and a rest area to this day. They were above the tree line; not a single leaf was in sight. Three trucks loaded with lumber were parked side-by-side in the parking lot. The bus parked next to them. Teachers and students alike stumbled out of the bus, scrambling for the restroom. A couple of people slipped and fell on the frozen paving stones. ¡°Looks like there¡¯s going to be a line. Let¡¯s wait a bit.¡± Said Wil¡¯s friend, stepping off the bus and putting on a wool hat. He raised his arms and stretched, taking a deep breath. A gust blew in from the valley, buffeting them with icy wind. Wil also pulled on his hat. He exhaled, his breath rising in a long, white puff. Wil and his friend walked over to the edge of the parking lot and stood behind the stone railings. Before them were the slopes and road they had just climbed by bus; beyond were peaks rising high into the air, so brilliant they had to squint to look at them. ¡°Amazing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± They spent some time in silence, lost in the atmosphere. Wil eventually spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s have a look at the other side.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± They cautiously crossed the parking lot on the other side of the building, passing by a snowplow and making it to the opposite edge. They stopped. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± ¡°This side is awesome, too¡­ Well¡­ it¡¯s just awesome.¡± First, they saw the Central Mountain Range rising before them like an insurmountable wall. The slopes were a pure white, and the peaks rose into the clouds and disappeared. Underneath was a great hollow, and they could see part of the frozen Lake Ras. The white of the frozen lake was slightly different from the white of the forest around it, making clear the contours of the lake. But so great was the landscape before them that they could not get a grip on the scale of the sight. It almost felt like looking down at an intricate scale model in a museum. As though a tiny Lake Ras was within arm¡¯s reach. ¡°That¡¯s Mushke over there.¡± Wil said, pointing at a blue clump small enough to hide behind his fist. It was next to Lake Ras, on the lower right from their perspective. ¡°It looks tiny from here, but it¡¯s actually a pretty big city. It looks blue because roofs in Iks are blue.¡± ¡°Man¡­ this is so huge I don¡¯t know what to say. ¡­And speaking of which, I don¡¯t see the cliff from here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s on the other side of the ridge to the right. Apparently you can¡¯t see it from the pass or the road.¡± ¡°Anyway, this is great. Good thing you came along, eh, Wil?¡± Wil¡¯s friend laughed, heartily punching him in the shoulder. ¡°Yeah. Definitely.¡± Wil replied, and added to himself, ¡°Thanks to Allison.¡± In the building at the northern pass was a room used by the building manager. Desks lined the walls, and wood was burning in the fireplace. A middle-aged man began to make a phone call. He was alone in the room. The man soon spoke into the receiver. ¡°Hello? Yes. This is the manager of the northern pass. Would you be the soldier from earlier? Yes, yes. It¡¯s about that bus. It¡¯s just departed safely. Yes. Just about on schedule.¡± He could hear the voice from the other end. It was the voice of a somewhat cold-sounding man. ¡¸Understood. You have our thanks. Your work is done.¡¹ The middle-aged man was dubious. ¡°Is¡­ is this really all? I expected more, considering what you gave me¡­¡± ¡¸That is none of your business. Your work is done. Thank you for your cooperation.¡¹ ¡°Anyway, about that bus¡­ is there someone important going incognito on it?¡± The middle-aged man asked, a little excited. ¡¸Your pay includes hush money.¡¹ Replied the cold voice. ¡°Ah, excuse me¡­ Of course. I won¡¯t ask any more questions. I¡¯m very sorry, sir. Of course.¡± The middle-aged man apologized. * * * Putting down the phone was a man in his thirties. He turned to his friend, who was waiting behind him. ¡°The prince has arrived on schedule. Commence the operation.¡± Volume 2 2 — Kidnapping Volume 2 Chapter 2: Kidnapping ----- Afterwards, the bus drove all the way down a road so steep and winding that a man could probably fall and die before feeling pain. Once they entered the hollow, which looked very much like the base of a cauldron, a coniferous forest rose up around them and the road became a gentle downward slope. Before their eyes unfolded the city of Mushke and its blue roofs. Further ahead they could see the snow-white Lake Ras. It was too far to make out anything across it, save for the mountains in the hazy distance. There were black dots scattered on Lake Ras. Noticing this, Wil¡¯s friend called him over to the other side of the bus. But they passed by so quickly that the dots disappeared from sight. ¡°Is that a gathering of some kind? Are those ice fishing tents?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not the right size. Ah well.¡± The bus pressed onward. A little before they entered the city, the single road that had not branched since the pass suddenly forked to the right. The branch on the right was a straight road paved in a gentle incline. On a little road sign buried in snow were the words [To Slankalans Viewpoint]. The bus entered Mushke. The road was still covered in a thin layer of snow. It was hard and slippery. The buildings in Mushke were built in a style rather different from those in the Roxche lowlands. They were two-story stone buildings, sturdy like castle walls. The round windows opened both ways, and had such thick frames that they had little room for glass. The blue-roofed houses were clustered together with very little room between the buildings. The roofs were all built in the same angle towards the alleyways so that snow would pile up only in one direction. Next to the lakeside, at about the center of the city, was a large steeple. Atop the stone structure was a gas lamp. Under the lamp was a large clock. The roads were very wide, with meter-long trenches on either side. Perhaps they were built that way to make it easier to clear the snow. The bus lazily drove through the city. The main street was lined with little shops on either side. There were almost no other cars in the road, and very few people were out and about. Little horse-drawn carriages came and went at an unhurried pace. ¡°Whoa. What year is this, anyway?¡± Wil¡¯s friend wondered, his face nearly touching the window. Wil advised him that it might be rude to act so curious. There were very few completely straight sections of the road. They were intentionally set in zigzagging formations, making it difficult to get a good look at the city. At every fork the road intersected in strange directions. Each time, the driver had to stop the bus and look at a map. Then, he had to open his window and check to make sure there were no pedestrians or carriages in his way before starting the bus again. ¡°They made the city difficult to navigate for security purposes. But apparently they¡¯ve never had enemies get this far.¡± ¡°Right. This is really confusing.¡± The bus eventually escaped the labyrinthine streets and emerged into the lakeshore area. On the left side of the lone road heading south were tall, recently-built structures. Behind them at an angle were yet more forests. On the right side of the street was a narrow tree-lined footpath, a lakeshore dotted with boats tied to piers, and an endless field of ice. The bus stopped at the front doors of one of the large buildings. It was a magnificent structure that stood at seven stories high¡ªthe most expensive hotel in the area, in the city that teemed with tourists during the summer. The students disembarked with sighs of relief. The bellboy opened the back door of the bus and began to gingerly carry away the luggage. Wil¡¯s friend sounded quite satisfied with the hotel. Wil stepped off the bus after him, and was floored by the luxury. His friend tapped on his shoulder. ¡°C¡¯mon, Wil. Don¡¯t look too uncomfortable. Who knows? Staying at a fancy place like this might help, one of these days. And y¡¯know, enjoying the trip¡¯s the least you could do for the person who paid for it.¡± Wil smiled and nodded, and thanked his friend for being so considerate. His friend chuckled awkwardly. ¡°Well, I thought the apricots were a little cheap to pay you back with.¡± They stepped inside. A man was watching everything from a car in the distance through a pair of binoculars. He picked up a wireless communicator. ¡°This is Kernel. Blockhead, respond. The prince has entered the lodgings. I repeat. The target has entered the lodgings¡± He soon heard an answer. [This is Blockhead. Understood, Kernel. Will report to the princess. Now entering Phase 2.] The moment the man put down the wireless, a woman spoke up from the back seat. ¡°That aside, we really have a lot of time on our hands, huh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t remind me.¡± The man replied. * * * The students and teachers from Lowe Sneum Memorial Secondary School first went into their rooms to unpack. They were beautifully-furnished twin rooms with individual bathrooms and toilets. Afterwards, everyone gathered at the lobby for lunch. The students had left their coats in their rooms, and were now wearing school sweaters. Most looked very tired. They entered the large restaurant on the first floor and were led to their seats. Because it was the off-season, there were no other guests. Expensive dishes were lined up before them on the long table one by one. The main dish was small fish from the lake, fried whole. Served next to it on the same plate were some boiled vegetables. There was also a large metal bowl filled with salad they could refill endlessly, aromatic, fresh-baked bread, an abundance of dairy products, a bowl full of fruits in spite of the season, a bottle of ice water with lemon juice, milk, a pot of tea, and honey. ¡°Let¡¯s eat!¡± With a quick prayer before their meal, Wil and his friend¡ªwho had purposely eaten small breakfasts¡ªdug in. They chowed down with no end in sight. ¡°This is great! It¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really delicious. These little fish, especially. I¡¯ve never eaten anything like this before.¡± ¡°Try the cheese and the butter, Wil.¡± ¡°Yeah. Are these fresh, I wonder?¡± The other students slowly nibbled at their food and watched so very resentfully. After lunch, the teacher discussed several points of note. Because of the difficult trip to Iks, the group tour of Mushke was canceled. Students had free rein to do as they pleased until dinnertime. They were free to look around the city, but students had to be accompanied by at least one other person while outside the hotel. They were to tell a teacher who from what room was leaving, and leave their keys at the front desk. They were to call the hotel in case of an emergency. And last of all, they were to conduct themselves as secondary school students representing the future of Raputoa, refraining from any actions that might embarrass their homeland or cause trouble for the people of Iks. Most students elected to return to their rooms for some rest. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you two are completely fine¡­ Well, I suppose I won¡¯t have to worry about you, if Schultz is going along. You may leave the hotel.¡± ¡°What is that supposed to mean, sir?¡± Wil and his friend were the only ones who went outside. They put on their coats, hats and jackets. They packed their guidebooks and goggles(for preventing snow-blindness) in their little bags and went outside to walk around the city. ¡°I can¡¯t see those tents from here.¡± Wil¡¯s friend commented, looking out towards the north from Lake Ras. It was so bright that they were both wearing their goggles. In the distance they could make out the mountains, but the opposite side of the lake could not be seen. Ahead of them was nothing but a flat, white world. ¡°Say, Wil. What do you think we should call this? A water horizon or a land horizon?¡± ¡°Good question.¡± Wil tilted his head. Pulling down their goggles around their necks, they began to walk back into the downtown area, through which the bus had driven. There was a large sign at the entrance¡ªa detailed map of the maze-like streets. There were the southern and northern entrances to the city. Then there was the slope that led to the pier and the lake. ¡°¡­¡± Wil stared carefully at the map. His friend waited patiently. A moment later, Wil turned. ¡°I think we¡¯ll be all right.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± They entered the downtown area. Wil looked around everywhere like a lost child, enjoying the walk through the city. People in Mushke tended to have black hair. The men dressed similarly to men on the lowlands, but the women were wearing clothes of an interesting design. They wore long one-piece dresses in the pattern of quilted mosaics. On their feet they wore boots that were tied at the ankles to prevent snow from entering. They also wore shawls over their heads. Their clothes, which were made up of many pieces of cloth, descended from traditional values where cloth was considered very precious. Wil explained that some dresses were made in the traditional way, quilted together from scraps of cloth, while others were only designed to resemble the traditional style. It was just when they had turned a corner. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Wil¡¯s friend wondered out loud, pointing at a poster on the wall. The same poster had been pasted at regular intervals starting from a certain point. It was impossible not to notice them. They walked up to the poster and carefully examined it. On it was a photograph of a man. The photograph was clearly expensive, as it was in full color. The man was in his forties, with his black hair slicked back. He wore a grey suit, and was sitting in a chair with one leg crossed over the other with his hands over his lap. He was smiling¡ªwith an optimistic evaluation, he looked rather elegant. Less optimistically, he looked irritating. Underneath were written the words: ¡°What¡¯s this, now? ¡®I, Owen Nichto, promise to transform our homeland of Ikstova into a treasure of the Confederation and a world leader in tourism. Separation from Roxche is like smashing a finely-crafted piece of clockwork¡¯.¡± Wil¡¯s friend went up to the poster and read the text out loud. ¡°So it¡¯s a political ad, huh. Man, I thought it was a poster for a film.¡± He said, clearly uninterested. There was a small wooden box under the poster with the words ¡®feel free to take¡¯, containing a large pile of notebook-sized flyers. They were of the same design as the large poster. Under the photograph was the phone number and address of the campaign office, as well as a stamp with additional text: ¡®Appearing in the debate and rally at the Kunst Main Street Balconies on the 20th and the 21st! Listen to the live radio broadcast¡¯. Wil¡¯s friend picked up a flyer. He looked at the photograph, printed very clearly and brightly on the piece of paper. ¡°This ring looks really pricey. And look at these ridiculous gold cufflinks. I see a lot of rich old upstarts dressed up fancy like this back in Raputoa and the lowlands, too. At parties and stuff...¡± Wil¡¯s friend trailed off. Ten seconds later, he handed the flyer to Wil. ¡°Bingo. Check this out, Wil. His bio.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Written on the flyer was Owen Nichto''s stunning biography. Born in Kunst in 3242 to a shopkeeper¡¯s family. Graduated at the top of the class from a local secondary school. Graduated at the top of the class from Confederation Capital University with a degree in economics. Started a successful lumber export business in Kunst. Elected as a Member of Parliament in 3269. Retired in 3279 after two terms. Selected as a management consultant to the Terreur foundation. ¡°Terreur¡­ That Terreur, huh.¡± Wil mumbled. His friend chimed in. ¡°Yeah. The nouveau riche who hit it big during the Great War.¡± ¡°¡®Returned to Iks, re-relected in 3286. Currently 45 years old¡¯.¡± Wil read out the last line of the biography. ¡°I don¡¯t get what goes through businessmen¡¯s heads.¡± Wil¡¯s friend sighed, and turned over the flyer. It was blank. ¡°The paper¡¯s pretty nice. Maybe we should take ¡®em to use to take notes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s kind of¡ª¡± ¡°Right. And who wants to look at a cheesy picture like that, anyway?¡± Wil¡¯s friend tossed the flyer back into the box. They began to walk through the streets again. As they cautiously stepped away from the ditches by the roadside, a car drove up from behind and overtook them. ¡°Hey. It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve seen any cars around here.¡± Wil¡¯s friend said. At that moment, the car changed lanes and stopped at the roadside, next to a store. It was a small four-wheel drive vehicle. The car was painted a dark green, and was just big enough to hold four passengers. It was the sort of car widely used in the Roxche military and police force. Three people disembarked. Two men in their thirties and a woman in her twenties. They were all wearing long, black coats, and had sunglasses over their eyes. ¡°They look pretty shady. Wonder if they¡¯re muggers.¡± Wil¡¯s friend whispered. The trio in black¡ªdid not head into the store. They walked straight up to Wil and his friend. ¡°D, did I do something¡ª¡± His friend began. However, the people stopped in front of Wil and looked him in the eye. One of the men was the first to speak. ¡°You would be Mr. Schultz, correct? From the secondary school in Raputoa?¡± Wil¡¯s friend looked at him curiously. Wil glanced down at his name tag, with the name ¡®Schultz¡¯ printed on it in large letters. He then glanced at the crest on his left arm. ¡°As you can see, yes.¡± The three people exchanged glances and nodded. Without warning, the two men walked past Wil. ¡°Apologies.¡± One of the men said. ¡°What? Wh, whoa!¡± As if on cue, the men suddenly lifted Wil into the air by the back and legs. They then began walking in the opposite direction from the car. ¡°Huh? W, wait a second!¡± The woman walking next to the men looked up at Wil, who was hoisted in midair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Wilhelm. We have no intention of harming you.¡± ¡°H, how did you know my name?¡± Wil asked, turning to the woman. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re not suspicious people.¡± One of the men said. ¡°That¡¯s a little difficult to believe.¡± Wil replied. The four people strode forward. ¡°Some strange friends you¡¯ve got here, Wil. And this isn¡¯t a mugging¡ªit¡¯s a kidnapping. It looks like my deductive skills have a long way to go.¡± Wil¡¯s friend criticized himself and followed the group without a care. All of a sudden, a car drove up in front of them. It was only slightly bigger than the small cars used for racing, and was much smaller than the four-wheel drive vehicle from earlier. It was a two-seater convertible with the roof covered. This vehicle was usually reserved for officers transporting personnel or for communications purposes. The car came screeching to a stop in front of the group, its chained tires digging into the snow. The woman opened the roof. The men gently tossed Wil into the passenger seat. ¡°Whoa!¡± The moment Wil landed, one of the people in black quickly hooked the roof zipper. ¡°Hold on! What¡¯s¡ª¡± The roof was zipped fully shut. At that moment, ¡°Mission complete.¡± Wil heard a familiar voice from behind him. He quickly turned and found himself face-to-face with a blond, blue-eyed girl. ¡°¡­¡± He gaped. The girl reached forward and gently pushed back his hat and bangs. There was a faint scar on Wil¡¯s left temple. Lowering her hand, the girl smiled and said in a cheerful voice: ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Wil. How are you?¡± ¡°Allison¡­?¡± ¡°The one and only.¡± The girl¡ªAllison Whittington¡ªnodded with a grin. And, ¡°What, were you expecting someone else?¡± She said, her smile refusing to leave her face. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re doing just fine. For your information, I¡¯ve been well enough that you didn¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± Allison was wearing the Roxche Air Force uniform. Long boots with excellent grip, calf-high winter tights that prevented snow from spilling inside, and thick, dark grey overalls that doubled as a flight suit, with a green shirt peeking out from under the collar. She was wearing a warm brown coat that cut off just above the knees. It had a built-in belt and a hood. Her long blond hair was tied into a ponytail and tucked into her coat. On her lap was a small cotton bag. Fixing her grip on the steering wheel, Allison leaned in close to Wil in the cramped car. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go!¡± Wil looked at her. Her bangs were nearly touching his face. With confusion clear in his face, he asked, ¡°What? But¡­ what¡¯s going on here, Allison? What¡¯re you¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll explain on the way!¡± Allison cried, waving at the two men and the woman on the other side of the windshield. The trio waved back. With her right hand Allison shifted gears and started the car. The car began to move. It immediately swerved. ¡°Ah! Allison, we¡¯re not allowed to act on our own¡ªWHOA!¡± The car accelerated. ¡°We are from the Roxche Air Force.¡± One of the men in black said to Wil¡¯s friend, as the car departed quite haphazardly. ¡°Did you see the driver? She is our trusted comrade and the childhood friend of Wil, Staff Sergeant Allison Whittington. We intend to give them some uninterrupted time alone.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wil¡¯s friend looked up at the man with a face both astonished and floored. ¡°We understand that you are not permitted to be out alone. Though we assume that a secondary school student like you must know right from wrong, in this case we must ask for your cooperation.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Wil¡¯s friend replied. ¡°So you¡¯ll play the good student and stick to the rules? We can provide you with some hush money if you¡¯d like.¡± The man said, flashing his wallet. ¡°No way. I never said I¡¯d tell on you. I¡¯m glad to help!¡± The friend said, giving the trio a thumbs-up. ¡°Excellent choice.¡± The man nodded. ¡°Oh, and I don¡¯t need any hush money. It¡¯s kinda weird saying this, but I¡¯m from the third richest family in Raputoa.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± The man withdrew his wallet. The woman looked at the name tag on Wil¡¯s friend¡¯s coat. ¡°...Hey, that name¡­ By any chance, does your family run¡ª¡± Somewhat surprised, she identified a company so famous that any Roxchean would recognize the name. Wil¡¯s friend nodded. The woman and one of the men exchanged glances and began to whisper amongst themselves. ¡°What do you want to do? We might make a fortune off of this one.¡± ¡°Right. We could hold him for ransom and get the money via aeroplane.¡± ¡°What if we tossed a rope over the side, had them tie up and hook the money bag to it, and pulled it up?¡± The man who had flashed the wallet ignored his two companions and turned to Wil¡¯s friend. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure he¡¯s back by evening. Until then, we¡¯ll be counting on you. Make sure none of the teachers find out.¡± Wil¡¯s friend frowned. ¡°Wait, he¡¯s coming back tonight? What kind of plan is that? If you got the target in your sights, you gotta shoot him down! Go all the way!¡± The two men and the woman were silent for a moment. Then, ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s not for us to decide. This is as far as we go.¡± The woman said. * * * ¡°THIS TIME! IT WAS HERE!¡± The roar of the engine. The shaking of the car. The rattling of the roof. The interior of the car was filled with a cacophony of sounds, and Allison contributed with her voice. ¡°A JOINT SEARCH-AND-RESCUE MISSON! HERE IN IKS! I HEARD ABOUT IT NOT LONG AFTER I READ YOUR LETTER! AND WHEN I HEARD ABOUT YOUR STUDY TRIP! I THOUGHT THIS MUST BE FATE!¡± ¡°I understand that, Allison. Could you please slow down just a¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± Allison lifted her foot very slightly from the gas pedal. The car finally escaped the excitement of its driver and began to move at acceptable speeds. ¡°We¡¯ve been in training for eight days, but we finished up yesterday. Today and tomorrow, we¡¯re prepping for departure and getting some time off. So I decided I just had to go somewhere with you.¡± ¡°I see. So that¡¯s why you were so insistent. ...I understand.¡± ¡°I thought about telling you ahead of time, but I wanted to make it a surprise. Oh, those people from before are from my unit.¡± ¡°It really was a surprise.¡± Wil chuckled. The car grew slightly faster. ¡°Since you were out without your teachers, I¡¯m guessing you have a lot of free time today, right? Let¡¯s go somewhere together, just the two of us!¡± ¡°That sounds great, but¡­¡± Wil said hesitantly, ¡°I¡¯m not supposed to be moving on my own.¡± ¡°I know. But your friend just has to keep his mouth shut, and you¡¯ll be fine, right?¡± Wil hesitated. ¡°I guess. But¡­¡± ¡°Is your friend a tattletale?¡± ¡°No.¡± Wil answered, this time immediately. ¡°Just thank him properly later.¡± ¡°All right¡­¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°There¡¯s someplace I¡¯d like to visit. What about you? Did you want to take a look at that cliff?¡± ¡°We¡¯re scheduled to go see it tomorrow.¡± ¡°I already went to see it yesterday. Then can we go where I want today?¡± ¡°All right. But just out of curiosity, Allison¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do you have a driver¡¯s license?¡± ¡°...That is a military secret, Mr. Schultz.¡± ¡°So, no.¡± ¡°What tipped you off?¡± ¡°Just drive safely¡­¡± ¡°Roger that.¡± Allison drove the car out of the downtown area, this time with more caution. They reached the hotel, when Allison suddenly swerved to the right. The car drove over the snow and gravel on the lakeside, down the ramp used for lowering boats. It then drove straight onto the frozen lake. On the lake, with no obstacles in sight, Allison hit the gas with no reservations. The roar of the engine, the screeching of the chains, and the shaking of the car worsened. But the car was not very fast to begin with; it felt quite slow on the field of ice. Wil put on his goggles. Allison put on a pair of sunglasses she produced from her bag. She looked at Wil. ¡°How do I look?¡± ¡°Great. Did you buy those?¡± ¡°They¡¯re actually Air Force-issue shades. I¡¯ll get in a lot of trouble if I lose it.¡± Allison said, tilting her head and glancing at the rear-view mirror. She smiled. The car drove through the snow on the lake and headed north along the lakeshore. Mushke passed by to their left. ¡°Where are we headed?¡± Wil asked. ¡°I see it. Look over there.¡± Allison said, pointing forward with the same hand that was on the steering wheel. There was a black mass ahead, on the white field. It grew closer and closer. ¡°Stop. There¡¯s an inspection point.¡± Allison stopped the car. The inspection point was little more than two small windproof tents used for ice fishing, and two soldiers manning it. A road leading here from Mushke had been plowed in a straight line, and the tents were erected on either side. Allison¡¯s car approached one of the tents from the side. One of the soldiers was holding a circular sign mounted on a pole. On the sign was a red ¡®X¡¯, which meant ¡®Stop¡¯. The soldiers were wearing dark grey winter coats tied at the waist with decorative belts. On their heads they wore fur-lined winter hats, and they had slightly tinted goggles over their eyes. They had submachine guns slung over their shoulders by leather straps. The submachine guns were equipped with wooden butt plates with holes drilled through them, and looked like rifles with the front ends sawed off. The long, curved magazines were currently equipped, so the soldiers could open fire at any time. ¡°Ah. This is what my friend must¡¯ve spotted. It really is an encampment.¡± Wil looked at the cluster of tents ahead of them. There was a veritable village of them, a hundred meters from the shore. A large portion of the lake had been cleared of snow, and the tents covered the icy surface. The tents were a mix of camouflage colors¡ªblack and dark green. The larger tents were rectangular; thirty meters long and ten meters wide(1). Their frames were made of thick pipes, and the corners were securely fastened with rope. About eight such tents were lined up in formation, like blocks of houses. The smaller tents were dome-shaped, about ten meters in diameter, and they dotted the vicinity. Other than the tents, there were trucks equipped with snowplows, several small cars, and oil drums containing fuel, stacked together. Written in discreet lettering on the sides of the tent were three characters, which were neither Roxchean nor Ikstovan. They were initials that meant ¡®Royal Air Force¡¯. ¡°What?¡± Wil took off his goggles and read the letters in shock. He looked up at the soldier approaching their car. On his left arm was the emblem of the Curved Dagger, an ancient symbol of the West. ¡°That¡¯s the Curved Dagger. Allison¡­ is this a Sou Be-Il military base?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Allison replied cheerfully. Wil realized something. ¡°I see. You mentioned a joint training operation just now¡ªyou meant that Roxche and Sou Be-Il were cooperating on a session together, right?.¡± ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s someone I wanted you to meet.¡± ¡°What? Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Allison unzipped the roof of their car. The perplexed soldier with the submachine gun greeted them in polite Roxchean. ¡°Good day. I¡¯m terribly sorry, but this area is being used as a temporary base of operations for the Allied Forces of the Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa. Because of special negotiations between Roxche and Sou Be-Il, civilians are not permitted to¡ª¡± ¡°I know.¡± Allison replied in fluent Bezelese¡ªthe official language of the West. The soldier was floored. Allison continued. ¡°We¡¯re here to meet Major Carr Benedict, the hero who discovered the mural. Here. We even have an official invitation.¡± Allison produced a letter from her bag and handed it to the soldier. The man took off his gloves and goggles, read over its contents, and was floored for the second time. His eyes turned to dinner plates as he looked at Allison and Wil, astonished. Allison slowly took off her sunglasses. ¡°May we come in?¡± * * * An aeroplane was flying over the hollow. It was vibrant green in color, like the color of spring, and was about eight meters long. The water cooling engine at the sharp nose of the aeroplane powered the propellers. The aeroplane had a single wing underneath the frame. Sticking out from under the middle of the frame was an angular radiator, and on either side of the radiator was the fixed landing gear and wheels, currently pointing upwards. The aeroplane suddenly flew into an abrupt descent. The cockpit was open to the air. A white muffler whipped in the wind, wrapped around the head of a pilot wearing a thick hat. There were two seats, one behind the other, but the back seat was occupied only by a heavy sack. Painted proudly on the left side of the frame was a certain emblem. It was a picture of a wooden beacon, with an upright shaft in the middle and a pair of curved arms arching upwards from either side. Red flames were drawn at the tips of the shaft and the arms. The aeroplane descended sharply, spun three times, suddenly stopped, and headed upwards. Then, it returned to level position before making a sharp turn at a 90-degree tilt, after which it returned to level position once more. As the nose of the aeroplane pointed due west, the great peaks of the Central Mountain Range¡ªstill dozens of kilometers away¡ªrose up in the aeroplane¡¯s path. The plane was but a speck of dust before the wall of white. ¡°It feels like this entire country is inside an aquarium. It¡¯s beautiful.¡± The pilot mumbled to himself as he looked to his lower left, and swerved. He descended and shook the plane left and right as he glided over the frozen lake. ¡¸This is the command center. Respond, Major Carr.¡¹ A radio signal. The pilot responded. ¡¸This is Carr.¡¹ ¡¸Sir. You have visitors from the Roxcheanuk Confederation. They¡¯re waiting for you right now.¡¹ ¡¸Roger. I¡¯ll be landing shortly. They are important guests of mine¡ªmake sure you don¡¯t bother them unnecessarily. Over.¡¹ The pilot¡¯s eyes narrowed as he pulled the control stick. The aeroplane climbed sharply as it spun, the frame glinting in the sunlight. At the end of the climb, the plane did a 180-degree spin and descended, speeding up as it returned to base. ¡°The major is currently out on a flight. He will be back shortly, so please come this way.¡± Allison and Wil were led across the ice by a bespectacled, amicable captain around thirty years of age. They could see aeroplanes inside the larger tents. The soldiers of the Sou Be-Il Royal Air Force stopped what they were doing in the tents and stared curiously at the two visitors. On the east side of the camp was an endless field of ice. Standing there alone was a dome-shaped tent used for communications. A generator was humming next to it, and there was a large antenna sticking out of the tent. A short distance away was a pole, from which hung a flag that displayed wind direction and a spinning anemometer. An area about 30 meters by 10 meters between the main camp and the communications tent had been cleared of snow. Placed at regular intervals along the wide taxiway were red-and-white cones. On the other side of the communications tent was a strip of ice hundreds of meters in length, completely clear of snow. It was the runway. Circular canisters were on top of the snow piled up on the side at regular intervals. When the three arrived at the communications tent, ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± Allison was looking at the southern sky. Wil looked at the direction she was pointing at, but saw nothing. But eventually, he spotted a little dot in the distance. ¡°Your eyesight is as good as ever, Allison.¡± The captain who led them there was shocked. He gaped at Wil, who had spoken in fluent Bezelese. As the dot drew nearer, it quickly took on the shape of an aeroplane. Flying at a low altitude, the aeroplane screamed right past Allison and the others. Then, it ascended rapidly, almost at a right angle from the ground. It flew high into the clear sky, the top of its frame clear in sight. As Wil watched in awe, the aeroplane slowed, eventually being stopped by gravity. And before he could cry out in horror, the frame leaned to the left like an upright pencil falling sideways. The aeroplane descended, doing an about-face. ¡°Mm. He¡¯s really good.¡± Allison commented. The aeroplane and the blue sky were reflected on her sunglasses. The aeroplane began to descend rapidly. But its nose was slowly pulled up, finally bringing the frame level with the ground. The plane first passed by Allison and the others, flew into the distance, then swerved back towards them and made a smooth landing on the runway. It began to taxi towards the tent, sending snow flying everywhere. As he waited for the aeroplane to stop, Wil happened to turn around. And to his shock, he found about twenty or so young Sou Be-Il repair technicians gathered behind him. They were praising the hero who discovered the mural¡ªthe gazes of the few female soldiers there were particularly intense. Eventually, the aeroplane approached the group, still roaring loudly (though softer than before). Eventually, the engine and the propellers stopped. The plane itself came to a halt. The pilot stood from his seat, climbed down onto the wing, and stepped down onto the ice. He pulled off his aviator hat and ran a hand through his messy hair. Spotting Allison and Wil in the distance, he smiled and waved. Wil was assaulted from behind by the screams of the women, who had fallen under a terribly mistaken impression indeed. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Major Carr.¡± ¡°It certainly has, Wil. And please, call me Benedict.¡± Major Carr Benedict replied to Wil¡¯s greeting. Carr Benedict, twenty-four years old. He was the hero who discovered the mural that ended the hostilities between East and West. At the time, he was a second lieutenant. But he was rewarded for his actions with an unprecedented triple promotion, and made a major at the record-breaking age of twenty-three. He had handsome features, with short and neat brown hair. He had just taken off his overalls, and was wearing his Royal Air Force officer¡¯s uniform. It consisted of a pair of well-cut black pants, a button-up shirt with a tie, and a long jacket. There was a belt around his waist, but no pouches or holsters. ¡°Sorry. We¡¯d get a lot of curious stares if we¡¯d stayed outside.¡± Allison, Wil, and Benedict were currently inside one of the dome-shaped tents. They were sitting around a round table by the pole in the middle of the tent. This was Benedict¡¯s personal quarters, furnished with a thick mat, a camp bed, a lamp, and a wooden coat rack from which three people¡¯s worth of jackets were hanging. Light gently seeped in from the outside. ¡°Please excuse me, sir! I¡¯ve brought the tea!¡± The door of the tent opened with a resounding voice. A young female soldier entered, holding a tray. She nervously placed three metal mugs onto the table and saluted. ¡°Thank you.¡± Benedict said kindly. The woman responded immediately, as though having waited for this moment. ¡°M, Major! I, umm¡­ I admire you greatly as a soldier of Sou Be-Il, sir! I, if you could one day take me out on an a, a, aero¡ª¡­¡± Tongue-twisted and desperate, the soldier could not finish her sentence. She ran from the tent, her face beet red. ¡°P, p, p, please excuse me!¡± ¡°Just another day on the base.¡± Benedict sighed, picking up his mug. ¡°Well, you are the most eligible bachelor in Sou Be-Il right now. Thanks for the tea.¡± Allison said, raising her mug. Benedict chuckled wryly. He turned to Wil. ¡°Drink up. Allison explained everything when I went to visit the Roxchean camp. She didn¡¯t tell you a thing until you arrived, huh?¡± ¡°Yes. I was surprised, to say the least. Oh, and thank you for the tea.¡± Wil said, picking up the last mug. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m very happy to see you again. It brings back memories, being here with you two. What we saw then¡­ was truly a beautiful sight. I¡¯d like to go back and see it again. The three of us, together.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Allison and Wil replied in unison. They said nothing afterwards. Several seconds later, Benedict broke the silence. ¡°Cheers.¡± Outside, the Sou Be-Il soldiers were surrounding the tent from the distance, engaged in a heated debate about the two visitors¡ªespecially the identity of the blond-haired girl. One young corporal theorized that the girl was the daughter of a spy dispatched to the Roxchean military by orders of the king, and that the feeble-looking boy was her subordinate. He conjectured that they were here to divulge secret information concerning the Roxchean military to Major Carr, the hero who had met the king in person, and that this was the reason the major had so suddenly joined the joint training session. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot.¡± Said a friend. Inside the tent, Benedict took a sip of his tea. ¡°That¡¯s how I forced my way into this joint training session. I¡¯m glad we got to spend some time together like this. And since we¡¯ll have more opportunities to work together now, I hope I¡¯ll be able to see the two of you as often as I can.¡± ¡°We¡¯re both struggling desperately to survive, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°We certainly are.¡± Wil, who had been listening to Allison and Benedict quietly, spoke up. ¡°Have they started to downsize the military in Sou Be-Il, too?¡± Benedict nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. Although I can¡¯t say just how much we¡¯ll be downsizing. The air force is the biggest strain on military resources, so it¡¯ll be first up on the chopping block. Soldiers and airline industry officials who¡¯re against the cuts are saying that there¡¯s a lot of untapped potential in aeroplanes. And these air rescue training sessions are perfect for showcasing the possibilities, especially since they¡¯re about saving lives. That¡¯s why we¡¯re cooperating with the Roxche Air Force, who¡¯re on the same boat as we are, and doing whatever we can to show that, yes, we can search for and rescue people even in these cold and frozen conditions. The units that participated in the training session are made up of the best of the best. Soldiers in excellent standing and the best pilots in the force. It¡¯s like a demonstration crew. Just like how dogs desperately do tricks so that their masters won¡¯t abandon them. ¡®Look at what we can do!¡¯.¡± ¡°When the quick rabbit is hunted, the hound joins the stew.¡± Wil said. Benedict nodded. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Allison asked. ¡°It¡¯s an old saying in Sou Be-Il,¡± Wil explained. ¡°When the rabbit¡¯s been hunted, the hound becomes useless, so the hunter cooks it too. It means that when there¡¯s no longer an enemy to fight, the military is no longer necessary.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯m smack-dab in the middle of that. If I get fired, I might never get to fly an aeroplane again, let alone a fighter craft. I won¡¯t have anywhere to go.¡± ¡°You never know, Allison. The main mode of long-distance transportation might shift from trains to aeroplanes. And one day, we might have passenger aeroplanes flying between Roxche and Sou Be-Il, not just freight planes. Then there¡¯ll be more jobs for pilots¡­ probably.¡± ¡°¡®Probably¡¯, huh.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate, but it¡¯s impossible to have an unfailingly optimistic outlook on the future. And you know who has it worse than we do? People making money in the weapons industry.¡± Benedict said. ¡°The war¡¯s finally over, but things are still looking pretty grim.¡± Allison said. ¡°You¡¯re right. Reality is cruel.¡± Benedict said, but continued. ¡°But¡ªI think the two of you are very special cases, even in Roxche. And I¡¯m very glad that I don¡¯t have to be pointing a gun at you anymore.¡± ¡°Saying that, I want to ask you to my country Sou Be-Il someday.¡± Benedict said suddenly in Roxchean. Allison and Wil looked up. Benedict continued. ¡°I want¡ªer, I hope you will come to capital of the West, Sfrestus someday. The sun falling to a sea is very beautiful.¡± Benedict sighed with a bitter chuckle. He then added in Bezelese. ¡°The mandatory education we pilots receive just didn¡¯t feel like enough, so I¡¯m diligently taking Roxchean lessons from a private tutor. But it¡¯s not working so well, it seems. I still have a long way to go until I¡¯m as fluent as the two of you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gotten so much better than when you first came up to talk to me.¡± Allison said. Benedict waved his hands, embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s a lot easier to listen than to speak. I can get the gist of most everything people say now. And I could communicate somewhat with the Roxchean officers I met, too.¡± ¡°Your Roxchean is very good. Please come over sometime. We¡¯ll show you the sun and the moon rising over the sea.¡± Allison said in Roxchean. Wil nodded. ¡°Please come visit us.¡± ¡°I understand. I will go visit you.¡± Benedict replied in Roxchean, smiling. ¡°Drop by again on the way back. I¡¯d like to go for dinner in town, the three of us, if we can. There¡¯s a party with the Roxchean officers tonight, and all the high-ranking officers are out already. It¡¯ll be a lot better than eating alone.¡± Allison¡¯s car was parked in front of the gate, at the far end of the camp. Allison and Benedict were standing next to the driver¡¯s seat. Benedict was wearing a dark grey coat, and an air force hat. Wil was sitting in the passenger seat. A thin cloud cover dampened the light and shaded them from the blindingly bright sun. ¡°You¡¯re not going to the party?¡± Allison asked, surprised. ¡°I forced myself out of it. I hate hanging with the bigwigs.¡± Benedict said easily. Allison chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s pretty cool. Okay¡ªI promise we¡¯ll come by on the way back.¡± ¡°The meteorological team says it¡¯ll be perfectly clear today and tomorrow. You won¡¯t have to worry about whiteout conditions.¡± Benedict said. ¡°I see. So we¡¯re good for tomorrow, too¡­¡± Allison said quietly, so only Benedict could hear. ¡°?¡± Though confused at first, Benedict quickly nodded, having understood what she meant. ¡°Yes, tomorrow will be fine, too. Probably. Feel free to visit anytime.¡± Benedict put his right index and middle fingers together and saluted her casually. It was a Sou Be-Il gesture for wishing someone luck. ¡°Thank you, Benedict. And you know, you¡¯re not¡ª¡± Allison said, looking him in the eye. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Allison. I was the underhanded one.¡± Benedict said with a smile, cutting her off. He laughed softly¡ªwith a hint of self-deprecation. ¡°But that¡¯s not the reason, okay?¡± Allison said firmly, and raised her voice. ¡°See you later!¡± She opened the roof and stepped into the car. Benedict leaned in towards the window. ¡°Take care. Have fun, you two.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Allison replied, putting on her sunglasses. Wil said goodbye to Benedict from the passenger seat. Benedict waved at him as well. Allison zipped the roof shut and started the car. Benedict watched as it raced off into the distance. When a gust of wind scattered the cloud cover, the field of ice regained its brilliant shine. Benedict had to narrow his eyes. As he watched, the car drove towards the northwest, where the peaks around the hollow were the largest. The car grew smaller and smaller, until it eventually disappeared in the snow kicked up in its wake. ¡°The first to shoot takes the kill. A loss is a loss.¡± Benedict whispered to himself. Volume 2 3 — Fiona’s Valley Volume 2 Chapter 3: Fiona¡¯s Valley ----- ¡°Since we¡¯ve got a car, what do you say to going for some tea at one of the villages across the lake? Let¡¯s enjoy the view.¡± The car was driving over the frozen lake. Allison, still wearing her sunglasses, addressed Wil, who was wearing his goggles. She was still speaking in Bezelese, perhaps because of their conversation with Benedict just earlier. ¡°I¡¯d love to, but there¡¯s a bit of a problem. I didn¡¯t get the chance to tell you earlier.¡± Wil replied, also in Bezelese. The conversation naturally continued in that language. ¡°What is it?¡± Allison asked. ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t have a lot of money on me right now.¡± Wil said apologetically. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning to go shopping today, so I left the money in the safe. All I have is some loose change to use for telephone calls.¡± Allison chuckled. ¡°I love how thoughtful you are, Wil. Don¡¯t worry about the money¡ªI have enough. The payout from this training session was pretty good.¡± Allison said, gently tapping her bag. ¡°You¡­ made money from the training session?¡± Wil asked curiously. Allison boldly took her eyes off the road, meeting Wil¡¯s gaze. ¡°That¡¯s right. Our whole unit teamed up and stuffed our luggage full of canned caviar.¡± ¡°¡­Caviar?¡± ¡°Right before this training session, we were on standby at the base by Lure River. The exact location¡¯s a military secret, but what¡¯s the first specialty that comes to mind when you think of Lure River?¡± ¡°Caviar.¡± ¡°Exactly. Caviar¡¯s relatively cheap because the base is in the mountains. We bought a load of caviar straight from the producers, and shipped them on our aeroplanes as personal belongings. Then we sold them in Iks. It was a pretty big haul.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°For your information, our unit went out yesterday and bought a load of gold accessories. We¡¯ll be sneaking them to the capital to sell for a profit. We already looked into a place that¡¯ll give us a really good deal.¡± ¡°So¡­ uh¡­ this would be¡­ smuggling.¡± Wil said hesitantly. Allison shrugged without a care. ¡°Our unit calls it ¡®independent and invaluable experimentation for the research of cargo transport via aeroplane¡¯.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ right.¡± The mountain winds on the frozen lake slowly grew stronger. But it was difficult to sense that change from inside a moving car. Soon, the wind had grown strong enough to blow away the snow piled on the ice. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°What?¡± Allison and Wil¡¯s field of vision blanked out instantly. Allison took her foot off the gas pedal and stopped the car, but the roof continued to rattle. At times, the frame of the car itself shook. Furious gusts scattered the snow on the lake, making it impossible to see. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Allison groaned. ¡°So much for the meteorology team!¡± ¡°The area¡¯s prone to quick shifts in the weather. But in any case¡­ this is really something else.¡± Wil lowered his goggled slightly and looked out at the blowing snow with wonder. ¡°What do you want to do, Allison? The wind might let up soon. Should we wait?¡± Allison thought for several seconds in the stranded car. ¡°Let¡¯s do this: instead of waiting for the wind to stop, let¡¯s get to the nearest village we can find, even if we don¡¯t make it across the lake. Unfortunately for us, we can¡¯t trust the heating in this car.¡± ¡°But will we be all right, just barging into any old village? I heard that some people in the countryside don¡¯t trust outlanders.¡± Allison reacted, surprisingly animated. ¡°Oh? But Iks is part of Roxche, and I¡¯m part of the military that defends it. And you¡¯re an innocent civilian, Wil. Why wouldn¡¯t it be all right? Let¡¯s head north. Once we reach the shore, we¡¯ll either turn left or right and go into the first village we see.¡± ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Keeping an eye on the compass in the car, Allison slowly drove northward. The lone windshield wiper squeaked from one end of their vision to the other. At points along their drive, the wind weakened momentarily and cleared their view¡ªseconds later, it began to howl again, blinding them. Snowflakes rushed inside through the gap between the roof and the frame. ¡°Listen to that wind. If the engine gives out, we¡¯ll be stranded and helpless.¡± Allison said, sounding rather amused. ¡°I¡¯d prefer if that didn¡¯t happen.¡± Wil replied. Eventually, Allison stepped on the brake pedal and brought the car to a stop. Wil looked ahead. To his shock, he spotted a steep slope covered in coniferous trees through the slightly weakened snowstorm. They were right next to the lakeshore. ¡°Your eyesight really is amazing.¡± The road that ran along the shore was left covered in snow, as it had no use during the winter anyway. ¡°We¡¯re here. So which way? Left or right? Although it probably won¡¯t make much of a difference either way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to you. But make sure you go along the shore, so we won¡¯t lose our way.¡± Allison agreed, and thought for two seconds. ¡°It¡¯s decided! We¡¯ll go the opposite direction from the one we went last time.¡± She turned the steering wheel. ¡°Okay.¡± Wil said. He then added, ¡°Wait. ¡®Last time¡¯?¡± * * * After seeing off Allison and Wil, Benedict returned to his tent, hung up his hat and coat, and took a seat. Their empty mugs had already been taken away, and the table had been wiped clean. Benedict filled out his flight log and put it into his bag. Pieces of furniture set up all over the large tent, and the man sitting aimlessly amidst it all. ¡°¡­¡± Benedict looked down at the watch on his left wrist. Also known as a chronograph, it was a pilot¡¯s wristwatch with a large face, also equipped with a stopwatch function. He looked up at the ceiling. ¡°Ahem¡­ today I now have no schedules. I have no work to do. I would have brought my Roxchean textbook.¡± He looked at the gaps outside and mumbled to himself. ¡°Er¡­ should have.¡± He looked down and corrected himself. ¡°I now have no schedules. I lost already, so I think it would have been better to stop trying to show off and be honest, to go to have tea in town with them.¡± Benedict stood. He put on his coat, grabbed his hat, and stepped outside. Once he did, he followed regulations and put on his hat. A female officer happened to be passing by the tent. She was carrying a thermos, probably on her way back from delivering warm drinks to her fellow soldiers. The instant she spotted Benedict, she saluted him and began to follow at his side. And without even being prompted, she introduced herself in great detail. She did not fail to mention the fact that she was two years his junior. She went on to praise him for the discovery of the mural, thank him for participating in the joint training session, comment boldly yet honestly that he was much more handsome in person, report for no apparent reason that she was still single, explain the personal details of her ideal future in finding a husband in the military, insist that it was not a bad thing to think seriously of meetings brought on by coincidence, and¡ª ¡°Excuse me.¡± Benedict said, disappearing into a tent labeled ¡®Officers - Men¡¯s room¡¯. Having lost her prey, the female officer exhaled loudly through her nostrils as though thinking, ¡®This isn¡¯t over yet¡ªyou¡¯re not getting away from me¡¯. She stalked past the tent two or three times before finally departing. Lining the interior of the tent were pipes and sprinklers half-buried in the snow. ¡°It is very easy to shoot down targets that are coming to be shot down. But that is not very fun. That is not my way.¡± Major Carr Benedict mumbled to himself in Roxchean in the deserted lavatory. Wearing a pair of reading glasses, Benedict sat in his tent with a book in hand. On the cover was the title ¡®Ideas for Great Baby Names¡¯. He flipped through the pages rapidly, yawning on occasion. Suddenly, a gust of wind shook the tent. Snow scattered down from the roof. Benedict put down the book and his glasses, and stepped onto his chair. Then, he unknotted and pulled on a string tied to the pole in the middle. A cover came over the gap in the roof. Benedict tied the string again to secure it. He put on his coat and stepped outside. Powerful winds buffeted the snow, creating complete whiteout conditions. Benedict looked on at the blankness for some time. ¡°This might be a good opportunity to play hooky¡­¡± Pressing his hat over his head to keep it from flying away, and ignoring the snow piling onto his coat, Benedict inched his way to the next tent over in nearly zero visibility. He then headed to the next tent, carefully making sure of his heading. When he finally entered another dome-shaped tent, shaking off the snow from his coat, the bespectacled captain who had guided Allison and Wil quickly stood and saluted him. ¡°Come in, Major!¡± A second lieutenant and several first lieutenants, who were drinking tea around the stove, got to their feet as well. On their chests were bird-shaped badges that identified them as pilots. ¡°At ease, Captain. There was something I wanted to ask you.¡± Benedict said, saluting back. Everyone but the captain returned to their seats, slightly nervous. They looked at Benedict with a mix of pure admiration and detached wonder¡ªas though he were from another world altogether. The captain, who was older than Benedict but subordinate in rank, spoke to him with deference. ¡°I suppose it wasn¡¯t a very fun read after all, sir. Apologies, but that¡¯s the only book I brought this time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about the book, actually. And it was an interesting read in its own right. Although it¡¯ll probably be a long time before I need all that information.¡± Benedict said. ¡°Let me get to the point. The wind¡¯s picked up quite a bit.¡± ¡°It has, sir. Meteorology¡¯s no help in these parts. We might be in for a snowstorm tonight.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about that. It¡¯s not possible to get perfectly accurate forecasts. But back to the point.¡± ¡°Yes, Major?¡± ¡°If I were to leave the camp, would you take care of the rest?¡± ¡°Sir?¡± The captain was confused. Benedict continued. ¡°I¡¯m afraid my two friends from earlier might have gotten lost in the snowsquall. I¡¯d like to go look for them.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be all right, sir. Since they headed north, they¡¯ll have reached the lakeshore¡ª¡± The captain stopped mid-sentence. He remembered how Benedict had come all this way earlier to borrow a book he wasn¡¯t even interested in. ¡°If you¡¯d keep this quiet from the others, sir. The higher-ranking officers won¡¯t be coming back from the party until tomorrow evening. No one here will make a fuss if you happened to be away, Major.¡± He whispered. The Sou Be-Il Air Force Base¡¯s inspection point was being buffeted by the snow. It was there that a rather unusual vehicle was being prepared. The frame was one meter in height and three meters in length, and was made of wood. On the left side was a door, and tiny windows were built into the front and either side. On the round hole in the roof was a swivel window for blocking the wind. The vehicle was painted completely white to blend in with the snow, but the roof was a bright orange. Ski dampers with their springs exposed were fixed to the thick shafts jutting from the front and back of the vehicle. The skis were 2.5 meters in length and 40 centimeters wide. Four of them were supporting the frame, which was suspended above the ground. There was a shining black engine at the back of the frame. It was an air-cooled engine used in aeroplanes, surrounded by five cylinders. And at the very back were two large propellers, just like an aeroplane¡¯s. ¡°This is my first time driving an aerosan.¡± Benedict said, standing next to the vehicle in his coat. He was not wearing his uniform cap, but a fur-lined winter hat. He was also wearing his goggles and gloves. An aerosan was a propeller-driven sled. It was a vehicle developed for high-speed travel on snow and ice, and boasted a longer history than the snowmobile, which combined the use of skis and caterpillar tracks. The aerosan in front of Benedict was a small two-seater. Normally, the driver would take the front seat and a soldier would stand in the back seat, where a machine gun was equipped. At this point, of course, the machine gun had been removed for the joint search-and-rescue training. The joint training was also the reason the roof had been painted orange. On the side of the frame were the perfunctory words ¡®Confederation Air Force¡¯. This aerosan was originally made in Roxche, and it was one of three that the Sou Be-Il Air Force had borrowed for the training session. ¡°It¡¯s much easier than it looks. Think of it as similar to taxiing an aeroplane. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get used to it in no time, Major.¡± Said a middle-aged sergeant first class as he taught Benedict how to operate the aerosan. Similarly to a car, the aerosan had three pedals and a round steering wheel. The center pedal was the gas pedal¡ªpressing down on it increased the rotation speed of the propellers. The pedals on the right and left were brakes for the front skis and the rear skis respectively. When the steering wheel was turned, the front skis turned in the same direction and the rear skis in the opposite direction. ¡°Simple, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯ll get used to the rest as you drive, sir. We also have translated manuals in the toolkit in the back, just in case. That is all, Major.¡± Benedict thanked the sergeant first class. ¡°Major Carr. Take this.¡± Said the captain. The sergeant first class handed Benedict a white case. It looked like a cushioned case for an instrument, seventy centimeters long and forty centimeters wide. Attached to it was a leather shoulder strap and a handle. Inside was the submachine gun that the soldier was holding until just now. ¡°Just in case, sir. Roxche has also permitted officers to carry firearms.¡± Benedict tried to refuse. ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve received warnings that bears and wolves that have failed to hibernate roam the region in this season.¡± The sergeant first class said. In the end, Benedict had no choice. He took up the case and put it in the shelf of the aerosan so it would not fall out. The captain offered him a map, but Benedict replied that he had the gist of it memorized, and that he did not want to risk losing such valuable documents they borrowed from Roxche. ¡°And there¡¯s no guarantee that those maps are accurate. We leave intentional errors in the maps for the border areas as well. Marks for villages and marshes that don¡¯t exist, or the other way around.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. We¡¯ve also got some hand-copied maps, if you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°Actually, do you have a piece of paper I can take notes on?¡± Benedict asked. ¡°Plenty sir. We found some advertisements for a film in town earlier¡ªsouvenirs to take back home.¡± With an embarrassed look, the sergeant first class took out a twice-folded piece of paper from his pocket. Benedict unfolded it and found a picture of a suit-clad man. ¡°¡­¡± Ignoring the fact that this was not an advertisement for a film, Benedict checked that the back of the poster was blank, thanked the sergeant first class, and tucked it into his pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll probably be back before sundown.¡± Benedict said. ¡°Please be back by tomorrow evening at the latest, sir. Take your time.¡± The captain replied. ¡°¡­You don¡¯t have to be so blunt about it¡­¡± ¡°Take care, Major.¡± Shaking the snow off his head and shoulders, Benedict climbed into the aerosan. Sitting in the passenger seat, he called in a loud voice. ¡°I¡¯m starting the engine! Watch out for the propellers!¡± He looked out through the hole on the side. The sergeant first class signaled him with a thumbs-up and a wave. Benedict pressed down on the brake pedals with his feet and pressed the ignition switch. The aerosan began to rumble. With a roar, the engine came to life. At the same time, the propellers began to spin and scatter snow behind them. When Benedict took his feet off the brakes, the aerosan slowly began to move. As the aerosan departed, its engines still warming up, the captain muttered. ¡°Phew¡­ That¡¯ll take the pressure off the soldiers and pilots. Though I suppose the women won¡¯t be as happy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s certainly uncomfortable being around a celebrity, sir. Although I can¡¯t tell how the major thinks of his situation.¡± The sergeant first class agreed. He then added, ¡°I¡¯d never want to end up that way, personally. It¡¯s a shame for him.¡± The captain nodded and wiped the snow from his glasses with a gloved hand. ¡°There¡¯s no one in the world who doesn¡¯t know his face. He¡¯ll never be able to live a normal life now. It¡¯s a lonesome thing, I¡¯d wager.¡± * * * ¡°This must be the entrance to one of the valleys.¡± Allison repeated. ¡°Probably¡­¡± Wil answered. Their car was currently on a concrete ramp, which was used in the summer to lower boats into the lake. About thirty meters ahead of them was the snow-covered road. Although the weather made it difficult to see far ahead, the forests on the mountain ridges on either side were visible¡ªbut there was nothing of the sort directly ahead. ¡°If we keep going in this direction, we¡¯ll find a village. It doesn¡¯t look like the snow is piled up quite as high over there, so we might find some cleared roads up ahead. ¡­Man, that was a lot of effort.¡± Wil looked out through the windshield. A narrow valley seemed to lead into an endless world of white, veiled by the snowsquall. ¡°There¡¯s something eerie about that valley.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, Wil. Don¡¯t worry. You have me!¡± Allison energetically started the car, driving up the ramp and into the valley. The wheels occasionally drove into the snow, but the chains were enough to propel the car forward smoothly. ¡°The wind¡¯s gotten weaker.¡± Wil commented. Visibility was improving. ¡°It¡¯s because we¡¯re in the valley now. But it¡¯s dangerous in the air overhead¡ªI can guarantee that there¡¯s some crazy turbulence up there right now.¡± Wil nodded. Little by little, their field of vision grew wider. The valley was tucked in between the snow and the woods. The car slowly drove into the narrow space, a world away from the wide-open lake from before. The road snaked left and right in a gentle upward slope. The only sign that the ground, covered in nothing but fresh snow, was a path, were the tree trunks standing at regular intervals. Round boulders wearing hats of snow lay by the little creek to their right. The car slowly proceeded forward. Soon, four rectangular ponds appeared between the road and the creek. The artificial ponds, surrounded by wooden fences, were dug deep so they would not freeze. Water from the creek circulated through them. The ponds were a small fish farm, filled with countless squirming fish. Next to them was a small shed, nearly crushed under the weight of fallen snow. Soon, the howling winds came to a sudden stop. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± Allison and Wil exclaimed at once. Blue skies unfolded overhead as the scenery around them came into clear view. They could see a village just ahead of a curve. At its widest, the valley spanned a distance of about three hundred meters. Inside was a plain wider and flatter than the valley entrance. The land was sloped slightly, ascending towards the far end of the valley, and in the middle flowed a small creek. The road ran through the center of the valley, parallel to the creek. And before the side roads branching from it stood several houses. Most were similar in construction¡ªrectangular, single-story buildings with chimneys sticking out the middle. Unlike the city, however, the roofs here were painted brown. The edges of the roofs jutted out at length, supported by slanted columns to prevent the weight of snow from damaging the roofs and windows. Next to the houses were enclosures for livestock, sheds for storing firewood, and granaries. There was a large distance between one house and the next. The homes were scattered, some even dozens of meters from the nearest neighbor. In the midst of it all was one point where several houses were clustered together around the main street. There stood a large stone steeple that overlooked the entire village. The slopes to either side of the village were covered in trees. They were deep and dense groves, about thirty meters wide. With the village nestled inside, the woods reached all the way into the valley. The woods were there to prevent avalanches, having been left to grow for many years. The patches of land between the houses were farming fields, all completely covered in snow. Trees grew in straight lines along the boundaries. There were yet more houses further into the valley, and deeper still was a snow-covered pasture. The pasture eventually gave way to a coniferous forest. Beyond rose the magnificent peaks of the Central Mountain Range, against the backdrop of the clear blue sky. Stopping the car, Allison and Wil opened the roof and stepped outside. They stood on either side of the car. Finally free from the cramped seats, they stretched out as their breaths rose in puffs of white. ¡°Not bad at all. It¡¯s your quintessential mountain village. I bet it¡¯s really nice during the summer.¡± Allison said, leaning on the car with a hand on her waist. Wil took off his goggles and put them around his neck. He then pulled down his hat to cover his ears. ¡°It¡¯s already quite nice. I¡¯m really glad we came here¡ªI would never have been able to see places like this if I stuck with the class. It¡¯s all thanks to you, Allison. I¡¯m really grateful.¡± Wil said, looking Allison in the eye. His face was reflected in her sunglasses. A smile spread underneath. ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me, Wil. I¡¯ll be dragging you around everywhere from now on.¡± ¡°What time is it now?¡± Allison looked up at the sky, then down at her wristwatch. ¡°It¡¯s precisely afternoon teatime. Let¡¯s go!¡± They climbed back into the car. Allison enthusiastically started the engine. They did not even make it twenty meters ahead. Their right wheel suddenly sank into the snow. The car stopped on the road at a slant. The nearest house to the valley entrance was just by the roadside. The flimsy wooden door of the firewood shed by the house opened, and a middle-aged woman stepped outside. She was probably just over forty¡ªplump to put it nicely, and fat to be blunt. She was dressed just like the other women of Iks, with a shawl over her head as well. And because she was busy at work, she was also wearing a slightly dirty apron. She was carrying a wooden pail with a rag draped over the side. ¡°What the heck was that?!¡± ¡°There must have been a hole or a ditch on the roadside. We probably couldn¡¯t see it because of the snow.¡± ¡°Ugh! They should keep their roads in better shape.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going to pull the car out of there on our own.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had it! Is someone out to get in our way or something?!¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Allison and Wil trudged through the snow, raising their voices. Wil¡¯s goggles were atop his hat. Allison was wearing her sunglasses, with her bag around her waist. She had tied back her long blond hair and pulled it out of her coat. The middle-aged woman, who had been watching at them in bemusement, soon put down her pail and waved at the two. They looked at her. The woman cheerfully trotted over across the snow. ¡°My, my.¡± She smiled at Allison and Wil, looking unusually happy, and repeated herself. ¡°My, my.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, ma¡¯am.¡± Wil said in Roxchean, finally switching over from Bezelese. Allison held back her frustration and greeted the woman as well. ¡°It¡¯s very nice to meet you. It¡¯s not every day we get visitors in a mountain village like this. Where do you come from? And my goodness! It¡¯s my first time seeing someone with blond hair. That is natural, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s really very beautiful. And your sunglasses are quite lovely, too. Are you an heiress, by any chance? I¡¯m¡ª¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Wil cut off the woman, who looked energetic enough for a three-day conversation. ¡°Um¡­ we¡¯re tourists from the lowland. We came from across the lake¡ªfrom Mushke. Would it be all right, by any chance, to get some rest here and look around the village?¡± ¡°Oh my! Of course. You¡¯re welcome to look around. Thank you for coming all this way.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Er, our car is stuck, too.¡± Wil said, pointing out the car about two hundred meters away. ¡°My, I¡¯m glad you weren¡¯t hurt. I¡¯ll call the young men later and ask them to help you dig it out.¡± Her frustration largely resolved, Allison turned to the woman. ¡°Is there anywhere here we could sit down for a quiet cup of tea?¡± The woman thought for a moment. ¡°There aren¡¯t any shops here, like in the city. But you should try the village hall¡ªthat¡¯s where we go to rest. There should be an old lady there watching the building.¡± She pointed them towards the steeple, under which stood the village hall. She also promised that once the village men returned, she would send them to the hall to meet Allison and Wil. Allison¡¯s anger abated. She and Wil thanked the woman and began to trudge through the snow once more. The woman saw them off with a smile and a wave. She then picked up her pail and returned to her house without a care in the world. Once she was inside, the woman put down the pail and sprinted all the way across the room. Snow fell from her shoes and scattered all over the floor. She then rushed down a flight of stairs that led to the stone-walled basement. The light from a window high up in the basement dimly lit the room. The woman went to a wooden box on the wall in a corner of the room. Inside was a large brass trumpet, which was connected to the wall and a pipe. The woman took up a small whistle hanging next to the box, and blew it into the trumpet. The sound carried into the pipe. It was a voicepipe, much like the mechanism often used on ships. The moment she hung up the whistle again, another whistle came screeching through the pipe. Alongside it came¡ª ¡¸What is it? Over.¡¹ It was the tense voice of a middle-aged woman. The first woman looked into the trumpet, clearly rattled. ¡°Outlanders. Two young people¡ªa girl with blond hair and a boy. The girl is dressed like a soldier, but doesn¡¯t seem to be one. They claim to be tourists from the lowlands. Their car has been caught in the trap at the village entrance. They claimed they wanted to have some tea, so I sent them to the village hall. Over.¡± She uttered mechanically into the trumpet as though giving a report. There was a moment of silence. ¡¸I see them. If they really are tourists, find an excuse and send them back. Is there anything I should note? Over.¡¹ In the dark basement, the woman spoke into the trumpet. ¡°Yes. Both speak fluent Bezelese. Over.¡± Another moment of silence. The response sounded even more nervous. ¡¸The chief is out. What should I do? Over.¡¹ ¡°If we wait until something happens, it¡¯ll be too late. We have to keep them here until everyone gets back. Over.¡± ¡¸Understood. I¡¯ll send word to the mountains. Over.¡¹ ¡°I¡¯ll get back to monitoring the outsiders. I¡¯ll also hide the car and cover up the tire tracks. Send anyone who can help right now. Let everyone know. That is all. Over.¡± ¡¸I will. Over.¡¹ The woman closed the lid of the box and reached for a rifle leaning haphazardly next to it. She took it in her hands, picked up a box of ammunition, and began to load the rifle at the desk. There were about ten more rifles arranged neatly in the basement. The crisp sound of ammunition being loaded disturbed the silence of the room. On the first floor of the village hall was a large room. The first room they saw when they entered was long and rectangular. Inside was a large table made with thick logs cut lengthwise, as though to match. The legs of the table firmly supported a thick board, which made up a surface so large that over twenty people could sit around it. At points along the stone walls were little alcoves for lamps. There were wooden shelves on the wall also, showcasing plates adorned with beautiful pictures, some dried flowers, and framed portraits. The light seeping in from the glass windows filled the room with gentle, soft warmth. ¡°This is beautiful. I like it.¡± Allison said to Wil, who was next to her on the bench. They were sitting at the edge of the table, next to the window. Allison had taken off her jacket and was wearing just her overalls. Wil had also taken off his jacket and hat. ¡°I¡¯m surprised they were so kind to us, even though we dropped in without warning like that.¡± ¡°I told you we didn¡¯t have to worry.¡± A rotating door opened, and an elderly woman stepped in from another room. She was extremely old¡ªher face was all wrinkles, and her back was arched. But her gait was steady and unflinching. ¡°Here. Have some tea.¡± She was carrying a platter, on which were a steaming ceramic pot and two teacups. ¡°We¡¯re just a little countryside village, so I¡¯m afraid this is all we can do for you. But everyone does love my tea. I made it with the herbs I picked in the mountain during the spring. I hope it¡¯s to your liking.¡± The woman smiled, cheerfully pouring tea for the apologetic Wil and Allison. They thanked her and picked up their cups. Allison checked the temperature before taking a sip. She had no complaints about the flavor. Wil did not drink. ¡°I¡¯m not very good with hot drinks.¡± Wil said, noticing the woman¡¯s anxious gaze. He turned his sights to the ornaments decorating the walls. ¡°Excuse me, but¡­¡± Wil turned to the woman, pointing at a certain direction. Allison and the woman followed his finger. There was a shelf high up on the wall, upon which were three wooden plates¡ªor small platters¡ªdisplayed side-by-side. They were in a rather inconspicuous position in the room, and would not have been noticed at a cursory glance. Ornate designs were carved into each of them. On the plate on the left was a bunch of grapes, each and every fruit plump and appetizing. On the middle plate was a bird with its wings spread majestically. And on the plate on the right was a flower with long petals, its head bowed towards the right. ¡°Are those the crests of Iks¡¯s royal family?¡± Wil wondered. The woman¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh my¡­ I¡¯m surprised you knew.¡± Allison continued sipping her tea, looking at Wil as though urging him to continue. ¡°I did some research about Iks before I came here. I read that, instead of publicizing portraits of members of the Royal Family, each member has a crest with the image of an animal or a plant. And that the people of this country look upon the crests with reverence they would give to the Royal Family. That¡¯s how I concluded that those must be the royal crests.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. The one on the left belongs to Her Majesty, the one in the middle to His Highness, and the one on the right belongs to their daughter, the princess. Unfortunately, they passed away in a fire ten years ago. Such an awful tragedy.¡± Wil began to take sips of his slowly-cooling tea. ¡°This is delicious. Thank you for your hospitality.¡± He said, swallowing. The old woman nodded satisfactorily. ¡°But you see, we still admire and respect the Royal Family. We truly love them. Even today, we consider ourselves their subjects¡ªwe could give our lives for them, and do even the most horrible things for their sake.¡± Wil and Allison were at a loss for words. The woman smiled. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be inside. Take your time and relax.¡± She said, leaving the room with the platter under her arm. Wil looked up at the three crests. ¡°A bunch of grapes, a hawk, and¡­ what is that flower? I¡¯ll have to look into it later.¡± Wil mumbled, fascinated. ¡°Right.¡± Allison sighed, completely uninterested. Wil turned. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll write my report on this. The teacher might be surprised.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to borrow ¡®Flora Unique to the Mountain Regions¡¯ from the teacher later. I can¡¯t wait to see what the princess¡¯s crest means.¡± He said enthusiastically. Allison grinned. ¡°A crest, huh. So it¡¯s just like me and my eel.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s a little different¡­¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Aah, this is great. It¡¯s so relaxing here.¡± Allison mumbled, sitting in a corner of the empty room with Wil. She picked up her teacup and leaned against the stone wall. ¡°Say, Wil.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Wil replied, his gaze fixed ahead. ¡°What are you going to do after you graduate?¡± ¡°What?¡± This time, he turned. Allison was still leaning against the wall, her eyes very slightly turned to Wil on her right. Wil looked into her blue eyes as he answered. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m sure by this time next year, I¡¯ll have to start a new life. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll keep getting a scholarship from Raputoa to go to university there, or if I¡¯ll take the entrance examination to Confederation Capital University¡ª¡± ¡°Of course you¡¯re going to Capital U!¡± Allison declared, getting to her feet. ¡°You said before, didn¡¯t you? Their faculty is talented, they have a big library, and the students are really smart. It¡¯ll be best for you to study under the best conditions possible, right? Anyone would want to.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, but that might be difficult. I can¡¯t graduate until this time next year, which means I¡¯ll have to take the entrance examination afterwards, and I¡¯ll have to start going to classes in the fall term at the earliest. If I want to do that, I¡¯ll have to find a place to live in the Capital District until then. I¡¯ll have to work to pay for rent and living costs, while studying at the same time¡ª¡± Wil said, stifling a yawn. ¡°It would be great if I made it into Capital U, but if I didn¡¯t¡­ it¡¯d be all over. I¡¯ve been thinking recently that I might as well get a recommendation and go to Raputoa University instead.¡± Allison mumbled, disappointed. They were both silent for a time. The stone-walled room in the valley of snow was so quiet that even the tiniest, softest of noises buzzed in their ears. Allison broke the silence. ¡°But still¡­ I wish you could go to the best school there is, Wil. ¡­Say, I¡¯m going to be flying around all the time, but I actually have to live in the Capital District, since that¡¯s where headquarters is. And I could always request to be transferred to a unit in the Capital District, and¡­ And, you know? I thought it might be nice if I could rent an apartment for myself. And if I do that, I think it¡¯ll be best if someone was around to watch the house while I was off on missions. N, not that I¡¯m looking for a housekeeper, but¡­¡± Her head slightly bowed, Allison tightly held her nearly-empty teacup as she gazed into the ripples on the surface. ¡°So¡­ umm¡­ I¡¯m not saying this just because I think it¡¯ll be convenient, but¡­¡± Ten seconds of silence later, ¡°After you finish secondary school, do you want to get an apartment together in the Capital District together with me?¡± Allison finally asked, her eyes still on the ripples. She ended up saying ¡®together¡¯ twice. There was another moment of silence. Allison downed the rest of her tea in one go. ¡°Wh, what do you say?¡± Another moment of silence. ¡°Wil?¡± Allison hesitantly turned. ¡°Huh?¡± Wil was leaning on the wall. ¡°Hello?¡± Wil¡¯s eyes and mouth were closed. his head was bowed slightly, and his shoulders rose and fell at regular intervals. He was asleep. ¡°Hey! Wil!¡± Allison cried. Immediately, she frowned and shook her head. Her long blond hair fluttered. Allison put down her teacup and placed her elbows on the table. She pressed down on the edge of her eye with her right hand as her eyes closed. She quickly opened them again. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­ this tea¡ª¡± Alison glared at the teacup. Her upper body slowly collapsed against her will over her left arm. Thud. As she fell to the table, her forehead hit the surface. Her golden hair slid down from her left shoulder. The sound of Allison¡¯s soft snoring filled the room. * * * ¡°Oh my! Look, everyone! It¡¯s the hero! Look!¡± The aerosan was surrounded by people. There was a large valley by the lake, under the clear blue sky. Houses were clustered together a little ways in, and in front was a pier lined with boats pulled up from the lake. The aerosan was parked there, and Benedict stood next to it. And all around him were about twenty residents of this particular valley. The number of shrill-voiced women was only continuing to increase. When someone who didn¡¯t recognize Benedict asked another person, he immediately received an answer: ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me! This is the pilot from Cross-Mountain who found the mural!¡±. ¡°Er¡­ Hello.¡± Benedict said in Roxchean. He was immediately bombarded with questions asking what he was doing here, if it really was him, or if he had a girlfriend. It might have been a good idea to stay put, but Benedict wavered as he wondered which question to answer first, and without thinking gave the young women a small wave. ¡°He¡¯s so handsome!¡± ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°He¡¯s looking at me!¡± ¡°Amazing!¡± ¡°You should sleep over in the village tonight!¡± ¡°Could you give me an aeroplane ride?!¡± ¡°Oh! Me too!¡± ¡°Please?! Pretty please?!¡± ¡°Steal me away!¡± A cacophony of voices cried out at once. ¡°Come to think of it, I heard the military was holding a training session on the lake a while ago.¡± A forty-something man said to the person next to him. ¡°Excuse me. I would like to ask a question from you.¡± Benedict said to the man. He asked if a young man and a young woman happened to come to the village by car during the snowsquall earlier. ¡°Hey, he wants to know if anyone¡¯s seen a young couple come in by car!¡± The man said to the other villagers. There was a moment of silence, before everyone began to answer that they did not see anyone matching that description. ¡°Tough luck. If they¡¯ve come to the village, someone should have spotted them.¡± ¡°I understand. Thank you. I am looking for the two people. Can you teach¡ªer, tell me the name of your village?¡± The man gave Benedict the name of the village. Benedict took out the poster he brought and wrote down the name of the village, marked its location with an X, and jotted down the directions he had taken to come here. He then tucked it into his pocket. ¡°What are you going to do now?¡± ¡°Before, I went to the village beside the east. This time, I want to go to the village beside the west. There is a possibility that they are there.¡± ¡°I see. But I personally doubt that.¡± ¡°Why do you say so?¡± ¡°See, that village hates outlanders. So nobody around here likes ¡®em. I once went over to deliver a message, and this pudgy woman bolted out of her house and interrogated me until my ears fell off. Asked me why I came to the village and all that. So no one goes there, and no one from that village comes outside unless they have to. Some people even say that the village is so shady because they¡¯re so deep in that valley.¡± The other villagers nodded, expressing their agreement. ¡°The entrance might be a bit hard to find, so take care of yourself. But I really doubt your friends¡¯d be having a nice cup of tea there. Probably the village across the lake, I¡¯d wager. It¡¯s a big place¡ªall the locals go there to have some fun, and that¡¯s where the timber from the area goes. They¡¯ve got a pier, lodgings, and restaurants. If they¡¯re a couple, they¡¯re probably there.¡± ¡°This must be it. It certainly is difficult to find.¡± Benedict¡¯s aerosan slowly traversed the ice, the propellers spinning. From the hole in front of the narrow seat he could see the entrance of the narrow valley at the lakeshore, and the ramp in front of it. The path inside was dark and winding. He could not see a village. ¡°If I take the aerosan, I won¡¯t be able to turn.¡± He mumbled. ¡°Should I just walk? Or should I just turn back and call it quits? But what if they really are here? Then again, Allison¡¯d just get angry at me even if I do find them.¡± The aerosan went round and round aimlessly on the lake. Eventually, Benedict steered it towards the valley entrance. Even after he turned off the engine, the aerosan was propelled forward for some time by inertia. Benedict hit the brakes underneath an inconspicuous tree by the entrance, stopping the aerosan. The aerosan had no keys or security devices. Benedict turned the stopper on the drum-shaped gasoline tank that took up most of the back of the vehicle, cutting off the fuel supply. He also pulled out he battery terminal. He covered the hole in the roof with a white waterproof cloth, then tossed two strong pieces of rope over it. He then nailed down the rope deep into the ice. ¡°Can¡¯t have anyone stealing this.¡± Benedict took out the submachine gun case and slung it over his shoulder. He then began to walk towards the valley. There was a continuous trail of footsteps leading into the valley from the entrance on. They spanned a width of about two meters, hardening the path into a walkway and making it quite easy to move along. Benedict nimbly marched into the valley. On either side of the path were deep forests, and the blue sky was beginning to cloud over. ¡°This place feels great. It¡¯d be wonderful if I could buy myself a house here and live without anyone ever staring at me or asking questions.¡± The glare of the sunlight against the snow was quite harsh, but Benedict took in the scenery regardless and cheerfully continued to walk. Eventually, he spotted four black squares to his right. Artificial ponds used as a fish farm, dug by the creek. As Benedict passed by the pond without giving it a moment¡¯s thought, ¡°Wait!¡± He was stopped by a sharp female voice. Benedict turned to the direction of the voice, on his right. There was a woman standing in front of a snow-covered shed. She was quite young, likely in her early twenties. The woman was wearing a thick green dress made up of a mosaic of fabrics, a pair of winter tights, and a pair of boots. Her tall stature and slim figure accentuated the cut of her clothes. Her black hair was nearly shoulder-length. She had snow-white skin and dark brown eyes. ¡°You, with the strange clothes! What are you doing here?¡± She asked distrustfully. She came over to Benedict, stepping along the footprints she had made earlier. ¡°¡­¡± Benedict was stunned by the woman, who approached him with clear suspicion. He could not take his eyes off her, even until she came right up to his face. The woman looked up slightly and directly into his eyes. ¡°Er¡­ hello.¡± Benedict said in Roxchean. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± Benedict was shocked for a moment, but his surprise quickly gave was to laughter. The woman was clearly not amused. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°N, nothing is. It was nothing.¡± ¡°Answer the question. Who are you? What are you doing at our village? I don¡¯t know who you are, but we don¡¯t want any outlanders here.¡± Benedict slowly responded. ¡°Please let me introduce myself. My name is Carr Benedict. I am from Sou Be-Il, so Carr is my surname. Hello.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re from Cross-Mountain¡­¡± The woman looked even more dubious than before. But Benedict continued undeterred. ¡°Please do not be alarmed. I am from Sou Be-Il, but I received¡­ er¡­ permission from Roxche to work here. I did not do anything bad.¡± ¡°Then who gave you permission to come to our village? Please leave now.¡± The woman was finished. She turned and headed for the village. Benedict followed her without a moment¡¯s hesitation, keeping pace next to her. Because the woman was taking the middle of the footpath, Benedict had no choice but to struggle through the soft snow. ¡°I am sorry for making you surprised. Er, would you like to drink tea with me? I am not asking you to drink tea with me because I want to apologize. I will buy tea. I will tell you many things as we drink tea so that you will not be bored. I have many fun stories to tell you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in endlessly listening to your awful Roxchean.¡± ¡°Er, I¡­¡± Benedict desperately tried to continue the conversation, but he eventually shook his head in frustration. ¡°I am more smooth in my native tongue.¡± ¡°Ugh. Please. Everyone knows women hate tenacious men. Don¡¯t follow me any more. This is our village, and we don¡¯t like outlanders.¡± The woman¡¯s tone was cold as ice. Benedict slowed down. ¡°I am sorry. I did it because it has been a long time since I talked a conversation like this. It was very fun.¡± He said with a smile. The woman glanced dubiously at him. Then, she looked forward again and expertly walked down the snowy road. Benedict did not follow. ¡°Oh! Wait!¡± Benedict stopped as he made to return to the aerosan, quickly running after the slender woman. ¡°Please, wait! I have a request. It is a very important one. I forgot the real reason I came to this place.¡± ¡°What is it now?¡± The woman stopped and looked at Benedict unenthusiastically. Benedict repeated the question he asked at the eastern village. The woman shook her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen them. In fact, I¡¯m looking for the other villagers myself¡ªthey¡¯ve all disappeared somewhere. If outlanders really did come to the village, someone would have chased them out by now.¡± Benedict nodded and took out the folded poster and a pencil from his pocket. ¡°I understand. Lastly, please teach me the name of this village.¡± ¡°No. Why would you want to know something like that? And what is that paper?¡± ¡°It is only a memo¡ª¡± Before Benedict could finish, the woman took a step forward and reached for the poster. She snatched it from his hands, but Benedict did not put up any resistance. The woman stared at the map and legend Benedict had drawn. ¡°Is it a memo pad. I am looking for my friends. But because I do not know where my friends are, I am finding nearby villages one by one.¡± Benedict explained. The woman nodded, uninterested, and flipped over the poster. She then held it out to Benedict. But as Benedict reached for the poster, she quickly drew back her hand. Benedict grabbed nothing but thin air. ¡°Oho. Are you telling a joke?¡± Benedict asked, amused. The woman ignored him. She opened up the poster and closely examined the face of the man in the photograph. She froze. So strong was her gaze on the picture that she was practically drilling a hole through it. ¡°If this was a film, I could go see it with you. I am very sad.¡± Benedict was a man who knew no surrender. The woman did not answer. A gentle wind blew past, shaking the poster and passing between the woman and the embarrassed Benedict. About twenty seconds passed. Benedict looked at the woman from the side as she stood frozen. ¡°Um, I¡­!¡± To his shock, she was crying. Each time she blinked, tears streamed down her cheeks again. The woman was holding the poster in one hand, and holding her other hand in a clenched fist over her chest. ¡°¡­¡± Benedict could do nothing but wait. He looked a little happier. Eventually, the woman wiped her tears on her right sleeve, then took out a white handkerchief and properly wiped her face. ¡°Are you calmed down now?¡± Benedict asked with a smile. With her right hand, the woman grabbed him by the collar and pulled him towards her with all her might. ¡°Whoa!¡± Benedict¡¯s face was less than twenty centimeters away from hers. He was leaning forward. She met his gaze, her eyes slightly red. ¡°Wh, what is it? Are you going to kiss me?¡± Benedict asked, bewildered. The woman stuffed the poster into her pocket and began to violently shake Benedict by the coat with both hands. ¡°Take me to the capital!¡± ¡°What¡­? Pardon me?¡± ¡°Take me to the capital! Take me to the capital! Right now! Do you understand me? Take. Me. To. The. Capital!¡± ¡°Er, please wait a moment. I do not understand what you are saying very much.¡± Benedict replied as the woman continued to shake him. ¡°You must have come by a vehicle! Take me to the capital on it! Take me to Kunst! Do you understand me? Take me to the capital! To Kunst!¡± ¡°I do not un-¡± ¡°Take me to Kunst! Right now! I¡¯ll get ready as soon as I can, so now! Do you understand me? As soon as possible! To Kunst!¡± ¡°W, wait a moment. Please calm down¡­¡± Benedict said in Bezelese. The woman finally stopped shaking him. ¡°What did you say? Do you mean you understand?¡± ¡°No, no. I asked you to calm down. Please tell me the reason. Why you need to go to Kunst. And please let your fingers go of my coat.¡± The woman finally released Benedict, her shoulders heaving up and down. She lightly shook her head and looked up at him, her short black hair fluttering in the wind. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll explain again. I want to go to the capital by today or tomorrow by any means possible. Could you take me¡ª¡± ¡°Fi!¡± A male voice cut in from behind them. The woman turned, surprised. Benedict also turned. There was a man running over from the direction of the village. He was in his fifties, and sported a beard. There was a rifle slung over his shoulder. ¡°There you are, Fi!¡± The man sounded like he was scolding her. The woman called ¡®Fi¡¯ did not answer him. ¡°You know better than to loiter by the pond in wintertime. What if you ran across wolves or bears?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Never mind that, now. Grandmother Jans needs more of her usual medicine. She doesn¡¯t seem to be feeling so well, so hurry on and look after her.¡± ¡°All right.¡± The woman nodded. The man urged her to quickly return to the village. As she turned, she met Benedict¡¯s gaze. But that was only for a moment, as she quickly walked away. Her small silhouette grew distant. ¡°Wait¡­ You there.¡± Benedict turned to the man. The man suddenly stopped, then thought for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you in the papers. Are you by any chance the hero who found the mural?¡± Benedict nodded. ¡°Incredible. So you¡¯re Carr Benedict. I¡¯d heard that there were Sou Be-Il pilots doing some training on the lake, but to think you¡¯d have come along with them¡­ it¡¯s certainly amazing.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Did that girl pester you?¡± The man asked. ¡°N, no. That young lady and I only spoke. She said that she wants to go to the capital.¡± ¡°What? To Kunst? ¡­Well, I suppose that¡¯s only normal for people her age.¡± The man said, sounding a little astonished. He then asked the hero what he was doing here. ¡°I¡­ am on vacation and came to tour. That young lady said that this village is not for touring. I was just thinking to go to another village. Please excuse me.¡± As Benedict turned, ¡°Mr. Hero.¡± The man stopped him. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You did a good thing there, announcing the mural to both sides at the same time. You deserve that nickname.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Benedict and the man began to walk in opposite directions. ¡°¡®Mr. Hero¡¯, huh? ¡­I¡¯m only a fake, though¡­ but anyway. It¡¯s too bad I couldn¡¯t get on her good side.¡± Benedict mumbled to himself in Bezelese as he walked over the footpath. ¡°Hm. ¡®Fi¡¯ is probably a nickname. But she was beautiful. Although I suppose I¡¯ll never see her again. ¡®The biggest aeroplane is the one that got away¡¯, they say.¡± It had been some time since he had mumbled in his native language. ¡°Why was she crying? Does she know that man? ¡­Wait! She took the map I was drawing. Ah well. If Allison and Wil aren¡¯t in the next village, I¡¯ll just have to get some tea and sweets there on my own.¡± All alone, he talked to himself as he turned the last curve in the valley. He could see the valley entrance, the endlessly large frozen lake, and the nearly-straight road leading there. And the footprints covering the path. ¡°Right! They came by car, so if there aren¡¯t any tire tracks, it means they haven¡¯t come this way. I should have thought of that earlier. This was a waste of time.¡± He said, walking along the path with ease. At that moment, ¡°!¡± He froze. Very slowly, Benedict looked down at his feet. The snow was sunken in the shape of a path, pattered down by countless footprints. The pathway, a little less than two meters wide, was shaped with perfect precision. It was also the width of a car. Benedict knelt down and examined the footprints. The sizes and shapes of the countless soles were all similar. Upon close examination, he found that(other than his own) there were only three kinds of footprints making up the path. Many identical footprints were stamped on the snow in dense formation, sometimes overlapping. And some footprints were pointing not only forward and backward, but sideways as well. It was as though three people had intentionally patted down the snow with their feet. Benedict searched for portions that were not stepped on. He felt almost idiotic, crawling in the snow, but Benedict was deadly serious. And soon, ¡°Bingo.¡± There was a ten-centimeter gap between a pair of footprints. In that gap he spotted several oval shapes. They were marks from snow chains. ¡°Allison and Wil definitely passed through this way. And they haven¡¯t come back through here.¡± Benedict stood. He turned his gaze to the valley. ¡°And someone¡ªprobably the villagers¡ªquickly covered up their tire tracks. So not only are they suspicious of outlanders, they¡¯re also kidnappers and liars? This is one heck of a village.¡± Benedict glanced at his wristwatch. The sun set earlier in the mountains than in the plains. There was only about an hour left until dusk. The sky was growing cloudy as well. ¡°I suppose they won¡¯t welcome me either, but that doesn¡¯t sound too bad for a change.¡± With that, he quickly left the road and leapt into the woods next to the ramp. Volume 2 4 — Jailbreak and Escape Volume 2 Chapter 4: Jailbreak and Escape ----- The basement was dark. Stone bricks lined the floors and walls, and the ceiling stood at a rather tall at three meters. On each of the four walls was a window near the ceiling, shining white in the darkness. They were crossed with metal bars, and frosted panes of glass were inside the frames. The basement was about the size of an average living room. But the only difference was the iron bars dividing it in a 4:6 ratio. There was a steep wooden staircase in the smaller section, leading upstairs. At the top of the steps was a locked wooden hatch. There were two thick old mattresses inside the cell. Atop them were blankets, upon which Allison and Wil slept. Their coats and some thick blankets had been placed over them. One of the two suddenly awoke. The blanket and the coat slid onto the mattress as the figure stood, stumbling across the floor. Thud! With a loud noise, the figure hit their shoulder on the iron bars. Wil woke up. ¡°Hey! Is anyone out there?! Hello?!¡± Allison cried out at the hatch, shaking the locked cell door. It rattled loudly. There was a moment of silence. ¡°It looks like there¡¯s no one upstairs. Someone would have come by now if they¡¯d heard all this noise.¡± Wil commented. Wil was wearing his coat, and was sitting on the mattress with his feet in front of him. He ruffled his hair and shook his head to chase away his fatigue. Allison, still wearing her overalls, returned to the mattresses and sat next to Wil. Her coat was next to the bed, and her bag was nowhere to be found. Allison sighed. ¡°Why?! Why us?!¡± She was clearly agitated. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Wil replied cooly. He asked Allison if her shoulder was all right. She nodded and thanked him for his concern. Then, she turned to Wil. ¡°Hey¡­ maybe, just maybe¡­ I think I know why they locked us up.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Wil looked up. ¡°Maybe this entire village specializes in crafting gold jewelry. They¡¯re on to us, aren¡¯t they?¡± She said grimly. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not too sure about that.¡± Wil replied hesitantly. ¡°Or maybe they make a living off of caviar?¡± ¡°That sounds even less likely.¡± ¡°Bummer.¡± Allison stood and went over to the bars again. She then cried, ¡°Then why in the world would you lock us up in this clammy place?! Hey! Open up already! I demand to speak to the manager! You wouldn¡¯t like me when I¡¯m angry!¡± ¡°Whew¡­¡± Wil sighed. Tiring herself out with her shouting, Allison returned to Wil¡¯s side. ¡°Great. So they¡¯re going to keep us here until we die.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so, Allison.¡± Wil replied, ¡°look over here.¡± In a corner of the room was a water bottle sealed with a cork, two cups, and two long loaves of hard bread. There was even a small pile of blankets. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. But I¡¯m still not going to let ¡®em get away with knocking us out and putting us in a cell without even an explanation.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Allison looked at Wil, then at the ceiling, and shouted at whoever was responsible for locking them in. ¡°If you¡¯re going to lock us up, I¡¯d have been satisfied with some clean sheets and a shower and some room service! You hear me?!¡± Wil remained sitting on the mattress. ¡°There must have been a misunderstanding. I¡¯m sure the villagers had their reasons, and ended up mistaking us for someone else. Maybe they just left to call the police in a nearby town. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll clear things up soon.¡± ¡°Right. So that means we don¡¯t necessarily have to stay here, right?¡± Allison glanced at her watch and stood. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of this cell. And the village, too. We can¡¯t waste any more time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, but¡­ how?¡± Allison walked up to the iron bars and shook the sliding door. ¡°See this lock on the outer side of the door? It¡¯s pretty cheap. You could find it anywhere. In fact, I can pick it with my hairpin¡ªI learned how to do it from someone. Apparently pilots shouldn¡¯t sit around acting all meek even when they¡¯re held prisoner.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t reach it from here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ll have to go outside.¡± ¡°How?¡± Allison pointed at the top of one of the walls. Wil looked up. ¡°The window?¡± ¡°We just have to get rid of those bars. I know how to do it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s give it a go.¡± They began preparations for escape, with Allison in the lead. First, they tore the blankets. They widened a small hole in the mattress and extracted one of the springs, using the pointed end to make small incisions on the edges. Then they pulled the blanket in opposite directions and ripped it into lengths. Afterwards, they tightly knotted the ends. They soaked the knots in water, then pulled on either end of the knot with all their might until the water began to drip. ¡°Now it¡¯s never going to get untied. It¡¯s just like that trick you use to tie your shoelaces.¡± With that, they had two long ropes that could reach all the way down from the ceiling. Then, they tied them together to create one long line. Finally, they dragged the two mattresses under the window, but at a very slight distance from the wall. They put one on top of the other. ¡°Here I go.¡± Said Allison, tucking her hair into her clothes. She began to warm up. ¡°Are you sure about this, Allison?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you forgot who taught you how to climb trees, Wil.¡± Allison said, standing in a corner of the room with her hands and feet firmly on the walls. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be all right? Should I push the mattresses under you?¡± ¡°No, just leave them there. Get the rope ready, okay? I¡¯m going to start now.¡± With her hands and feet in the little gaps between the bricks, Allison began to dexterously climb to the top. Wil watched from beside the mattress¡ªhis eyes were so trained on the sight that the pace of his blinking slowed. One of his feet was against the mattresses, so that he could instantly push them under Allison if she were to lose her grip. But his worries proved unfounded, as Allison easily made it to the window. She grabbed the grooves of the frame, one hand after the other. ¡°There.¡± Hanging from the frame by her hands, Allison pulled herself up like she was doing pull-ups. Then, she shook the iron bars with her left hand. ¡°It¡¯s pretty strong.¡± Supporting herself by her hands and feet, Allison grabbed the bars with her right hand. She then looked down at Wil and held out her left hand. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The rope. Toss it over.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Wil picked up the rope from the floor and threw it to Allison. She caught it immediately and looped it around the leftmost bar in the window. Then, she pulled it over to the rightmost side and pulled it out. All of this she did with one hand. Soon, she had the rope looped around every bar, including the one at the center. The ends of the rope on either side of the window were touching the basement floor. Allison instructed Wil to hold the rope as she climbed it down. ¡°The frame of the bars is bolted to the window. We¡¯ll have to pull it out whole.¡± Wil and Allison each took one end of the rope. ¡°Ready? One, two, three!¡± They pulled as hard as they could. At first, the bars only creaked. But two or three tries later, they began to bend. But they could not completely dislodge the bars. Wil gasped, his brow dripping with sweat. ¡°This isn¡¯t working¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ve weakened it a lot, so I¡¯ll finish it off. One good impact should do.¡± Allison said, climbing the rope to the window once more. Hanging from the bars, she pulled up either end of the rope. She held one end in one hand and the other end in her other hand. ¡°Stand back, Wil. This might get dangerous.¡± ¡°Wh, what are you¡ª¡± As Wil backed away, Allison grinned mischievously. ¡°THIS!¡± With the wall against her back, Allison leapt forward. Each end of the rope was looped around her shoulder like a knapsack. A second before Allison hit the mattress, the rope was pulled taut. The bars took the brunt of the impact. Finally, the bent bars fell away from the window, screeching against the window frame. At the same time, Allison bent her knees to minimize the impact as she landed atop the mattress. ¡°!¡± As Wil looked on in shock, Allison rolled forward in perfect landing position. The bars fell behind her, landing exactly where she had been a moment ago. They hit the mattress and bounced onto the ground, rolling into the iron bars diving the room. The loud clanging of metal on metal filled the basement. Wil winced. When the noise finally stopped, Wil breathed a sigh of relief. Allison stood with ease. ¡°See? It worked.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wil stared blankly for a while, before finally opening his mouth. ¡°Allison. You were this close to getting killed just now.¡± ¡°Yeah, but look.¡± Allison looked back and forth between him and the heavy iron bars lying on the floor. ¡°It worked out, didn¡¯t it?¡± The hinges creaked as the basement hatch opened. Allison¡¯s upper body poked in upside-down from the hatch, her long blond hair cascading down. She quickly climbed down the stairs and met Wil from outside the bars. There was snow all over her clothes and hair¡ªshe had broken the frosted glass with the bars and squirmed out the small window. ¡°Well?¡± Wil whispered. Allison replied, though not any quieter than usual. ¡°There¡¯s no one upstairs. I think we¡¯re near the outskirts of the village¡ªI didn¡¯t have time to look around properly, but the steeple looked kind of far. I didn¡¯t spot anyone in town, and it looks like it¡¯s going to start snowing soon.¡± With that, Allison challenged the lock with half of her hairpin. And just as Wil picked up his and her coat, ¡°There.¡± The lock came undone effortlessly. The little sliding door opened with a loud screech. Wil stepped outside, handing Allison her coat. ¡°All right. We¡¯ll leave the rest to those two.¡± Allison said. Wil turned as he came out of the cell. There was a blanket over the mattress, with two humanoid shapes underneath. They were made with blankets and the rope. It looked just like two people snuggled up together. ¡°They look close.¡± Allison mumbled to herself. ¡°Allison?¡± ¡°N, never mind. Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s getting dark, so we should try and sneak out of the village somehow.¡± * * * ¡°I¡¯m running out of time.¡± Benedict muttered, glancing at his watch. He was in the woods, knee-deep in snow. The forest was dense and difficult to see through, but it was getting late and the sky grew dark. The snowfall was worsening. It was easy to tell that sundown and bad weather were both approaching. Having leapt into the woods to the left of the village entrance, Benedict began to head into the depths of the woods. He had stay out of sight of the road, not spotted by anyone¡ªhe slowly and cautiously made his way into the depths. Snow falling from the trees piled up in waist-high mounds, and he was hindered by clumps of snow falling from overhead without warning. When he had to enter snow that reach up to his thighs, Benedict had to clear the snow ahead of him with the submachine gun case he brought along. On occasion he glanced at the valley to confirm his position. He had already long passed the ponds where he met the young woman. Benedict pressed on. His forehead was covered in sweat. After traversing a certain distance, Benedict began to move to the side of the forest. He lay on his stomach and observed the valley from next to a large tree. ¡°Finally.¡± The village was within sight. He could see the houses scattered around the main area, along with the steeple. But no one was outside. The little village in the snowy valley was eerily quiet, crouching in the darkness. ¡°It¡¯s not uninhabited, is it?¡± Benedict returned to the woods and began to walk again. Soon, something stopped him. ¡°There must be people living here. But are all the villages in this country like this?¡± Benedict muttered, astonished. Strung up in front of him was a barbed-wire fence as tall as he was. When he dug into the snow underneath, he found that the fence reach down to the ground. Each wire was hanging parallel to the ground at twenty-centimeter intervals, as though connecting one tree to the next. There was also barbed wire on the branches, as well. ¡°This is too thorough a job if they¡¯re only trying to keep animals out. Is this some sort of secret base?¡± Benedict followed the fence to the right. But no matter how far he walked, it continued without a single gap. It was surrounding the entire village. The wire was wrapped tightly around the trees, so it was impossible to cut and too taut to be tampered with. ¡°Damn it.¡± He swore. At that very moment, he spotted a moving figure by the houses. The figure emerged from underneath the floor of a small building¡ªa storehouse of some sort built with stone bricks¡ªand poked their head out of the snow from a crouching position. The figure was quite small in build, but Benedict clearly saw a flash of long blond hair. From next to the tree, he watched the figure go into the house. ¡°Allison¡­ I came all this way to save you, but I suppose I won¡¯t get the chance.¡± He sighed, exhausted. Then, ¡°!¡± He spotted other people near the cluster of houses by the steeple. Several villagers emerged form the house and onto the street, and were talking together. Afterwards, some of them returned inside. The others¡ªthree men¡ªbegan walking deeper into the valley. Towards the house Allison had just entered. ¡°Not good.¡± Benedict glowered at the barbed wire wrapped around the tree. He then looked around. One of the trees serving as a fencepost was relatively young and thin. It was about thirty centimeters thick and four meters tall. Benedict took hold of the branches and shook and hung from them, but the branches would not break. Snow fell from the treetop and onto the ground. Benedict took off the case from his shoulders and opened the zipper. Inside was a submachine gun and a small pouch that could carry up to three magazines. Taking the gun, he quickly loaded it and prepared to open fire. He then dug out the snow piled at the foot of the tree until part of the roots were visible. Folding up the case, he placed it on the ground in the shape of a thick pillow. Benedict then pierced through the case with the gun, creating a makeshift silencer. ¡°If they spot me, I guess I¡¯ll have to run.¡± Benedict pulled the trigger. There was a tiny noise as the gun fired the first shot. Benedict continued to pull the trigger. He finished off all twenty-eight rounds in the magazine. White smoke wafted from the charred case. Benedict hurriedly covered it with snow to put out the smoke. The tree had been chiseled away by the bullets, now down to half its original thickness. Benedict grabbed hold of the branches with both hands and put his weight onto them at once. Crunch. The trunk bent, then broke from the base where it had been chipped away. Benedict lost his grip on the branches and fell onto the snow. The snow falling from the branch covered his face. Spitting out the snow and water, Benedict stood. The tree had fallen completely. The barbed wire had neither snapped nor gotten loose, but it was distorted by the fallen tree. There was enough of an opening for a person to pass through. The three men continued down the street, not noticing Benedict¡¯s presence. He quickly jammed the submachine gun back into the bag(which was partly charred and damaged) and crawled under the fence with it at his side. Finally through the barbed wire, he crawled across the snow and approached the valley. The woods came to an abrupt stop at a particularly large tree. There was no cover from here to the building where Allison and Wil were. The men continued walking straight towards it. ¡°Am I too late? Damn it!¡± Benedict swore. At that moment, it began to snow. A thick flurry descended upon the land, as though someone was letting down a curtain. Although it was nearly impossible to see, Benedict could make out the shapes of the men approaching the building. And if he left the woods, the men would be able to see him as well. ¡°Damn it¡­ I am too late¡­¡± He swore again. ¡°It¡¯s finally snowing.¡± Allison said, peeking out the door. Wil was behind her. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s going to be heavy, too.¡± Allison shut the door again. They were wearing their coats and hats, with gloves on their hands. ¡°It¡¯ll make it easier for us to hide. We¡¯ll carefully sneak out of the valley.¡± ¡°But what about the car? We won¡¯t make it back on foot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. How about we break into one of the houses on the way back and steal a horse or something?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a crime, Allison.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as serious of a crime as locking people up against their will. Anyway, we¡¯ll see how things go.¡± With that, Allison slowly opened the door and waded out of the house. Wil followed after her hesitantly. ¡°!¡± But when they turned the corner of the house to their left, Allison stopped without warning. Wil nearly walked right into her. There was an old wooden ledge along the wall, and empty flowerpots were stacked together atop it. ¡°Wha-¡± Before Wil could finish, Allison covered his mouth with a gloved hand. She shushed him and whispered into his ear. ¡°There¡¯s someone here. I think he¡¯s coming this way.¡± Wil gaped in horror. It looked like he was on the verge of tears. ¡°You stay here, Wil. When the person comes over, just make up an excuse. Then I¡¯ll do that thing I did with the awful police officer last summer.¡± Allison said quickly. Wil nodded, mouthing a ¡®yes¡¯. Leaving Wil behind, Allison quickly disappeared around the corner. Wil stood blankly between the wall and the snow fallen from the roof. Soon, he heard someone stepping through the snow by the door. Each footstep grew louder as Wil stiffened in fear. The footsteps stopped. And a moment later, a man turned the corner and appeared before Wil. ¡°Ack! I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°I do not understand why you are sorry, but I do forgive you.¡± The man said quietly. Wil gaped at Benedict¡¯s appearance. ¡°B, Benedict?¡± Benedict chuckled and replied in Bezelese. ¡°Right. Who¡¯d you think I was?¡± ¡°Wh, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I was so bored that I decided to interrupt your date. Although I suppose I just ended up coming to rescue you two.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Wil said, relaxing. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Now, I just saw three village men going into the house in front of us. We¡¯ll sneak away while they¡¯re inside. Where¡¯s All- WHOA!¡± Benedict¡¯s upper body fell forward as he cried out. Allison had approached from behind and pulled him by his ankles. Refusing to lose his balance, Benedict grabbed onto the ledge with his left hand. It quickly broke. The flowerpots fell. With the cacophonous cracking of the ledge and the pots, Benedict finally hit the ground. ¡°Allison! No! It¡¯s Benedict!¡± Wil yelled. Allison was just about to kick the fallen Benedict in the side. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°That hurt¡­¡± Benedict said in Bezelese. ¡°No way!¡± Allison shouted. Benedict, covered in snow, looked back and greeted her. He slowly got to his feet. At that moment, what little of the ledge that remained on the wall finally collapsed, along with the flowerpots that were atop it. There was another loud noise. At the same time, a door slammed open nearby. ¡°See? I told you I heard something. There were voices, too!¡± It was a man¡¯s voice. ¡°Argh! Look what you did! They heard us!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. ¡­Wait. Are you saying this is my fault?¡± ¡°R, r, ru-¡± ¡°Run! This way!¡± Allison finished Wil¡¯s sentence for him as she gave him a push in the opposite direction from the voices. They dashed across the knee-deep snow as Benedict followed after them. ¡°Why did I even come here in the first place?¡± He grumbled. ¡°Run faster!¡± Allison yelled, slapping Wil on the back. Benedict was behind them. Eventually, they reached the road in the middle of the valley. It had been flattened out by the villagers, which made it much easier to run along. The snowfall had grown heavier since sundown. It was difficult to see anything in front of them. Even the nearest house was concealed by the snow. They could hear voices behind them. ¡°You! Identify yourselves! Stop! Stop right there!¡± ¡°As if we would!¡± Allison replied. Benedict caught up to her. ¡°We¡¯re going in the opposite direction from the lake.¡± ¡°Well, what are we supposed to do?!¡± There was a gunshot behind them. One, then another. Benedict glanced backwards. ¡°It¡¯s all right. They¡¯re just signaling each other.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have any weapons, Major?! The villagers took my bag with my gun still inside!¡± Benedict immediately became aware of the weight of the submachine gun on his back. ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Then run! We just keep running for our lives!¡± ¡°All right¡­¡± They continued down the road as snow blanketed their heads and shoulders. As they passed by one of the houses, the door suddenly opened and a middle-aged woman stepped outside. The moment her eyes met those of the shocked trio, she let out a shrill scream and scrambled back into the house. ¡°What did we do to deserve this?¡± Allison complained as they ran. Wil could not respond, too busy exerting himself sprinting. ¡°Who knows?¡± Benedict replied calmly. They continued to flee. Wil was the first to start gasping for breath. His steps began to slow. ¡°C¡¯mon, Wil! We can make it!¡± Allison cried, giving him a push on the back. They headed further and further into the valley. And soon, they spotted another house to the left. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just go inside and take the person in the house hostage?¡± Allison wondered, getting desperate. But at that moment, the door opened. The villager stepped outside and looked at the trio, shocked. She froze. Then, ¡°This way! Quickly!¡± She cried. She was a young woman with short black hair. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Wait, I know that woman! Do as she says, and make sure you don¡¯t leave any footprints!¡± Benedict said as Allison and Wil hesitated. They doubled back and began to walk along the footprints leading into the house. Still covered in snow, Allison, Wil, and Benedict arrived at the doorstep. Benedict smiled. ¡°Hello, Fi.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act all friendly with me. Get inside.¡± The woman, Benedict, the confused Allison, and the heavily panting Wil entered the house. The woman quickly shut the door and bolted it. The interior of the house was dim. In the middle of the room was a cold stove, a cupboard, and a table and chairs for about six people. By the wall was a sofa, and there was a hallway leading into a room. Wil bent forward, gasping for breath. Allison put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°This way.¡± Said the woman, heading to the hallway. She lifted up a hatch. ¡°Go inside. Watch your head and your feet.¡± Allison made a face. Benedict took the lead and stepped inside, followed by Wil. Allison shot the woman a look and entered as well. Her feet finally reached the stone floor of the basement, and her hand touched Wil¡¯s back. At that moment, the hatch closed behind them. The basement was pitch-black. ¡°Hey!¡± Allison cried. But Benedict quickly cut her off. ¡°Quiet.¡± They could hear loud knocking upstairs, followed by the voice of a middle-aged man. ¡°Fi! Are you inside? Open up!¡± For several seconds, the only sound in the basement was that of Wil¡¯s ragged breathing. Soon, they heard voices again. ¡°Hello?! Fi?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right there!¡± Allison whispered to Benedict. ¡°Did she just trick us too?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t say for sure yet.¡± Benedict answered. ¡°Anyway, who is that woman?¡± She asked. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t even know her real name yet.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Well, things happened.¡± ¡°Is this really all right?¡± ¡°Quiet.¡± Benedict ended the conversation and focused on the sounds outside. There was the sound of the door being unbolted and opened. Several people entered the house. Their footsteps rang through the floor. ¡°Fi! Thank goodness you¡¯re safe!¡± ¡°Did something happen? I was clearing the snow outside when I heard gunshots. I ran straight inside.¡± ¡°We found suspicious people in the village. Three of them. They must have come this way¡ªhave you seen anything?¡± There was a brief silence. ¡°No. What¡¯s going¡ª¡± ¡°Never you mind, Fi. It¡¯s dangerous to stay alone¡ªI want you to go to the village hall.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to. I can¡¯t leave Grandfather¡¯s house empty. I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ve always been fine.¡± Another silence. ¡°All right. Do you have a gun with you?¡± ¡°Yes. I have Grandfather¡¯s.¡± ¡°And you know how to use it?¡± ¡°He taught me, just in case.¡± ¡°All right. Then I want you to sleep in your basement tonight with the gun next to you and the doors bolted shut. We¡¯ll be keeping watch overnight, so you should be safe¡ªbut if you find anyone suspicious, shoot them on sight.¡± ¡°I understand¡­¡± Several male voices warned the woman to be careful. Then, the door closed. There was the sound of the woman bolting it shut. They heard footsteps walking towards them. The sound grew fainter as it headed for the room, then returned. Then, the basement hatch opened. Allison, Wil, and Benedict looked up at the dim light coming from the hatch. The woman slowly poked her head inside. The light was behind her, making it difficult to see her face. But the contours of the large automatic handgun in her possession was clear even in the dark. ¡°Take me to the capital. If you refuse, I¡¯ll hand you over to the villagers. Do you understand me?¡± She asked icily. Several seconds of silence. ¡°I understand. I want to hear your story more.¡± Benedict finally replied. Allison and Wil exchanged glances. ¡°Give me a minute.¡± The woman turned and closed the hatch again. Allison, Wil, and Benedict took off their hats and coats and waited for her in the dark. The hatch opened again. The gun in the woman¡¯s hand had been replaced by an old oil lamp. With each step she took downstairs, the basement grew brighter. This room also was lined with stone bricks, but it was much larger than the one where Allison and Wil were imprisoned. There were all sorts of things on the shelves lining the walls¡ªold plates with pictures, little picture frames covered with cloth, a wooden box sealed with a lock, and a human skull. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Eeek!¡± Wil and Allison screamed simultaneously at the sight of the skull. The light of the lamp hit its large, hollow eyes, creating a stark contrast between the surface and the shadows. ¡°There are so many¡­¡± Benedict said. About seven human skulls of varying sizes were lined up on the shelves. ¡°Hey! What in the world is¡ª¡± Allison began, but Wil put a hand on her shoulder and stopped her. He turned to the woman. ¡°These people are your family, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The woman replied, surprised. Benedict looked at Wil. Allison poked him with her elbow. ¡°I read about it in a book. It¡¯s a custom here in Iks¡ªyou see, there isn¡¯t much land in this country to bury the dead. So when someone dies, he or she is buried in a large stone coffin, only to be dug up again after some time to retrieve the body. The family of the deceased then cleans and polishes the body with their own hands and keeps the remains in their home.¡± ¡°Thank you for sparing me the trouble of explaining. Yes. The people here are my ancestors. They¡¯ve given us the bed of earth so that we could also return to it in the future.¡± ¡°I understand. We must politely behave as the guests.¡± Benedict said. ¡°¡­Um, hello. Sorry for screaming just now.¡± Allison said, greeting the small skull nearest to her. The woman¡¯s gaze softened very slightly. ¡°Take a seat.¡± The woman carried the lamp into the middle of the room and asked Allison, Wil, and Benedict to sit at the round table in the middle. They all did so, with the lamp on the table. The woman went back upstairs and returned with a bottle of water. Allison, Wil, and Benedict poured some into the cups stacked upside-down on the bottle and drank. Once everyone had calmed down, the woman turned to Allison and Wil. ¡°First of all, who are you? Why did you come to our village?¡± Allison did not even try to hide her indignation. ¡°We were just here as tourists when the old woman at the building by the steeple knocked us out! Then we were locked up in a cell! We just barely managed to escape. We¡¯re the ones who want to ask questions!¡± Wil placed a hand on Allison¡¯s shoulder as she complained furiously. ¡°We don¡¯t know why they tried to lock us up. But all we want to do is leave this village as soon as possible and head back to Mushke.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have any answers for you.¡± The woman said cooly, and turned to Benedict. ¡°You know one another, right? Could we all talk together, then?¡± Benedict nodded. ¡°Yes. This is Wilhelm Schultz and Allison Whittington. I was looking for them in order to play together. I told you my name before. My name is Benedict.¡± Benedict turned to Allison and Wil. ¡°Allison, Wil, this lady is a person I met at the village entrance before. After, I knew that you were at this village. So I hid my way into the village and saw you exiting from a house.¡± He turned to the woman. ¡°Saying that, I do not know your real name. Please tell me your name.¡± The woman thought for a moment, then replied, ¡°Fiona. Please call me Fiona.¡± ¡°Miss Fiona. Your name is not in Sou Be-Il, but it is very beau-¡± ¡°Can we get to the point?¡± ¡°I understand. But I want to ask you one question before. Are there any other people in your home¡ªer, house?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ve lived with my grandfather all my life, but he passed away earlier this year.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Back to the point.¡± ¡°Yes. Let us go back to the point. Do you want to go to the capital? You said you want to go to the capital before, when you and I met at the village entrance.¡± The woman named Fiona nodded firmly and resolutely. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t care how¡ªif you agree to take me to Kunst, I¡¯ll help you escape the valley. I can¡¯t just up and leave on my own, so I¡¯ll sneak out with you.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll get ready now.¡± ¡°Please wait. Today is too hard. We should sortie tomorrow. So please hide us three people in here tonight.¡± Wil hung his head, defeated. Allison shrugged. Fiona did not understand. ¡°Why can¡¯t we go today? The capital is far away¡ªwe should leave as soon as possible.¡± Allison and Wil listened in silence. Benedict replied, ¡°Because I am now sleepy.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!¡± ¡°I am kidding you. Was it not funny? Then I will not kid you. It is snowing. It is nighttime. If we cross a wide and iced lake in this condition, we are killing ourselves. A strong army soldier cannot do it. Do you want to see someone die?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Fiona shot Benedict a look, but she slowly shook her head. ¡°Saying that, we will sortie tomorrow. We must pray that the snowing stops in the morning. After we leave the valley, we will find my aerosan. We will ride it to the Kunst and, if we are hurried, we should change to an aeroplane on the way to the capital. It is amazing, no? We will arrive very fast on an aeroplane.¡± Fiona looked dubious. ¡°Can we really? Could we really leave in the morning and arrive by tomorrow afternoon? Aeroplanes are flying machines, right? Where would you find something like that? And do you know anyone who can drive one?¡± She asked one question after another. Allison glanced at Benedict next to her, and replied, ¡°You don¡¯t know Benedict, do you?¡± ¡°Amazingly enough, no.¡± Benedict replied with a delighted grin. As Allison, Wil, and Benedict looked at her curiously, Fiona stuttered. ¡°Wh, what?¡± ¡°I see. So you¡¯re the hero who discovered the mural. I apologize if I offended you.¡± ¡°No problem. It is not something I should brag with my own mouth. Saying that, these two people¡ªouch.¡± Allison stomped on Benedict¡¯s toes. ¡°¡ªPlease do not worry about an aeroplane. Can we sortie at dawn tomorrow? Can we sleep in this house tonight? If we sleep outside, we can freeze and die.¡± Fiona nodded. ¡°All right. You can stay here until morning. I¡¯ll bring you some blankets, and some food and water¡ªalthough it won¡¯t be hotel-class. Is that enough?¡± This time, Benedict nodded. ¡°Negotiation successful. Thank you very much.¡± ¡°Um¡­ Fiona, could I ask you a favor?¡± Wil said. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do you have a telephone, by any chance? I came to this country on a school trip, and I¡¯m sure the others are worrying about me at the hotel in Mushke. I¡¯d like to contact them if at all possible¡­¡± Fiona shook her head. ¡°There aren¡¯t any telephones in this village. We have an emergency radio, but that¡¯s over in the village hall.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be easier if you just give up, Wil.¡± Allison said mercilessly. Benedict raised his hand. ¡°I have one question as well.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Why do you want to go to the capital?¡± Benedict continued. ¡°I would like to know why. I have two reasons. One reason is because if you teach me, I might be able to help you. I could take you to where you want, or help you to do what you want.¡± Fiona stared silently. Then she spoke. ¡°And the other reason?¡± Benedict laughed sheepishly. ¡°The second reason is curiosity. I want to know because of curiosity. I want to know what you are doing. Allison and Wil will want to know, also.¡± Allison spoke up. ¡°I don¡¯t really care myself.¡± She sounded sincerely uninterested. Wil quickly cut in. ¡°We won¡¯t really mind if you decide not to tell us.¡± He said, covering for Allison. Several seconds of silence later, ¡°I see¡­ But you¡¯ll find out anyway once we get to the capital, so I suppose I could tell you now.¡± Fiona said cooly. ¡°Although I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll believe me.¡± She took out a piece of paper from her pocket. She put the lamp aside and opened up the crumpled paper on the table. ¡°Ah. You saw this paper and cried¡ªer¡­ surprised. Is this paper the reason?¡± Allison glanced, and Wil stared at the piece of paper. ¡°It¡¯s an advertisement for the rally in the capital.¡± Wil said. ¡°Yes. I want to go to that rally. I want to show myself to everyone there.¡± Benedict and Wil exchanged glances. Wil let Benedict ask the question on both their minds. ¡°May I ask you in detail? What will you do when you show yourself?¡± ¡°I am going to let them know that I exist. That I¡¯m still alive.¡± Both Wil and Allison looked at Fiona. Her face was set. ¡°Who are you?¡± Benedict asked. Fiona closed her eyes, clutching her right hand in a fist over her chest. Several seconds of silence later, Fiona looked up and spoke, sensing the weight behind each and every syllable. ¡°I¡­ I am the princess of Ikstova.¡± Volume 2 5 — The Entrusted Ones Volume 2 Chapter 5: The Entrusted Ones ----- ¡°What do you mean, Schultz isn¡¯t back? At this hour? Who went into town with him this afternoon?¡± ¡°It was me, sir.¡± ¡°What in the world is going on? You were supposed to stick toge-¡± ¡°THAT¡¯S MY LINE, SIR!¡± ¡°Ack! Let¡¯s not raise our voices, now. What happened?¡± ¡°Damn that Wil! He told me he¡¯d be back by dinnertime and left without me, asking me to keep my mouth shut!¡± ¡°What, on his own?¡± ¡°No, sir. We ran into some of his friends by coincidence on the way back to the hotel. We had a fun chat and got invited to their country house.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re saying that Schultz went along with them?¡± ¡°They said I could come too, but I declined. I tried to stop Wil, sir. I really did. Then he said he¡¯d just go without me, and asked me to cover for him.¡± ¡°Schultz asked you to cover for him? ¡­In any case, it¡¯s already dinnertime. Why is he still not back?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯d like to know. Maybe he¡¯s going to stay the night there. It¡¯s getting dark, and it¡¯s started snowing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not acceptable. If he were to get into trouble, what would we say to his parents?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir. He doesn¡¯t have any.¡± ¡°Ah, of course. ¡­Now, are you absolutely certain that Schultz did such a thing? You¡¯re not lying to me, are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m offended, sir. How could you not trust your own student?¡± ¡°¡­Other students, perhaps, but you¡­¡± ¡°Then how else would you explain Wil being gone? Did I kill him and dump his body in the lake, do you think?¡± ¡°No, well¡­ ahem¡­ my word. I would have believed the story if you were the one absent, but to think Schultz would do something so audacious¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean, sir?¡± ¡°Or perhaps you killed Schultz and buried him somewhere? That sounds much more likely than¡ª¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m going to get angry, sir.¡± ¡°Enough of this farce¡ªyou¡¯re actually Schultz, aren¡¯t you? My eyesight isn¡¯t what it used to be, you know.¡± ¡°¡­Can I hit something, sir?¡± * * * Just as Wil¡¯s friend and the teacher were talking at the hotel. Large snowflakes poured from the pitch-black sky, covering the valley. There were torches burning at every door; light was leaking out the windows. The village was glowing. Inside a certain house deep within the village, Allison, Wil, and Benedict were hiding in the basement. Fiona had brought them three mattresses¡ªthey took off their coats and sat comfortably against the walls. There were blankets spread over the thin folding mattresses. There were even more blankets folded neatly in a pile to the side. There was a single lamp on the table. ¡°We can finally breathe slowly. Today was a very fun day.¡± Benedict said in Roxchean. ¡°Oh? Don¡¯t you mean ¡®busy day¡¯?¡± Allison replied in Roxchean. ¡°No, I mean it was a fun day. I haven¡¯t done things like this in the past half year.¡± Benedict answered in Bezelese. ¡°I¡¯m going to follow her to the end. Once we escape the village, I¡¯m taking her to the capital. You two don¡¯t need to force yourselves to come¡ªespecially you, Wil. You¡¯re here on a school trip.¡± ¡°That aside, do you believe her?¡± Allison asked. ¡°At this point, whether she really is the princess or not doesn¡¯t matter. What do you think, Wil?¡± ¡°I agree with you.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Allison groaned. Earlier. ¡°So you¡¯re living in hiding? That sounds cool.¡± It had been ten full seconds of silence since Fiona made her shocking declaration. Allison was the first to speak. Wil, taken aback by both Fiona¡¯s statement and Allison¡¯s assumption, turned. Benedict spoke up. ¡°Allison. That is a little different. I do not know details, but this country¡¯s Highness and her family passed away ten years before. That is what I heard.¡± ¡°What?¡± Allison blurted out, astonished. ¡°Is that true? Wil? I thought this was a kingdom.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I learned as well. That there was a fire in the royal palace ten years ago, and that everyone lost their lives. That Iks was a kingdom in name only.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s going on here?¡± Allison wondered. All eyes were on Fiona. ¡°There was one survivor¡­ Me. Would you believe me?¡± There was no answer. Fiona continued. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°How do your villagers think?¡± Benedict asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell a soul. And I don¡¯t intend to. But I¡¯m going to announce my identity at the rally tomorrow so I can declare it to as many people as possible. Everyone is keeping an ear out for the referendum, and the rally will even be broadcast on radio. That¡¯s why I need your help. And that¡¯s why I¡¯m helping you now.¡± Fiona finished coldly. ¡°That¡¯s my answer.¡± There was another period of silence. ¡°I understand. Thank you.¡± Benedict finally replied, and immediately shifted his tone. ¡°Now, everyone. Let us get sleep for tomorrow. But everyone, aren¡¯t you hungry? I worked out very much this afternoon, so I am very hungry.¡± Allison and Wil agreed, loudly and meekly respectively. ¡°I¡¯m getting hungry myself. All right. I¡¯ll make you dinner, just as I promised. Don¡¯t come trying to help¡ªit would be awful if someone spotted you. Wait in here.¡± Later, the four of them ate the dinner prepared by Fiona. Quite a bit of time passed after Fiona went upstairs. When she finally returned, she was carrying a large pot with a double-layered base. Inside the lower compartment was burning coal that kept the contents of the pot warm. In the upper compartment was a dish of vegetables and bacon boiled in cheese melted with white wine. There was little conversation around the dinner table. After the meal, Fiona brewed them tea. Then, Benedict took the lead to thank Fiona for the meal and compliment her cooking. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I had a meal like this.¡± Fiona answered, cleaning up the plates and taking them back upstairs. Allison thought for a moment and asked, ¡°You two don¡¯t think she¡¯s telling the truth, do you?¡± She sounded neither suspicious nor sarcastic¡ªAllison was being quite sincere. ¡°Well, she doesn¡¯t have any proof.¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite surprised myself. I don¡¯t know what to say. But it would really be something if she really is the princess.¡± ¡°Or¡ªand I¡¯m sorry to suggest this, but¡ªmaybe she¡¯s delusional, and only thinks she¡¯s the real princess.¡± ¡°That¡¯s also a possibility. But let¡¯s keep the conjecture for tomorrow, once she¡¯s revealed everything. We¡¯ll think about it once we¡¯ve escaped the village. For tonight, all we need to know is that she¡¯s the one who gave us shelter.¡± Benedict said. Allison and Wil nodded. Suddenly, they head the sound of footsteps. The hatch opened, and Fiona entered. She was carrying a small lamp, a dirty piece of cloth, and a wooden case. ¡°Will this suffice, Mr. Benedict? It¡¯s my grandfather¡¯s old toolkit.¡± Benedict got up. He took the box and examined its contents. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s here. Thank you. I will use it well. And please the lamp as well.¡± Benedict took out an oiling tool from the kit. He brought his case from the corner of the room and pulled out the submachine gun. He placed the gun on the case and the cloth, next to the lamp, and began to take the gun apart. Fiona watched, fascinated. Allison reached over and picked up the magazine pouch. Two of the magazines were still full. ¡°So you did have a weapon after all.¡± Allison grumbled. ¡°I remembered now. Saying that, I had the weapon.¡± Benedict said, not sounding sorry in the least. Allison put the pouch back, astonished. Benedict took apart the submachine gun into two main parts¡ªthe barrel and the body. He oiled the parts and polished them with the cloth. Fiona watched silently. Eventually, as Benedict was finishing up, Fiona spoke up quietly. ¡°Have you ever killed someone?¡± Benedict glanced at her and nodded. ¡°Yes. But that time, if we wanted to protect our lives, there was no other method.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Fiona replied. She then continued. ¡°If¡­ hypothetically, if I wanted to kill someone, do I just have to point the gun at him and pull the trigger? Is it¡­ is it difficult?¡± ¡°It will depend on the person.¡± Benedict answered. He finished putting the submachine gun back together, and placed it back in its case. Fiona went back up the steps, opened the hatch, and reached outside. She retrieved something she had left upstairs and brought it to Benedict. ¡°Will you teach me how to use this?¡± She was holding out a messenger bag. Benedict took it and opened it, tilting it towards the lamp to see inside. Inside the heavy bag was the large handgun Fiona had been carrying earlier. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Benedict took out the gun. He attached the grip to it, and took out a wooden stock that was used to secure the gun to the shoulder so it could be aimed like a rifle. Because the gun was mounted into it, this model was also known as a holster stock. Other things were also inside the bag, including a case of ammunition and several empty magazines. ¡°Grandfather hid the fact that he owned things like this. I only found them after he passed away, while I was cleaning his bedroom. I don¡¯t even know where the bullets are supposed to go. Or if this gun is still usable.¡± Benedict took up the gun. He took out the magazine and pulled on the slide. Once he was certain that the gun was not loaded, he examined it from every angle and checked its functions. When he pulled the trigger, the hammer came down with a click. ¡°This is not broken anywhere, I think.¡± ¡°Then will you teach me?¡± Benedict smiled. ¡°No. I will confiscate it like this.¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡± ¡°There is nothing good from you having a gun. You will be hurt.¡± Fiona was stunned. Benedict looked her in the eye. ¡°And you will never be necessary to use this gun. You must not. The Highness must not swing a gun in front of so many people.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Wil.¡± ¡°Y, yes?¡± Wil looked up, not expecting to be called. But he quickly stood, passed by Allison, and went over to Benedict and Fiona. ¡°Saying that, I will loan this to Wil.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± ¡°If something bad happens, use this to protect your and Allison¡¯s bodies. Of course, it is good if you never use it. Or think of it like a heavy protecting talisman.¡± ¡°¡­All right. I¡¯ll hold on to it.¡± Wil received the messenger bag and returned to his seat. Allison leaned over and looked inside. ¡°Miss Fiona.¡± Benedict said. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Before, you said, ¡®if I wanted to kill someone¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes. I did.¡± ¡°Even so, you do not have to kill. You must not kill. But instead,¡± Benedict paused. ¡°I will hit him. I will ouch him with my fist.¡± Fiona¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­You¡¯ll ¡®ouch¡¯ him?¡± ¡°Yes. I will ouch him.¡± Benedict replied, dead serious. ¡°All right. ¡­Thank you.¡± Fiona replied, smiling. She began to chuckle. Benedict looked on as Fiona laughed, and quietly whispered to Allison in Bezelese. ¡°That is how you say ¡®punch¡¯ in Roxchean, right? ¡®I will ouch him¡¯?¡± ¡°It certainly is.¡± Allison replied without a hint of sarcasm. * * * The flickering light of the lamp faintly lit up the skulls laying by the wall. Even the sound of the howling snowstorm outside was largely muted in the basement. Three mattresses lay side-by-side on the floor. One was empty. On the mattress next to it sat Benedict, who was leaning against the wall. On the last mattress was Wil, curled up in a ball with his blanket wrapped over his head. He was fast asleep. Next to him was Allison, lying in a very similar position. They looked much like a pair of bagworms. The hatch opened, and Fiona came downstairs with a lamp in hand. Benedict looked up and held a finger over his mouth. Fiona extinguished the lamp on the table and placed a pack of matches next to it. She then sat on the mattress next to Benedict¡¯s, placing her lamp on the shelf next to her. ¡°Are they really asleep?¡± She asked quietly. ¡°Yes, I believe they are asleep.¡± Benedict replied. A little earlier. All of a sudden, Wil said that he was sleepy. Allison agreed. Fiona told them that the tea they drank at the village hall was one that the villagers often drank to help them get to sleep. She also told them that the tea had no negative side-effects, but that its effects must still be lingering. Benedict told Allison and Wil to get to sleep. Fiona told them where to find the bathroom upstairs. They snuck into the bathroom and back, one at a time. Wil picked up one of the blankets and picked out a mattress. He asked if one person should take one mattress. Fiona nodded. ¡°Will you sleep up in your room, Miss Fiona?¡± Benedict asked. To everyone¡¯s surprise, Fiona shook her head. ¡°These are the only spare mattresses I have. I don¡¯t want to sleep upstairs and have the other villagers find out I didn¡¯t do as they told¡ªI¡¯ll just sleep in the chair here.¡± ¡°I cannot permit that.¡± Benedict insisted on sleeping on the floor, but Fiona was adamant that she could not let a guest do so. They argued back and forth for quite some time. ¡°This is ridiculous.¡± Allison finally said, and threw a glare at Wil, who had been watching quietly. ¡°You¡¯re so dense, Wil!¡± ¡°Wh, what?¡± ¡°Move over!¡± ¡°Huh? Ow.¡± Allison bent down and pushed Wil down, to one side of his mattress. She then placed a blanket over the fallen Wil, and picked up another blanket for herself and sat down right next to him. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Problem solved! Good night, everyone.¡± Benedict and Fiona watched in awe as Allison flopped down onto the mattress. ¡°Now go to sleep, Miss Fiona. We have to sortie in early morning tomorrow. I am confident in waking up early tomorrow. I will wake up everyone with no mercy.¡± Then, Benedict added that he would also go to sleep. Fiona brought her blanket over to the mattress at the very end, took off her shoes, and arranged them neatly by the mattress. Her gaze was briefly drawn to the small skull on the ledge. It was the one Allison had greeted. ¡°Um¡­ may I ask you something?¡± Fiona asked quietly. Benedict also replied quietly, careful not to wake the others. ¡°Yes? What is your question?¡± ¡°When you went from being an ordinary soldier to a hero¡­ People began to treat you differently, didn¡¯t they?¡± Benedict nodded. ¡°Yes. Very differently. I, who was a normal countryside air force pilot one day suddenly became an historical hero. Everyone looks at me with curious eyes. My rank jumped upward three levels like I died in battle. Friends and comrades I played with suddenly became very very far.¡± ¡°Was it¡­ painful?¡± ¡°Yes. It was painful sometimes, to be honest.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Fiona averted her gaze. But Benedict continued. ¡°But¡ªthere are people who look at me completely without change. It is because there are extremely complicated and complex reasons. But I was happy to meet the two people again.¡± Fiona glanced over at the two, curled up like a pair of bagworms. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Saying that, after you have done what you want to do, I might have three people like that.¡± ¡°Right¡­ I hope so. Thank you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s sleep. It is time to say good night.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Fiona blew on the lamp. The basement was engulfed in darkness, the silence broken only by the sound of blankets being pulled over. ¡°Good night.¡± Said Benedict. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve had a chance to say this.¡± Fiona said. ¡°Good night.¡± * * * The endless curtain of snow suddenly weakened overnight, and came to a stop before dawn. Early-morning stars began to sparkle in the sky, now nearly empty of clouds. In the pitch-black basement, Benedict checked his watch. The phosphorescent hands glowed dimly in the dark. ¡°It¡¯s almost time¡­¡± He slowly pulled back his blankets and quietly sat up. Putting on his coat, Benedict walked slowly and groped around the table. He found a match and lit it, then lit the lamp. The room was instantly filled with light. The first sight to greet Benedict today was the skulls lined up on the shelf. ¡°¡­¡± With a wry grin, he exhaled. His breath escaped his mouth in a visible puff. Rolled up in blankets on the mattress next to his was a black-haired woman. He turned. Two people were lying on the mattress behind him. ¡°¡­¡± Benedict¡¯s eyes narrowed in amusement as he stared at them for some time. He then crouched down next to Fiona and stared at her sleeping face. Eventually, he glanced at his watch and shook his head in defeat. He lightly shook Fiona¡¯s shoulders. Fiona opened her eyes. Looking at Benedict, she blinked several times before sitting up. ¡°Have you slept well, Miss Fiona? It is a bit quite early, but it is now the morning.¡± Benedict said. ¡°Thank you. Did sleep all right?¡± Fiona asked, slowly getting up with her blanket over her shoulders. ¡°Look there.¡± Benedict said, gesturing with his eyes at the mattress at the end of the room. Fiona momentarily burst into laughter. ¡°Hah hah hah¡­!¡± Wil was lying straight, pinned between the mattress and the blanket. There was an uncomfortable look on his face. Atop him was Allison. She was lying perpendicular to him, with her stomach on his. Her blanket had fallen to the floor, under her knees, and her coat was on top of it. And for some reason, as Allison lay with her arms in front of her, she was wearing Wil¡¯s coat. Her face was pointing to the side, nearly impossible to see under her messy golden hair. But Allison was still asleep. Benedict and Fiona looked on for some time. ¡°Actually, the way Allison sleeps¡­¡± Benedict began, whispering. ¡°¡­That way is bad for your back.¡± ¡°¡­Is that the problem here?¡± ¡°Well¡­ should I wake the two people up?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to watch a little longer, but we don¡¯t have time.¡± ¡°I understand. Let¡¯s wake them.¡± Benedict crouched down next to Wil and shook him by the shoulders. Wil¡¯s eyes snapped open. ¡°Oh¡­ good morning.¡± Wil said in Bezelese. ¡°Morning. Have you slept well?¡± Benedict replied in Bezelese and Roxchean. Then, ¡°I will leave the last person to Wil.¡± With that, Benedict stepped aside. Wil looked up at the girl laying across his stomach. ¡°Ah. I knew something felt heavy.¡± He mumbled nonchalantly. It almost sounded like he was commenting on the weather. Wil took hold of his coat¡ªthe one Allison was wearing¡ªand began to shake mercilessly. ¡°Allison! Wake up!¡± Allison¡¯s blond hair slid in front of her face from the impact. But Wil continued to shake her by the shoulders. Eventually, Allison sat up without warning. She sat on her knees for a few moments and slowly turned, looking at the now-freed Wil. ¡°Good morning.¡± Wil said to her. ¡°Oh. Good morning.¡± Allison answered reflexively. Her long blond hair, spilling over Wil¡¯s coat, was a tangled mess covering half her face. Her visible eye was also half-closed. ¡°¡­¡± Allison looked around herself. ¡°Hm¡­? Where are we?¡± Wil thought for a moment before answering mischievously, ¡°We¡¯re going to be late for dinner, Allison. We¡¯re already out of time. I guess we won¡¯t get to eat tonight.¡± Several seconds later. ¡°WHAT?! Stupid stupid stupid Wil! Why didn¡¯t you wake me up earlier?!¡± She cried indignantly. ¡°Because you always get angry at me if I try to wake you up.¡± Wil replied matter-of-factly, holding back a yawn. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you?! You have to wake me up anyway! Now we¡¯re both going to be late for food!¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯m good. And we¡¯ll spilt the punishment.¡± ¡°Argh¡­ how could you be so relaxed?! This is why you¡¯re always you! Stupid, stupid, stupid!¡± ¡°All right, all right.¡± ¡°Once is enough!¡± ¡°All right.¡± At that moment, Allison went silent like a finished clockwork toy. As soon as Wil pulled his feet aside, Allison plopped onto the mattress and fell right back to sleep. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Benedict and Fiona watched, first in amusement, then in shock. ¡°We used to do this all the time. We¡¯d tire ourselves out playing during the day and pass out. Then we¡¯d wake up too late for dinner. Allison¡¯ll be up soon.¡± Wil explained. Thirty seconds later. Allison slowly sat up. She was scratching her head with her right hand, worsening the tangles. Her eyes were half-closed. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°What are we supposed to be doing today, Allison?¡± Wil asked. Allison pushed her hair out of her eyes and looked at Wil, Benedict, Fiona, and the skulls lying in a neat row on the ledge. ¡°Um¡­ let¡¯s see¡­ right. We¡¯re taking the princess to the capital.¡± ¡°Good morning, Allison.¡± ¡°Good morning, Wil.¡± It was almost light outside. Everyone got ready. Allison and Benedict put on their wristwatches and synchronized them. Along with Wil, they tightly wrapped their coats around themselves, put on their hats and gloves, and tied their boots around the ankles so snow would not seep inside. Benedict put his submachine gun in its case. Wil slung the bag with the handgun around his shoulder. Neither were prepared to open fire immediately. Wil did not even load his magazine. Fiona was dressed in the same clothes as yesterday, though with Benedict¡¯s suggested addition of fur gloves and a hat. The four sat around the table, eating the bread, jam, and hot tea Fiona prepared for them. They made plans for their escape. Benedict drew a simple map of the village on the back of his poster. ¡°There is a very hard barbed wire in the forest beside the village. And here is a hole I made. It is right from the house in which Allison and Wil were jailed. The hole is about three hundred meters beside the house in which Allison and Wil were jailed. There are about four houses in the way. When we go inside the forest, we will not be able to be seen from the valley until we go to the lake entrance.¡± ¡°Right. But how are we going to get into the woods without anyone noticing? This strawberry jam is to die for, by the way.¡± Said Allison. Fiona thanked her. Wil blew on his hot cup of tea and listened carefully. ¡°First, Miss Fiona must go out and look. Are there some people walking around? This is Stage 1. Because it is winter, there are usually not quite many people outside at this time.¡± ¡°And? Pass me a piece of bread, Wil. Thanks.¡± ¡°If there are no people outside, we must move to the forest with Miss Fiona. We must be careful so they can¡¯t see us.¡± Benedict said. He then scooped up a large spoonful of jam and stirred it furiously into his tea. Fiona¡¯s eyes turned to dinner plates. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Oh. In my country, we drink like this. It is delicious.¡± Wil added that some people in the West drank their tea this way. Benedict continued. ¡°Normally, we place jam on a dish and eat it beside our tea. But soldiers do not like slowness, so we put them together. Sweets help you be less tired, so we pilots enjoy them.¡± Fiona cringed. ¡°Even if I ever become a pilot or go Cross-Mountain¡­ I doubt I¡¯ll ever do that.¡± ¡°Er¡­ let me go on. The road is visible clearly from the house. So we will move in a line on the snow when we are going to the forest. We will hide our bodies.¡± ¡°How?¡± Fiona asked. Benedict replied. ¡°I have a very good plan. It is the plan used many times by the military.¡± He took a sip of tea. ¡°Delicious.¡± * * * The sun was rising, but it was still dark. The deep snow fallen overnight, and the dim sky growing steadily brighter. There was no one to be seen in the village. Houses covered in thick blankets of snow stood silently in a light fog. There was no wind, no chirping of birds. The torches in front of the houses¡¯ doors had all been extinguished, and no one walked the streets. ¡°A good plan, huh.¡± Allison mumbled. ¡°Quiet, Allison.¡± Wil whispered. Something was squirming along the fields of snow. Small mounds of white, making their way across the white canvas. Though difficult to see, there were signs of snow being scattered in their wake. Allison lowered her voice even more. ¡°A snowscape camouflage plan? These are just bedsheets.¡± Four objects were squirming through the snow. They were people covering themselves with bedsheets. Fiona had prepared the sheets for everyone. They had their feet tucked into the folds, moving awkwardly while looking ahead through small openings in the front. They moved for a distance, then stopped, then began to move again and stop. Benedict was in the lead, followed by Fiona, then Allison, with Wil bringing up the rear. They had traveled about a hundred meters since leaving Fiona¡¯s house. Being in the lead, Benedict cleared their way through the snow while watching their feet as well. When they reached an embankment by a field, Benedict scattered snow over himself and slowly slid down first. The others followed after. Four mounds of white gathered under the small slope, huddling together in conversation. ¡°Are you all right? Are your backs not hurt?¡± Benedict asked. The others shook their heads. ¡°We are half to the end. Let us be strong.¡± With that, Benedict continued to lead. Slowly but surely, the sky grew bright. The four mounds carefully passed by one of the houses. ¡°It¡¯s going better than I expected. I¡¯m impressed.¡± Allison said quietly. The mounds pressed forward. Eventually, they passed by a large tree and arrived at another embankment covered with a heap of snow. Benedict stopped and carefully poked his head out of the sheets, surveying his surroundings. He then slowly withdrew behind the cover of the embankment. There were fifty meters to the forest now. There was a single house standing in their way. To their left was the village hall and the steeple¡ªthe center of the village. Benedict waited for Fiona, Allison, and Wil to catch up with him before speaking. ¡°There is one house past this pile of snow. And there is one middle-aged man outside the house. The man is holding a rifle. The man must be the guard. This is not a good situation.¡± Fiona cut in quickly. ¡°Don¡¯t shoot any of the villagers. Don¡¯t kill anyone. Do you understand?¡± ¡°I understand, but I do not want us four to be shot. No matter what, I think we need your help, Miss Fiona.¡± ¡°What are you planning?¡± Benedict whispered something to her. He then gestured for Wil to come over. ¡°Please give back that handgun. In trade, I will give you this submachine gun.¡± The man was standing next to the house with a rifle slung over his shoulder. He looked to be over forty years of age, and was wearing winter coveralls, earmuffs, and a pair of gloves as he sat on a simple chair in front of a wooden wall. His gaze was locked on the upper side of the village. Suddenly, something moved in the snow-covered field next to the house. Though surprised at first, the man quickly stood and took his rifle in his hands. ¡°¡­¡± As he stared a hole through the snow, someone came forward with his hands in the air. He was followed by Fiona. ¡°Please don¡¯t shoot.¡± ¡°Fi?¡± The man gasped, lowering his rifle. The man with his hands in the air was a stranger, whose hat was firmly pressed over his head. Fiona was standing behind him, holding him at gunpoint. ¡°Walk faster.¡± She said, giving the man a push on the back. The man lost his balance and rolled down the pile of snow. Fiona carefully made her way down after him. The villager looked on in shock. ¡°Get up and walk. Stop over there.¡± Fiona forced the man to the front of the house. ¡°Wh, what happened, Fi? Who is this?¡± The villager asked. Fiona slowly approached him. ¡°I heard a strange noise on the first floor this morning and went to see what it was. That was when I found this man rummaging through the pantry. He listened to me once I pulled out my gun. This is the man you were talking about yesterday, right? Are there any others?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The villager was lost for words. ¡°I wonder if this is going to work.¡± ¡°Who knows¡­?¡± Wil and Allison poked out their heads from behind the piles of snow, still covered under the bedsheets. Fiona had forced Benedict to the house, and was now talking with the middle-aged man standing guard there. ¡°Wil. If this doesn¡¯t work out, fire away on your submachine gun. We¡¯ll make our getaway in the commotion. What do you say?¡± Wil suddenly felt the full weight of the submachine gun on his back. ¡°No. Fiona said we shouldn¡¯t shoot the villagers.¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that.¡± ¡°And how¡¯re we going to cross the lake without Benedict¡¯s aerosan?¡± ¡°True.¡± As they watched, Fiona deftly snuck the gun over to Benedict. He immediately held the villager at gunpoint. Fiona grabbed the astonished man¡¯s rifle. ¡°Mission complete.¡± Benedict said, punching the man in the solar plexus. The man collapsed in a heap. ¡°All right!¡± Allison cried, ready to leap out of the snow. At that moment, the villager fell to the ground. And, Clang! Clang! Clang! The cacophonic sound of empty tin cans clattering together echoed through the valley. Fiona flinched at the noise and turned to Benedict, shrinking back. ¡°Wh, what is this?¡± ¡°Look at this man¡¯s back.¡± Fiona did as Benedict instructed. There was a white line attached to him. The line was tied under his arm, and was connected to a tin pail. The pail was rigged to clatter if the man fell. ¡°Amazing. The villagers are incredible.¡± Benedict mumbled in Bezelese. ¡°They¡¯re on to us! Run!¡± Wil and Allison cried simultaneously. They flung aside the bedsheets and leapt down the slope. Allison slid down expertly. Wil rolled. ¡°Wh, what do we do?¡± Fiona asked, clutching the rifle. Benedict jammed the empty handgun into his pocket and received the rifle. ¡°They¡¯ve certainly found us.¡± He then pulled out the bolt, a component necessary for opening fire, and tossed it into the distance. ¡°So let¡¯s run!¡± The moment Benedict spoke, the door opened and three men in their forties rushed outside without even their jackets. Benedict pushed Fiona ahead of him to keep her safe. Fiona reached the wall and climbed up the pile of snow that had slid down the roof. Benedict followed after her, carrying the rifle. ¡°Stop!¡± The men cried as they gave chase. Benedict reached the top of the mound of snow and turned. The moment the first of the men began to climb, Benedict said in Roxchean, ¡°I am very sorry.¡± Then, he took the rifle in both hands and slammed the stock against the diagonal support under the eaves. The support bent slightly. That was enough. Unable to withstand the weight of the snow, it broke. The eaves folded as the snow atop them fell in waves. ¡°Urgh!¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± The two men who were reaching for Benedict were buried in the snow. Four feet stuck out of the pile, struggling to move. Once the snowfall ceased, Benedict met the third man¡¯s gaze. ¡°Save them fast, please. They can suffocate to death.¡± The man paled at the reminder and began to desperately dig at the snow. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We will give the rest to that man.¡± Benedict said to Fiona. He threw aside the rifle and gave her a push on the back. Allison and Wil quickly caught up to them. Benedict pointed at the forest ahead of them. ¡°Run run run! Let¡¯s escape!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me twice! Let¡¯s go, Wil!¡± Through the deep snow, they made a desperate run for the woods, with Allison slapping Wil on the back and Wil being slapped on the back. At the stone steeple. Underneath the sharpened roof was a small space surrounded by four straight pillars. Though the area was actually used for lighting a beacon fire, this time two men were standing there. One was a white-haired man who was already past sixty. The other was a tall, bald man who looked to be well over eighty. Both were holding rifles¡ªrifles equipped with scopes for hunting and sniping. The older man knelt with one foot in the front, and took aim. Through the scope he could see people fleeing. A man leading a familiar woman by the hand. The crosshairs overlapped with the side of his face. The old man hooked his finger onto the trigger. Having waded furiously through the snow, Allison, Wil, Benedict, and Fiona were only three meters from the tree at the forest entrance. There was an explosive noise, like a whip cracking right next to their ears. It was followed by the sharp sound of gunfire. Benedict fell forward without warning. Fiona, following after him, almost trampled him. ¡°Duck!¡± Benedict howled, sitting up and pulling Fiona onto the snow. Allison followed suit, pushing Wil to the ground from behind and ducking down next to him. ¡°Pfft! What was that?¡± Wil asked, spitting snow out of his mouth. Benedict said to Fiona, whom he had pulled to the ground. ¡°They are firing.¡± ¡°They¡¯re shooting at us.¡± Allison said to Wil, whom she had pushed to the ground. There was another sound, accompanied by gunfire. Snow spewed into the air from right next to Benedict. ¡°Let¡¯s crawl on our stomachs. Behind that tree over there.¡± Benedict said, giving Fiona a push. The two of them crawled across the snow and huddled behind the tree. Benedict poked out his head from the shadow of the tree and surveyed the direction of the village. ¡°Move faster! Duck your heads!¡± Soon, Allison and Wil crawled over the snow, with Allison spurring on a teary-eyed Wil. Benedict beckoned them behind the tree and looked back at the village. He could not see the men they buried in the snow. The steeple was visible to their far right. ¡°That¡¯s where they¡¯re shooting from¡­¡± Benedict mumbled. At that moment, a bullet shot through the trunk. Splinters flew. Benedict withdrew behind the tree and grumbled. ¡°Damn it.¡± Another bullet. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just shoot the man? It doesn¡¯t matter who he is¡ªwe could just say he died in an avalanche.¡± The steeple. The white-haired man was talking to the older man. The older man did not answer, instead driving another bullet into the tree trunk. He then pulled back the bolt with unbelievable fluidity, removing the empty casing and loading the next round. ¡°We can not let her see such a grisly sight. We can kill the man later. Send the others in their direction.¡± The old man said, taking aim at the tree. ¡°Understood, Elder.¡± The village elder pulled the trigger again. He did not reload. He quickly exchanged his gun with the one in the white-haired man¡¯s hand. He took aim at the tree again. Behind the unfortunate tree being pummeled by gunfire. Benedict was clinging to the back of the trunk. Huddled behind him was Fiona, with Allison and Wil lying on their stomachs behind them. Benedict quickly looked around at the woods, searching for the tree he had felled last night. ¡°¡­¡± And he found it. ¡°Miss Fiona.¡± He said. ¡°Wh, what is it?¡± ¡°You have a white-colored handkerchief, correct? Please let me borrow your handkerchief.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? W-were you hit?¡± ¡°No. I am fine. The problem is that my handkerchief is green-colored.¡± ¡°What?¡± Another shot pierced the tree trunk. Fiona flinched. ¡°I will surrender with a white-colored flag.¡± ¡°Why?! We¡¯re nearly there¡ªwe¡¯ll make it into the woods if we run for it!¡± Fiona cried. Benedict quietly shook his head. ¡°I just checked and confirmed it. The hole I made is completely covered. They already knew my plans from the start. They certainly missed us on purpose when they were shooting their guns at us. We are in a corner. They must think I kidnapped you or persuaded you, Miss Fiona.¡± ¡°¡­Why would anyone want to kidnap me?¡± ¡°Have you ever borrowed a big sum of cash from the people?¡± Benedict asked with a chuckle. Fiona replied with utmost gravity. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Do you hear me, Allison? Wil? We are going to surrender. Is that all right?¡± ¡°Y, yes.¡± ¡°Fight to the bitter end!¡± Wil and Allison replied simultaneously. ¡°In favor, two. Against, one. No vote, one. The democracy means we are going to surrender.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Allison frowned and clicked her tongue. ¡°I am sorry, Miss Fiona. I did not know that the villagers here are very skilled. After we surrender, please explain to the villagers. And¡ª¡± ¡°And¡­?¡± ¡°In exchange for taking you to the capital, we got food and mattresses to sleep. But I did not protect your promise. I am sorry. I want to apologize and pay you back some day, so please come to my home.¡± Benedict said, handing a small note to Fiona. ¡°¡­¡± Fiona looked at the note incredulously. Then, she slipped it into her pocket with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it for now, but I can¡¯t guarantee I¡¯ll need it yet.¡± ¡°I feel very complicated.¡± Benedict replied. It was nearly day. The icy-cold blue of the sky towered over the white valley. About forty people carrying rifles, handguns, planks, and shovels approached the woods. Most of them were in their forties or older. Among them were the man Benedict had knocked out, the men buried in the snow, and even the woman who tricked Allison and Wil at the village entrance. Allison, Wil, Benedict, and Fiona poked out their heads from either side of the tree and looked on. Shots had not been fired since Benedict took out and waved the white handkerchief. ¡°Everyone here is old.¡± Allison commented in spite of the situation. ¡°I¡¯m the only young person in the village. I¡¯ve always had to play with the adults, ever since I was little.¡± Fiona said. Wil listened to Fiona as he watched the villagers draw near. Benedict handed him the empty handgun. Wil quickly slipped it into his bag. The villagers were lined up before the forest. Eventually, a bald man¡ªwho arrived later than the others¡ªaddressed the people behind the tree. ¡°Good day, everyone. Please, come on out.¡± ¡°Well, I do not think they will shoot suddenly come now. Let¡¯s go.¡± Said Benedict, slowly getting to his feet. ¡°I don¡¯t believe this. I¡¯ll get in trouble if I don¡¯t join up with my unit today.¡± Allison grumbled from behind. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I wonder if they¡¯ll lock us in the basement again?¡± With that, Allison took Wil¡¯s hand and helped him up as he was lost in thought¡ªor rather, she forcibly pulled him to his feet. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure they don¡¯t.¡± Fiona said, stepping out into the open first. She took off her hat and gently fixed her messy black hair. She held out her left hand as though protecting the others behind her. ¡°If you¡¯re going to shoot these people, you¡¯re going to have to go through me.¡± The villagers exchanged shocked glances. The elder spoke up. ¡°We have no intention of shooting them. We just want to ask them some questions. Come over to us, Fiona. Leave the rest to us.¡± Fiona smiled. ¡°No.¡± A wave of worried confusion spread throughout the crowd. ¡°Stop getting in my¡ªin our way.¡± ¡°Wh, what are you saying, Fiona?¡± Said the plump woman who met Allison and Wil at the village entrance, stepping forward. ¡°Those outsiders must have said something to trick you. Please, Fiona¡ªdon¡¯t act like that. Please listen to the Elder.¡± ¡°No. And don¡¯t call me Fiona. That¡¯s just what everyone here calls me.¡± ¡°What do you¡ª¡± The woman froze mid-sentence. As the villagers looked on in shock, Fiona spoke. ¡°My real name is Francesca. And I am the princess of this country.¡± Fiona said no more. She stood there resolutely, with the villagers frozen in shock before her. The clear morning sky, mere minutes before daybreak, was a beautiful dark blue. ¡°I wonder how they¡¯ll react?¡± Allison wondered. ¡°Who knows?¡± ¡°Who knows¡­?¡± Benedict and Wil replied quietly. An old man stepped forward. ¡°Did those people tell you that? That you¡¯re not actually a country girl, but the princess who died in the fire ten years ago?¡± It was the tall, bald man¡ªthe village elder. Fiona shook her head. ¡°I figured it out myself. No¡­ I remembered it myself.¡± Several seconds of silence followed before the elder spoke again. ¡°Then what are you going to do?¡± ¡°I asked these people to take me to the rally at Kunst today, so I can reveal the truth. These people agreed. This man here is the hero who discovered the mural. He said he¡¯ll take me to the capital by aeroplane. I¡¯m going to announce my survival in front of the entire city. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll make the radio broadcast, too.¡± Fiona answered. The villagers held their breath. But the elder looked Fiona in the eye, unflinching. Time passed in silence. Not even the wind howled through the valley. The elder finally closed his eyes in defeat. ¡°Do as you wish, Fiona.¡± The villagers turned to him, bewildered. ¡°Elder!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious, sir!¡± ¡°Elder!¡± ¡°Chief!¡± The elder lightly waved off their fears. ¡°Fiona is twenty years old now. She has grown into a fine adult. We are not to interfere with her actions, whatever they may be. Am I wrong?¡± No one could respond. The elder took a glance around the crowd and turned back to Fiona. ¡°Fiona.¡± ¡°Yes, Elder?¡± ¡°You heard me. You are free to choose your own path. But remember this¡ªif you go to the capital, but fail to accomplish your goal¡­¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°¡­Then come back to this village, Fiona. This valley is yours. This village is yours. We will all be waiting for you, no matter what you decide to call yourself.¡± Fiona nodded sadly. ¡°Thank you, Elder¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here, Wil?¡± Allison and Wil were looking at one another in confusion. The former was poking the latter in the side. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ yet.¡± Wil replied. ¡°Mr. Hero.¡± The elder said to Benedict, standing behind Fiona. ¡°You said you¡¯d take Fiona to the capital. Can we take that to mean that you¡¯ll also take responsibility for her safety?¡± Benedict nodded. ¡°It is the soldier¡¯s duty to protect people. I will protect Miss Fiona, without worrying who she is. I promise it as an officer of the Sou Be-Il Royal Air Force.¡± ¡°Then I have nothing more to say. Fiona. Are you ready?¡± Fiona nodded. The elder called over one of the men¡ªthe bearded fifty-something man who had lied to Benedict the other day. The elder ordered the man to take Fiona and her party to the lake. The man, who had a rifle slung over his back, nodded. ¡°This way, please.¡± He said, sounding surprisingly deferential. Benedict stood by Fiona and put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Can we go?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Side-by-side they began to walk toward the villagers. The villagers parted, making a way for them. The two slowly made their way through the path. The villagers watched in silence, each and every person looking just about ready to cry. Benedict turned. ¡°The two people over there, too.¡± Wil and Allison finally snapped out of their reverie. Exchanging glances, they quickly followed after Benedict and Fiona. They awkwardly walked through the path cleared by the villagers. Allison suddenly spoke up. ¡°Oh! My bag!¡± A middle-aged woman quickly produced Allison¡¯s bag from a sack. The man standing beside her spoke. ¡°This is yours, isn¡¯t it? We¡¯re terribly sorry.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t touched anything inside. Your Air Force-issue gun is in there, as well. We saw your identification. You really were from the Roxchean military, weren¡¯t you? It was our fault we mistook you for an intruder. Please forgive us.¡± ¡°Huh? ¡­What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°We¡¯re so sorry. Please, take care of yourself.¡± The middle-aged woman said, handing Allison her bag. ¡°Wha¡­? Thank you.¡± As Allison took the bag, astonished, the man spoke again. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure to send your car back to the military by today. Where should we take it?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, umm¡­ to Mushke, please.¡± ¡°I understand. We¡¯ll have it sent to the Mushke postal office.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re so terribly sorry.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Allison was confused. Wil watched the villagers in silence. Soon, they made it to the end of the path cleared by the crowd. The villagers watched the five people depart. Their eyes refused to lose sight of them, even as they disappeared down the slope of the road. The man leading Fiona and the others said absolutely nothing until they left the valley and reached the lakeshore. Fiona wiped away tears once or twice along the way. When Benedict quietly handed her his green handkerchief, she accepted it. Not even Allison, walking at the very back, said a word. The atmosphere wouldn¡¯t allow it. On occasion she looked at Wil, walking next to her in careful thought, and pulled him back onto the road whenever he went astray. When they were nearly out of the valley, the sun rose above the eastern mountain ridge. The light shining down on the Central Mountain Range instantly changed angles, hitting the frozen lake in the hollow. ¡°Argh¡­ this is way too bright.¡± Allison complained, putting on her sunglasses. The group left the valley and stepped down onto the lake. The frozen plain stretched endlessly before them. Benedict turned to the place where he had parked his aerosan. ¡°What¡­?¡± He frowned. There was nothing there. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Fiona asked from behind. ¡°Er¡­ I, hmm¡­ This is very strange.¡± The bearded man pulled the rifle from his shoulders. ¡°Please excuse me. Cover your ears.¡± He said to Fiona. Waiting for her to follow his instruction, he fired two shots into the air. Soon, they heard a single gunshot from the distance. The man fired again. ¡°Please give us a few minutes. Our friends will be here with the aerosan.¡± Benedict shook his head with a bitter grin. ¡°What?¡± Allison asked. ¡°Er¡­ well¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You all are very skilled. I can only be surprised.¡± Benedict said to the man. The bearded man did not reply; he only glanced at Benedict. Soon, two horses carrying one man each emerged from behind a ridge connected to the lake, pulling the aerosan behind them. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that from this side?¡± Allison asked. Wil asked her what she meant. She explained that the aerosan was a vehicle used by the Roxchean military for traversing snow-covered areas. Benedict explained to Fiona that they would take this vehicle to the encampment near Mushke. The bearded man said something to the two men who brought the aerosan over. The two men looked at Fiona in shock, but their surprise quickly gave way to sadness as they nodded. The men untied the ropes they used to haul the aerosan and pulled off the cloth used to protect it from snow. One of the men went inside to do something, and came back out. ¡°We¡¯ve put things back so the fuel tank is connected and the battery is usable.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Benedict climbed inside. Allison and Wil peeked in. ¡°Squeeze in a little more.¡± Pushing Wil into the corner of the tiny aerosan, Allison followed with her legs bent before her. Benedict put his submachine gun in the shelf. He then called to Fiona. ¡°Let¡¯s sortie.¡± Fiona looked back at the three men. ¡°Thank you all so much.¡± The men said nothing, only smiling gently. The bearded man gave his hand a light wave, beckoning her to go. Fiona ran to the aerosan, took one more look at the men, and climbed inside. She poked her head out of the hole in the roof and waved at the men. She watched them wave back at her. ¡°Ready? Are you sat down? Are the doors locked?¡± Benedict asked the cramped trio. ¡°It will be a little noisy, but please endure it for a short time.¡± He started the aerosan. Several loud roars later, the engine sputtered to life and the propellers began to spin. It slid across the morning lake, roaring across the ice. The aerosan disappeared into the distance, spraying snow in its wake. The bearded man finally broke his silence as he watched. ¡°She¡¯s gone. ¡­To think that we¡¯d have the honor of seeing her away.¡± The three men lowered the rifles they had slung on their shoulders. Holding their rifles with both hands, they held them over their chests toward the departing aerosan. ----- Volume 2 6 — Fakes Volume 2 Chapter 6: Fakes ----- The blue roofs of the city and the frozen lake. And the tents of the Sou Be-Il Royal Air Force, erected a hundred meters from the lakeshore. The sun shone brilliantly over the city and its residences. The little aerosan made its way across the lake and toward the city, scattering snow in its wake. Benedict brought the aerosan to a stop in front of the guard station. He then turned off the engines. Fiona opened the door and stepped outside first. The guard on standby was shocked. By the time Allison and Wil followed Fiona out, the guard was flabbergasted. Benedict was the last to disembark. The guard finally saluted. ¡°Good work today. Take care of the aerosan¡ªthe gun is inside.¡± Benedict saluted back and pointed at the aerosan. ¡°Yes, sir. Umm¡­ about your pa-¡± ¡°My passengers? They¡¯re important guests of mine. We¡¯re going in.¡± Benedict said curtly, and gestured for the others to follow him. They passed by the surprised guard and entered the encampment on the ice. ¡°What will you do, Allison and Wil?¡± Benedict asked. Allison, still wearing her sunglasses, responded. ¡°Hm? What do you mean?¡± ¡°The capital, I mean. They will soon prepare me an aeroplane. Will we go together? But Wil might be difficul- I mean, troubled. You do not need to try too hard. I will make contact with you later.¡± Allison answered. ¡°Well, we¡¯re feeling pretty tired now. I guess we could¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡± Wil cut in. Allison turned, bewildered. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you. Take me along.¡± ¡°Is that so? What will you do about school in that case?¡± Benedict asked, amused. Wil¡¯s answer was simple. ¡°Who cares?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Allison gaped at Wil as though he were a creature from outer space. ¡°I understand. And you, Allison?¡± ¡°Huh? Of course I¡¯m coming along!¡± ¡°Very good.¡± Allison went up to Benedict and whispered to him¡ªin Bezelese. ¡°You know, I really don¡¯t like sitting in the passenger seat. And we really don¡¯t want to play third and fourth wheel. So, uh¡­ could you get another plane ready for us, Major?¡± Benedict thought for a moment, and asked Fiona for her understanding¡ªas he could not express such a complicated answer in Roxchean, he would speak in Bezelese for a moment. He then turned back to Allison. ¡°To be honest, that might be difficult. Even I can¡¯t ask the men to prepare a craft for a pair of outside personnel. Asking for one craft is a challenge already.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Allison sighed. But Benedict continued. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I might be able to ask them to warm up two crafts so I can decide later which one I want to fly.¡± ¡°Oh, really? And?¡± ¡°Miss Fiona and I will take off on one of them, but make an emergency landing because of engine trouble. Once everyone rushes over in a panic, there might not be anyone left in the hangar area for a while. Then some sneaky outsider might end up commandeering the second aeroplane. That won¡¯t be good.¡± ¡°It¡¯d certainly be a disaster.¡± ¡°Yes. But once everything is finished and I explain the situation, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get off with just a pay cut and a demotion.¡± ¡°I see. You know, I¡¯ve always wanted to try that two-seater you flew before. Will I ever get a chance, do you think?¡± ¡°I hope so. Nice weather today, don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°It¡¯s certainly nice today.¡± As Wil watched the pair whispering excitedly, Fiona came over to him. ¡°What are they talking about?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t hear them very well from here, but from the look on Allison¡¯s face, I think¡­ she must be¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Fiona asked. ¡°¡­She must be up to no good.¡± Wil replied. ¡°Welcome back, Major.¡± ¡°Good work, Captain. Ah, these people are my guests.¡± In front of Benedict¡¯s tent, they ran into the bespectacled captain. Standing in a row behind Benedict were Fiona, Wil, and Allison. ¡°We received shelter at a nearby village last night. Apologies for not contacting the camp overnight. In any case, I¡¯d like to take my friends out on a flight.¡± Benedict said. ¡°P, pardon?¡± The captain stuttered. ¡°I was thinking of going on a sightseeing flight. I¡¯m not sure yet if I want to take everyone on the new observation model or my own craft, so I want you to prepare both. Right now.¡± Benedict said matter-of-factly. The captain was clearly flustered. ¡°P, please, sir. The crew spent all day yesterday doing maintenance on the crafts for departure tomorrow. If you take them out today, our schedule¡ª¡± ¡°I understand that, Captain. You¡¯ll just have to have the technicians work on them overnight today. Get the crafts ready.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± Benedict glared, holding up his pointer finger. ¡°Captain. This is an order from a superior officer. Bring both crafts out of the tents and warm up the engines. That is all. Be quick.¡± Benedict did not even wait for an answer to his command. With a glance at the captain¡¯s clearly uncomfortable expression, Allison went up to Benedict. ¡°Looks like your reputation¡¯s going to take a hit, Mr. Hero.¡± Benedict smirked. ¡°I¡¯m only a fake, anyway.¡± ¡°Not at all¡ªyou aren¡¯t to me and Wil, at least. And maybe to her, too.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Suddenly, he found himself meeting Fiona¡¯s worried gaze. He walked over to her. ¡°Umm¡­ Are you sure this is all right? Won¡¯t you get in trouble if you do this?¡± Benedict smiled in reply. ¡°Yes. I will be in big trouble for doing something which I am not supposed to do.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Fiona could not come up with a response. Benedict continued. ¡°But Miss Fiona. If you have to choose from what you want to do, that is going to the capital, and getting me in trouble, which would you pick?¡± ¡°...Take me to the capital.¡± ¡°I understand. Let us prepare.¡± Benedict led the three to his tent. In front of the rectangular tent. Two aeroplanes were pulled onto the ice side-by-side. One was the vibrant green craft that Benedict had flown the other day. There was a beacon drawn on the side of the fuselage, modeled after the mural. The other craft was the new observation model Benedict chose. It was used for observing areas that had been accurately bombed, simple scouting missions, or transportation of personnel. The observation craft was a little longer than the fighter craft, but in terms of design it lacked the sleek agility of the fighter. The frame was a murky green, tinted with brown. There was cloth draped over it. The cockpit was narrow, and housed a small engine. On either side of the frame were flat windows. On top were the main wings, which looked rather like a pair of long plank. The landing gear sticking out from under the frame was installed, not with wheels, but skis. Multiple supports crisscrossed the gap between the landing gear and the main wings. The repair technicians got to work on the two crafts, looking quite disgruntled. They checked the fuel and the securing devices, and one technician climbed into each of the cockpits to warm up the engines. The propellers began to spin. ¡°I can hear the engines. Let us wait the shot time and sortie.¡± Benedict said as they sat inside the tent. Over his black uniform he wore a leather aviator jacket, which was thinner than his coat. He was holding his uniform hat. Allison was holding a leather aviator hat, a pair of goggles, and a white muffler. ¡°Thanks for letting me borrow these.¡± ¡°You are welcome. There are no windshields in that aeroplane. It will be very cold. Please be determined before you fly that aeroplane.¡± Wil was wearing Benedict¡¯s flying coveralls. He tied the ends that were a little long for him, and wore an aviator jacket that Benedict had borrowed for him. Wil was also carrying a Sou Be-Il Royal Air Force-issue aviator hat, goggles, and muffler. ¡°I understand. But Allison will be flying the second craft, right? ...Is this really okay?¡± Wil asked nervously. ¡°It¡¯s going to be all right.¡± Allison said. The four walked up to the two aeroplanes in front of the tent. The engines had been shut off, and the planes were ready to fly. The soldiers glanced nervously at them as they passed by the other tents. The female soldiers whispered quite audibly amongst themselves, anxiously speculating about the woman walking next to Benedict. ¡°Well, please do not worry.¡± Benedict said to Fiona. ¡°This¡­ this is all right.¡± She replied. ¡°I understand. Now, that will be the plane we ride on.¡± Benedict made his way to the observation craft. Thanking the bemused soldier who reported the completion of preparations, he ordered the soldier to climb down to make room for him and Fiona. Benedict opened the door on the right side of the cockpit, which was quite high up, and sent Fiona inside first. He followed after. He shut the door, and sat on her left. They put on their seatbelts. Benedict opened the triangular window on the side of the cockpit and stuck out his head, checking his surroundings. Then, he started the engines. The two propellers broke out into a spin. The lightweight craft trembled as it began to taxi. As forty or so soldiers watched, the observation craft headed for the communications tent. It moved slowly and smoothly between the red-and-white pylons on the ice. ¡°Hm? Weren¡¯t you going to join the major?¡± Asked the bespectacled captain, noticing that Allison and Wil were watching from next to the repair technicians. ¡°The lady who came with us hasn¡¯t been on an aeroplane before, so the major¡¯s going to give her a gentle tour first. Once they come back, he¡¯s going to take us on the fighter craft one at a time for some acrobatics.¡± Allison lied with a smile on her face. ¡°I see¡­ May I ask a question? Who is that woman who came with you?¡± Wil answered. ¡°We can¡¯t say yet. But you¡¯ll know soon. I guarantee it.¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡± The captain mumbled. At that point, the observational craft passed by the communications tent and went into full throttle. It lifted off the ground after a very short taxi. The craft ascended for a time. But suddenly, the engines cut out. ¡°What?¡± As the soldiers watching the flight broke out into anxious whispers, the craft¡¯s main propeller stopped. The aeroplane broke out of its ascent and fell, making a landing on the ice. It continued forward for some time, before finally coming to a sideways stop. ¡°Oh no¡­¡± ¡°Are they okay?¡± ¡°No one¡¯s coming out¡­¡± ¡°The engines cut out!¡± ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go and help.¡± One person finally said, and with that as the signal, the soldiers scrambled towards the observation craft. About twenty people traversed the frozen lake to reach the aeroplane. Those who remained had their eyes locked on the craft in worry. Allison looked around. Making sure that almost no one in the makeshift hangar was watching, and that the people near the second plane were all distracted by Benedict¡¯s craft, she tugged on Wil¡¯s sleeve. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Never mind. Let¡¯s go.¡± Allison and Wil went behind the frame of the aeroplane and crouched out of sight. Telling Wil to wait there, Allison climbed under the plane. She unfastened the craft and returned. ¡°Climb up and take a seat. Put on your seatbelts and fasten the radio mic. You remember the order, right? Once you have your seatbelts on, give me a signal. Okay?¡± ¡°Huh¡­? Right.¡± ¡°Then go! Now!¡± With that, Allison climbed up to the cockpit, using the wing and the foothold on the side of the frame. Wil followed after her and struggled into the back seat. Allison fastened her seatbelts in the blink of an eye and brought the microphone to her mouth. She put on the headphones and put her aviator hat and goggles atop them. As Allison finished preparations, Wil re-adjusted the bag on his shoulders and finally put on his seatbelts. ¡°I¡¯m done with the seatbelts.¡± He said to the front seat, and put himself to work in setting up the radio. Just as he was putting the microphone next to his throat, the engine came to life, spewing fire. With a deafening roar, the aeroplane slid forward. The soldiers turned in shock. For a moment, they watched the craft taxi right by their eyes. ¡°S, stop! Who¡¯s on that craft?!¡± A large sergeant first class in his thirties cried. A young soldier replied that they were guests of the major. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I saw them climb on, but I thought that might be all right¡­¡± ¡°And you call yourself a soldier?! They¡¯re taking a Royal Air Force aircraft! Sh*t! Someone give me their car keys!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be borrowing this.¡± Allison said to the confused soldiers on her left, though they obviously could not hear her. She turned to her right. Pylons were set up in a straight line leading to the side of the communications tent. In the distance, the propellers on Benedict¡¯s observation craft were beginning to spin again. ¡¸Allison, can you hear me?¡¹ Wil asked via the communication device connecting the two seats. ¡¸I hear you. Are you ready?¡¹ ¡¸I just need to put on my hat and goggles.¡¹ ¡¸Put ¡®em on tight, okay? We can¡¯t have them flying off.¡¹ ¡¸All right. Anyway¡­ is it really all right to take the aeroplane like this?¡¹ ¡¸Sure. The major gave us permission.¡¹ Benedict¡¯s craft began to taxi once more, taking to the air in the blink of an eye. The soldiers running toward the observation craft stopped, relieved at the sight of the plane taking off again. Then, they noticed the second plane rushing in their direction and leapt off the runway in panic. And in confusion at the identity of the pilot. Allison raised her seat as much as she could for a good field of vision and continued to taxi down the runway. But just as she made it halfway¡ª A truck cut in from the side, stopping in the middle of the runway, scattering snow in its wake. The large sergeant first class was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, shouting something. Obviously, Allison could not hear him. He was bellowing, ¡°You¡¯re not getting away!¡±. ¡°Hey! Move!¡± Naturally, the truck sat steadfast in the middle of the runway. ¡°Wh, what is he up to?!¡± Allison complained, pushing her engine further. The plane sped up. Angling the nose slightly to the right, Allison taxied the plane along the edge of the runway. Then, she made a hard left. The rear wheels of the plane slid as the craft did a 180. ¡¸What¡¯s going on, Allison?¡¹ ¡¸The runway¡¯s been blocked!¡¹ ¡°Huh?¡± Wil turned. The first thing he saw was a truck. There was a well-built man in front of it, saying something to the other soldiers. Everyone was rushing their way. ¡¸What¡¯s going on? It looks like the repair technicians are coming after us.¡¹ ¡¸They are.¡¹ ¡¸What? Why?¡¹ ¡¸Because no one gave me permission to fly this craft! Me and the major just came up with this trick! Argh, we were so close, too!¡¹ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Move! Move!¡± The aeroplane passed by the hangar and the soldiers, and crossed the encampment with a roar of the engine. The soldiers watched in shock. ¡¸Wh, what do we do now?¡¹ ¡¸The runway¡¯s a no-go.¡¹ ¡¸Then could we go off to the side and use the ice?¡¹ ¡¸The problem is, they piled up snow on either side of the runway when they cleared it. We can¡¯t get off the runway.¡¹ ¡¸What? Then...¡¹ Allison looked out at the vast field of snow and ice. ¡¸That¡¯s right! We¡¯ve got all that space in front of us, but we can¡¯t use an inch of it!¡¹ ¡¸Then... could we head into town and find ourselves a makeshift runway?¡¹ The aeroplane had left the encampment, and was on a path leading straight into Mushke. Snow was piled up on either side of the road. There was a soldier standing blankly next to the guard station. ¡¸We don¡¯t have enough distance.¡¹ ¡¸Allison. There¡¯s a truck coming after us.¡¹ Allison turned. It was just as Wil said. ¡¸Argh! We can¡¯t turn back now! ...Even if we make it into the city, there aren¡¯t any straight roads in there.¡¹ ¡¸No. The roads are wide, but they zigzag through the city.¡¹ ¡¸Why couldn¡¯t they have been more considerate?!¡¹ Allison howled. ¡¸They were.¡¹ Wil answered earnestly. The observation craft was flying comfortably overhead. ¡°What? What¡¯s going on?¡± Benedict watched in shock as the aeroplane on the ground headed to the blue city. A truck was driving up behind them. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± He muttered. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Fiona asked, finally breaking her silence after going quiet during takeoff. There was a very small gap between their seats, and they were sitting nearly shoulder-to-shoulder. The roar of the engines was loud, but not enough to make conversation impossible. ¡°It is nothing. ...But we might in the end go to Kunst in a pair.¡± With that, Benedict put on his headphones. ¡¸Allison, can you hear me? You¡¯re heading toward the city right now.¡¹ ¡¸I know that!¡¹ The voice on the radio reached Wil as well. He cringed at Allison¡¯s screeching. ¡¸Could you do something about those people coming after us?¡¹ Allison asked. But Benedict¡¯s answer was cold. ¡¸No. Is there anywhere without snow piled up?¡¹ ¡¸If there was, we¡¯d be in the air by now!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s unfortunate. ...I¡¯ll land somewhere and you two can come onboard. We have two passenger seats left.¡¹ ¡¸Argh, dammit! We were so close! We even managed to taxi down the runway! My reputation¡¯s going to take a nosedive!¡¹ Allison wailed. Wil chimed in. ¡¸Your reputation hasn¡¯t even taken off yet.¡¹ Benedict heard Wil¡¯s comment. He chuckled wryly. The city on the lakeshore approached rapidly. Ahead of them was a ramp. The road led past the docks and into the downtown area. ¡°Nosedive¡­ nosedive¡­ That¡¯s it!¡± Allison¡¯s eyes lit up as she looked out at the city from behind her goggles. ¡¸Wil! Wil!¡¹ ¡¸Wh, what is it?¡¹ ¡¸The map of Mushke! Do you remember it?¡¹ Wil shut his eyes for a moment, then opened them. ¡¸I think so.¡¹ ¡¸Then could you give me directions?¡¹ ¡¸Where to?¡¹ ¡¸That place you were supposed to go to today!¡¹ ¡¸Y, yeah¡­ I think so. But¡ª¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m counting on you!¡¹ ¡¸Huh¡­?¡¹ Allison gave the left throttle lever a gentle push. The propellers began to spin faster. The aeroplane rushed even faster toward Mushke. ¡°Sir! They¡¯re not stopping!¡± The young soldier driving the truck said to the indignant sergeant first class. ¡°Follow them anyway!¡± The sergeant first class roared. Benedict looked down from the observation craft. ¡¸Allison? What are you planning?¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯re getting out of the city and taking off. That is all!¡¹ ¡°But how?¡± Benedict surveyed the ground. White roads zigzagged through the blue roofs. ¡¸Which way, Wil?¡¹ Wil had unbuckled his seatbelts and was sitting on the frame to see. The wind from the propellers sent his muffler billowing behind him. Wil hooked his legs through the seatbelts so he wouldn¡¯t fall, and hung onto the frame with one hand. His face was pale. ¡¸T, take the first right!¡¹ With its main wings spread wide, the fighter craft began climbing up the ramp. Allison pulled the throttle slightly. The plane went forward at walking speed, entering the city. Houses were on either side. The roar of the engine filled the streets. Soon, they came to an intersection. Allison veered to the right. ¡°Move! Out of the way! Coming through!¡± Allison cried loudly. An elderly woman sitting on the steps in front of a store looked up at the noise. The aeroplane passed by the astonished woman. The shadow of the wing passed over her head. ¡¸All right! Which way next, Wil?¡¹ ¡¸Take a left at the second intersection. Then follow the road in a zigzag pattern for a while.¡¹ ¡¸Got it!¡¹ ¡°Sir! What do we do? They¡¯re in the city!¡± Asked the soldier in the driver¡¯s seat. The truck had ended up following the plane into the streets as well. The aeroplane sped ahead of them, making a turn with a spray of snow in its wake. ¡°Follow them! Just keep going after them! They¡¯re bound to run into a dead end sooner or later!¡± Next to the window of a house by the street. A young boy was next to a round window in the stone wall. He was about five years old. The boy sat kneeling, looking down at the streets with his elbows on the frame. From one side came the roaring fighter craft. Its engine filled the street with noise. ¡°Wow¡­!¡± The boy¡¯s gaze went from left to right. ¡°Talk about a loud car¡­¡± The boy¡¯s mother said from further inside the house. The boy turned. ¡°Mommy! There¡¯s an aeroplane on the road!¡± His young mother appeared, wiping her hands on her apron. The boy leaned forward, staring at the disappearing fighter craft. ¡°No, no, sweetheart. Cars drive on the road. Aeroplanes fly through the sky.¡± His mother said with a smile. The boy moaned in confusion. Then, he smiled. ¡°But it was just like an aeroplane!¡± ¡¸Make a left at the big street ahead! It¡¯s a tight corner¡ªd¡¯you think you can make it?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s not the issue here! We either make it, or we don¡¯t!¡¹ The aeroplane continued down the narrow streets. There was almost no gap between the tips of either wing and the houses on the roadside. Passersby gaped as they looked up at the fighter craft. The road met the large street at an angle. To their right was a very tight corner. About thirty meters before the intersection, however, a bus emerged from the left. ¡°Hey! You there! Stop that bus! Aeroplanes have right of way!¡± Allison cried. The bus started, but quickly stopped. The driver looked on incredulously. ¡°All right!¡± Allison gave the throttle a gentle push. ¡¸Sit down, Wil! Make sure you don¡¯t fall off!¡¹ Just before the intersection, she pulled the throttle. Making sure that there was no one on the right side of the street as the tip of the wing passed by the corner of the house, she stepped firmly on the right pedal. The plane veered to the right. ¡°Whoa!¡± Back in his seat, Wil held tightly onto the left side of the frame and resisted the centrifugal force. The left shock absorber was compressed, and the one on the right expanded. The frame, tilting to the left, resisted inertia and returned to level position with the rear wheel sliding sideways. The nose was pointed directly at the middle of the street. ¡°What the heck was that¡­? Whoever¡¯s piloting that thing is good.¡± Wil¡¯s friend, sitting next to the driver of the bus, mumbled to himself. A truck rushed after the fighter craft. ¡¸Amazing¡­ excellent work, Allison.¡¹ Said Benedict. ¡¸Thank you!¡¹ The craft barreled down the street. People turned at the sound and scrambled to get away. ¡°Sorry! Get out of the way!¡± ¡¸What are you going to do now? All you¡¯ve got ahead is a winding mountain road leading to the pass.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m making a left before that. Do you know anything about this country¡¯s geography?¡¹ Benedict gasped. ¡¸...I see. But...¡¹ ¡¸Major, I have a question. D¡¯you think we could pull it off with this craft? Will it be okay?¡¹ ¡¸The craft will be fine. But that¡¯s all I can guarantee.¡¹ ¡¸Then that¡¯s that!¡¹ The aeroplane left the street, the truck chasing after it. On either side were snow-covered forests. The road led to the pass in a gently upward slope. ¡¸You¡¯re amazing, Wil! Now get back in your seat and buckle up!¡¹ Wil did as he was told and fastened his seatbelts in the shaking aeroplane. For some time, the road went on. Then, they encountered another road to their left. The road went diagonally in a gentle upward slope. On a little road sign buried in snow were the words [To Slankalans Viewpoint]. The aeroplane made a left. Allison pushed the throttle lever and taxied the plane up the cleared road. ¡¸Wil! You know what I¡¯m going to do, right?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ve got an idea¡­ a terrifying one.¡¹ ¡¸Then I¡¯m going to tell you something, in case we fail.¡¹ ¡¸What is it?¡¹ ¡¸¡®Sorry I messed up¡¯! Okay! I apologized in advance!¡¹ ¡°¡­¡± Wil looked up at the sky. Benedict¡¯s observation craft was cruising comfortably through the air. He mumbled to himself. ¡°I never wanted to get into a mess like this¡­ whether it was this month or this time next month. ¡­Why didn¡¯t I just volunteer for that other plane?¡± There was a parking lot at the top of the slope. At the edges of the rather wide lot were signs bearing messages like [Reconsider! There are people who love you.], [Come to us for counseling -The church], [Don¡¯t throw away the lives your parents gave you!]. Beyond the signs were chest-high wooden walls that surrounded the perimeter. And beyond that was nothing. ¡°Sir! They¡¯re heading straight for¡­ uh¡­ the cliff! Slan-something or other. They¡¯re cornered!¡± The young soldier said, driving as fast as he could. The sergeant first class roared in triumph. ¡°Excellent! We¡¯ll catch them for sure!¡± ¡¸The parking lot is empty. You¡¯re free to go.¡¹ Benedict said to Allison as he watched from overhead. ¡¸All right. I¡¯ll be off now.¡¹ The fighter craft made one last turn. Ahead was a straight path leading directly to the parking lot. ¡¸Are you ready, Wil? Buckled in?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. I have my goggles and muffler on tight, too.¡¹ ¡¸Then here we go.¡¹ Allison gave the throttle lever a hard push. The propellers began to spin furiously. The aeroplane sped up as though being pushed, climbing up the slope in one go and sliding into the parking lot. It then got faster. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Allison pulled back the control stick, which she had pushed forward. The plane left the ground for a moment, but it did not have enough thrust to stay afloat. Just as the wheels skidded over the fence, the craft broke into a rapid descent. There was nothing there for eight hundred meters. A great white valley by the nearly perpendicular cliff. A tiny object fell from a corner of the valley. It looked like a grain of dust falling off a table, but that particular piece was carrying two people. ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!¡± ¡°I¡¯d lose my job if I tried this with my unit!¡± The aeroplane fell at a dive, headed straight for the ground, as Wil screamed for his life and Allison cried out excitedly. They were not far from the cliff. From the side, it looked almost like they were on a plane preparing to land. But in this case, the plane was pointed at the ground and the surface passing rapidly underneath was a rugged rock face. As they gained speed with gravity, Allison pulled on the control stick. The surface of the cliff began to grow further. The truck barreled into the parking lot and came to a screeching stop. There was nothing there. There was no one there. ¡°Wh, what¡­? What just happened¡­?!¡± The sergeant first class cried. ¡°YEAH!¡± Allison cried out in delight, pulling back the control stick. She broke out of the dive, returned to level position, then ascended rapidly. They could see the blue sky and the cliff from which they had fallen. ¡°There!¡± Allison pulled the control stick to the side. The plane flew in a loop, and the sky and the ground did a 180 back into their rightful positions. The earth appeared just below the frame. The white viewpoint and the truck passed by underneath. ¡°¡­¡± The sergeant first class looked up blankly at the aeroplane flying overhead. * * * Two aeroplanes flew side-by-side over the city of blue roofs. They were headed south along the lake. ¡¸Sorry to keep you waiting.¡¹ Allison said through the radio, glancing to the side. Benedict returned the glance, looking at their aeroplane. ¡¸That was incredible. I¡¯ll try proposing that as an emergency takeoff maneuver one day.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you. Now, shall we go to the capital?¡¹ ¡¸Before that, let me contact the encampment.¡¹ Benedict changed frequencies and called the communications tent in the Sou Be-Il encampment. The soldier in charge of the radio was lost for words. Soon, the captain answered the call. ¡¸Major! What in the world is going on here?¡¹ ¡¸Captain. I decided that we needed two crafts after all. Do not come after us. I¡¯m not going to explain anything. Over.¡¹ After cutting the conversation, Benedict whispered to himself. ¡°...Wonder if I¡¯ll at least make first lieutenant now.¡± ¡¸Are you still alive, Wil?¡¹ ¡¸Yeah¡­ Barely.¡¹ ¡¸Look! Look at that frozen lake, and the Central Mountain Range! You really get the best views with seats lined up like this.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. They¡¯re beautiful. They are, but¡­ ugh¡­¡¹ ¡¸What¡¯s wrong?¡¹ ¡¸If nothing else¡­ please promise me the landing will be normal.¡¹ ¡¸Got it. Hyah! Inverted flight!¡¹ ¡¸Whoa!¡¹ ¡°Are you all right? Is this aeroplane your first aeroplane flight?¡± Benedict asked Fiona, who was sitting to his right. She nodded stiffly. The aeroplane to their left, which had been flying upside-down, turned right-side-up again. ¡°Are you not cold?¡± This time, she shook her head. ¡°I see. If there is anything uncomfortable, please tell me. Saying that, we will go to the capital.¡± Allison¡¯s fighter craft was flying on the left side of the observation model. They maintained course over the lake so that they could make an emergency landing if the engines gave out, and continued south. They could clearly see streets and power lines. Beyond was a snowbank with coniferous trees dotting the slope. And to the side, rocky, snow-covered peaks that reached even higher than the aeroplanes¡¯ current altitude. ¡¸Hey, Wil.¡¹ Allison called. ¡¸Yeah? What is it?¡¹ Wil answered, enjoying the view. Allison glanced over at the woman sitting in the observation craft to their right. ¡¸Do you really think Fiona is a princess?¡¹ Wil answered that he wasn¡¯t sure. ¡¸I don¡¯t really know, but¡­ even if she isn¡¯t, there must be a reason she¡¯s so desperate to go to the capital. I have no idea what that might be, though. And now that we¡¯ve come this far, I want to know.¡¹ Allison nodded, satisfied, and pressed the call button. ¡¸Yeah. We¡¯ve come this far¡ªmight as well go to the capital and see things through to the end.¡¹ ¡¸Yeah. But what are we going to do once we get there? How will we find the rally?¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t know. Maybe we¡¯ll have to land on the lake again? There¡¯s a Roxchean encampment a little ways away. We¡¯ll ask the major later.¡¹ Flying the observation craft, Benedict glanced at his watch. Them, he checked the fuel gauge and was about to look ahead. ¡°Hm?¡± He noticed Fiona¡¯s left leg trembling to his right. Her right leg, as well. He looked up and saw Fiona, her hands closed over her chest. Her hands were also shaking. Her face was frozen stiff in trepidation and fear, and her eyes were locked on the instrument panel. ¡°You have something very important hiding on your chest, do you not?¡± Benedict said. ¡°What?¡± Fiona looked up, surprised. Benedict smiled. ¡°You put your hand on your chest often. When you saw the advertisement and when you said you are a princess to us.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ you¡¯re right. I¡¯m surprised you noticed.¡± Fiona said, her face still set. ¡°There is no need to worry like you do now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for getting you involved in something like this.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®something like this¡¯? I have the honor of carrying Her Highness of this country.¡± Benedict replied in good humor. Fiona¡¯s expression loosened instantly. Her eyes narrowed and she smiled. ¡°¡­¡± For a moment, Benedict lost himself in her smile. Then, he joined her in a grin. Fiona looked at him and finally spoke, the smile never leaving her lips. ¡°I¡¯m a fake.¡± * * * The observation craft flew over the lake with a pleasant roar, carrying Benedict and Fiona. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I mean exactly what I said. I¡¯m not the real princess. Princess Francesca died ten years ago.¡± ¡°Er¡­ but you are still going to the capital, yes? And in front of many people, you¡ª¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going to lie to them. I¡¯m going to tell them, ¡®I am Princess Francesca!¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­Knowing that well, you still want to do it?¡± ¡°Yes. I do.¡± ¡°...But why did you tell to me that you are fake?¡± ¡°Because¡­ whether my plan works or not, I want at least one person to know the truth.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s all right, could you hear out the rest of my story?¡± Benedict replied, ¡°There is still much time before we arrive in the capital.¡± ¡¸Major, I wanted to ask you something. What are we going to do once we get to the capital?¡¹ He received a message from Allison. ¡¸Sorry, I¡¯m a bit busy right now. I¡¯ll get back to you later.¡¹ He replied, cutting the conversation short. Allison frowned and looked over at the observation craft. Benedict looked flabbergasted. He said something to Fiona, who nodded firmly. ¡°What are they talking about?¡± Allison grumbled. ¡°Incredible¡­ how could it be?¡± Inside the observation craft. Benedict looked up at the sky with his back against his seat, mumbling in Bezelese. He unconsciously pulled back the control stick, and the aeroplane ascended slightly. He quickly realized his mistake and returned the plane to level position. Then, Benedict turned to Fiona and said in Roxchean, ¡°Surprising¡­ I was very surprised. Yesterday and today, many things happened, but this was the most surprising. I have not been surprised this way since I saw first the mural.¡± ¡°So you believe me¡­? Thank you.¡± Fiona said, smiling. Benedict responded in a loud voice. ¡°Of course I believe you! Now I know everything. Who you are, and why you say you are the Her Highness, and the reason why you want to go to the capital. I understand everything completely. I was surprised.¡± Then, his voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°I was surprised¡­¡± Fiona spoke up. ¡°Carr Benedict. You¡¯re a historic hero that everyone admires and trusts. I¡¯m glad that you¡¯re the one who shares my secret. I¡¯m so glad I told you. I feel so much better now.¡± Fiona was wearing a smile full of calm serenity. But Benedict grinned wryly and looked her in the eye. ¡°Wh, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Miss Fiona. I want to tell you one truth also. It is about the heroic action of discovering the mural.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Just like you are not the real Her Highness¡­ I am not the real hero.¡± His gaze turned to the aeroplane flying to their left. ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°Will you endlessly listen to my awful Roxchean?¡± Fiona chuckled. ¡°You said that we still have a lot of time before we reach the capital, right?¡± ¡¸They look cozy in there. What are they whispering about?¡¹ Allison wondered, glancing over at Benedict¡¯s craft. ¡¸Who knows?¡¹ Wil answered without a hint of sarcasm. ¡°I¡­ I see¡­¡± ¡°Yes. The real heroes are the two people Allison Whittington and Wilhelm Schultz, who are flying over there. Another hero is the old man, and after him the noblewoman that helped the two people. I am only the hero after them.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­¡± ¡°Are you disappointed that I am not the real hero?¡± ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m not. I was surprised about those two over there, but you¡¯ve done so much, too. But why are you telling me all this?¡± ¡°Miss Fiona. The people in the world believe I am a historical hero. They treat me like that. That is reality. I¡­ I sometimes hate being a fake hero. I rather want to go back and be a normal person. But I heard your story and changed my mind. Even if I am a fake hero, I am glad I am a hero. Do you know why?¡± ¡°No¡­ why?¡± ¡°Because I have a honor of carrying this country¡¯s Her Highness to the capital to present her to every person. Because I know your secret, it will not be enough to only carry you there. While we are at it, let us make this the show to remember. I have a good idea.¡± ¡°Man¡­¡± Allison cruised slowly as she kept a keen eye on the two on the observation craft. Benedict said something to Fiona; Fiona flinched in surprise, and replied; then she nodded, satisfied. Wil sat behind Allison, looking down with unending wonder at the arc of the lake, enjoying the flight. To his right he could see two shadows moving side-by-side down the surface of the lake. ¡°¡­¡± He then glanced up at the sun, and pressed the call button. ¡¸Allison.¡¹ ¡¸What?¡¹ ¡¸What time is it now?¡¹ Allison looked at her watch and the clock at her seat. ¡¸There¡¯s a bit of time left until lunch. But I¡¯m starting to get a bit hungry.¡¹ ¡¸Me too. But that¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about¡ªit¡¯s going to be Night soon. Is it okay for us to keep flying? It might be dangerous if it starts when we arrive.¡¹ ¡¸Huh? Ohh¡­ That was today. Right. But I can¡¯t exactly ask right now¡ªthe major¡¯s not picking up.¡¹ Allison grumbled. ¡°That is all of my plan. How is it? The choice is up to you. Do you want to try it?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll do it.¡± Fiona answered immediately. Benedict nodded. ¡°All right. Let us succeed for certain. For Her Highness Princess Francesca, who is not in this world anymore.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°That is that, and¡­ I am happy even if this is after everything is done, but¡­ I have a request.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Will you go out with me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let us go out together. A fake hero and a fake princess. Does it not go well together? Before, when I wooed women, I often asked them, ¡®Would you like to go on an aeroplane ride?¡¯¡­ But I cannot say that anymore. I think I must think of other lines.¡± ¡°What¡­? Yes. Let¡¯s. But are you really all right with someone like me?¡± ¡°I do not want anyone but you. You are very beautiful.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ the first time anyone¡¯s said that to me.¡± ¡°The people of your village must have bad eyes. Or perhaps they worried that if you knew you are beautiful, you could tell them, ¡®I will go to the capital and become an actress¡¯.¡± ¡°Really? I always assumed they didn¡¯t want a country girl like me to embarrass them by leaving the village on my own.¡± Fiona said abashedly. Benedict responded, his face the picture of gravity. ¡°You are very beautiful. May I kiss you?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± One person watched as two people kissed inside the small observation craft. ¡°This is not fair¡­!¡± Allison cried, forcing her gaze back to the front. There were the beautiful white mountaintops and the lake, and the clear blue sky. Her craft¡¯s engine roared and its propellers spun loudly. ¡°This is not fair!¡± Allison repeated herself. She glared to her right again. The two people were facing one another. The woman smiled, embarrassed. Allison looked back. Wil was behind her, absently looking down at the ground. ¡¸Why?! Why are our seats lined up like this?!¡¹ Allison cried, accidentally pressing down on the call button as she grabbed the throttle lever. Wil looked up and met Allison¡¯s stare. ¡¸What? You just said this was the best configuration for enjoying the view...¡¹ ¡°¡­¡± ¡¸You were right, Allison. It¡¯s cold, but the view from here is really¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Hold on to your seat!¡¹ ¡°Whoa!¡± Benedict looked forward again. The fighter craft was pulling into an acrobatic maneuver. It broke into a sudden reverse dive, then shot back up again in a corkscrew before falling sideways at the peak. Then, a vertical descent followed by two consecutive loops. Fiona¡¯s head turned twice as she followed the sight. The fighter craft returned to level position and sped up. Each time Allison¡¯s arm, holding the control stick, smashed to the right, the craft rotated 90? to the right and returned to level position after four turns. The craft ascended and descended several times, before finally joining the observation craft again. ¡¸This is Benedict. Allison, do you copy? Is everything all right?¡¹ ¡¸Oh, Major! I¡¯m just fine.¡¹ ¡¸I was more concerned about Wil, actually. He¡¯s still alive, right? Answer me if you¡¯re still there, Wil.¡¹ ¡¸J¡­just barely¡­¡¹ Wil answered in a dying voice. Benedict shrugged and passed a headset hanging from the instrument panel to Fiona. ¡°Put this on.¡± Fiona paused, then put on the headset. ¡¸Allison. Fi is also hearing, so I will speak Roxchean. I will tell you how to do once we enter the capital.¡¹ ¡¸All right.¡¹ Allison answered quickly. Then, ¡°¡®Fi¡¯?¡± ¡°¡®Fi¡¯?¡± She and Wil wondered aloud simultaneously. ¡¸Anyway, what do you have in mind, Major? If we¡¯re going to make a landing on the lake, should I borrow a car from my unit somehow?¡¹ Benedict answered immediately. ¡¸No, you have no need to borrow it. The rally takes place on a balcony in a major street. It is at the end of the rather long and wide path, yes?¡¹ ¡¸Umm¡­ yes. I¡¯ve been there before, when I went to sm- uh, I mean, go shopping.¡¹ ¡¸Of course. Then we are decided. We would like to make a landing there.¡¹ ¡¸What? ...Say that again, Major?¡¹ ¡¸We would like to make a landing there. It is too much time to go from the lake to the downtown, and most of all, we would like to attract much attention. Then it is the best to go there with this aeroplane.¡¹ ¡¸Are you serious?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. I am serious. I decided this with Fi before, when we talked. The princess comes down from the heaven. Isn¡¯t it wonderful?¡¹ ¡°¡­¡± Allison turned to Wil. This time, Wil shrugged. Allison pressed the call button. ¡¸We understand you¡¯re being serious, Major. And we¡¯re not going to object. But the street¡¯s going to be full of people.¡¹ ¡¸Of course, we will ask the people to move from the street. If it is this craft, there is plenty of time to escape while it cruises over their heads before it lands. I will ask them loudly to give me twenty meters of space, and it will work somehow.¡¹ ¡¸But when I went there two days ago, I noticed police officers on security detail on the street. They¡¯re on high alert, seeing as there¡¯s so many people around. We¡¯re flying Sou Be-Il aeroplanes¡ªwhat if we get shot before we even land? Isn¡¯t this really risky?¡¹ Benedict paused. ¡¸Police officers¡­ I understand. It is not very sweet news. I do not care about me, but I cannot allow Fi to be shot with guns. Damn!¡¹ ¡¸Do we really have to go straight into the rally?¡¹ ¡¸Yes.¡¹ ¡¸Then¡­ how about I go in first and lure the police away?¡¹ ¡¸You may still be shot with guns. Er¡­ Hmm. Fi says that we must not be so dangerous. Whether we go on land or sky, we must not kill anyone, she says.¡¹ ¡¸I know that, but¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Night.¡¹ Wil spoke over Allison. He addressed the others via radio. ¡¸It¡¯s going to be Night soon. Couldn¡¯t we use the darkness to fly in covertly?¡¹ ¡°Oh!¡± Allison exclaimed. ¡¸That¡¯s right! We could do that! Wil and I were talking about it just a little while ago. It¡¯s almost time for Night.¡¹ ¡°Night?¡± Benedict wondered, frowning. ¡¸Did you just say ¡®night¡¯? It is only lunch hour. I do not understand¡ª¡¹ Benedict¡¯s voice cut off suddenly. Allison turned, and saw that Fiona was telling him something. She saw Benedict nodding in understanding. Soon, he called back. ¡¸I understand. I know now. That is what you call it in Roxchean. I did not learn that word yet. A ¡®Midday Night¡¯. Wil, do you know the precise time?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. Our class was supposed to observe it from Slankalans, actually.¡¹ Wil replied, and repeated the time. Benedict glanced at his watch. ¡¸That is good. We will proceed with the operation.¡¹ Allison told Benedict everything she knew about the street. It stretched from east-southeast to west-northwest, and was about twenty meters wide. The straight stretch of the road was about a hundred meters in length, and lining the sides were two-story buildings and one large theater at the very end of the street, which had a wide balcony on the third floor. She also explained that, in the capital, the wind blew in a nearly straight line from east to west. Then she informed him of landing procedures used by the Roxchean Air Force. ¡¸That¡¯s about it. I¡¯ll keep an eye out while you land, so contact me if anything happens. Is that all?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. You were very helpful, Allison. Now, please break this craft¡¯s wing lights.¡¹ ¡¸What?¡¹ Benedict turned on the lights on the observation craft. The two lights on the tips of the wings and the tail light flashed on. ¡¸Like this, they will see even in the dark. It is good to be seen from behind, but I cannot allow people to see from the front. But because I cannot turn on the tail light alone, please break the wing lights.¡¹ ¡¸How? You want me to fly in and clip them?¡¹ Allison asked, closing their distance. Benedict evaded to the right. ¡¸That is somehow scary, so I will decline it. Wil. You have the handgun I gave you? Could you shoot the gun from there?¡¹ Wil, surprised to be called on, quickly looked into the bag he had in front of him. ¡¸I, I think so, but...¡¹ ¡¸Then I ask you to shoot, Wil. Attach the stock to the gun, load the rounds into the magazine, and shoot the gun from below my aeroplane. There is no fuel in the wings. But I would be happy if you only shoot once each time. Can you do it?¡¹ ¡¸Do you take me for a fool? I could complete such a task with my hands tied behind my back.¡¹ Allison said. Wil scolded her from behind. After a moment¡¯s thought, Wil agreed to shoot the lights. Taking off his gloves, he loaded the magazine and attached it to the gun. He mixed up the direction once, but he managed to attach the stock to the grip as well. ¡¸I¡¯m ready.¡¹ He finally said. Benedict asked Allison to fly under the observation craft. ¡¸Please do not crash your aeroplane into our aeroplane.¡¹ ¡¸I know.¡¹ Allison slowly maneuvered under Benedict¡¯s plane. First, she approached the left wing from behind. Wil held the gun in his right hand and put the stock on his shoulder. The gun trembled in the wind, so he placed his left hand on it and took a deep breath. ¡¸Easy, Wil. Relax. You don¡¯t need to answer me.¡¹ Allison cautiously and expertly operated the controls. The distance between the two planes narrowed. If one of the aeroplanes were to make any sudden movements, the two would crash in midair. But the gap closed without any unnecessary turbulence. Allison and Benedict concentrated solely on each other¡¯s crafts, piloting with vigilance. Wil aimed up and undid the safety. Bang. The crisp sound of gunfire melded into the roar of the engines. An empty shell casing flew into the air. At the same time, pieces of the broken wing light scattered toward the lake. ¡¸Awesome!¡¹ Allison slowly pushed the control stick forward. The fighter craft and the observation craft grew apart. ¡¸Now the right side, please.¡¹ Allison flew under the right wing, just like before. Wil took out the light in one shot again. ¡¸Incredible. You are an amazing sniper!¡¹ Benedict exclaimed. Allison held her head high. ¡¸Of course! He may not look it, but Wil took sixth place in the Kaashi Competition!¡¹ ¡¸The¡­ Kaathi?¡¹ Benedict repeated. Wil called Allison. ¡¸He couldn¡¯t possibly know about it, Allison¡­¡¹ Wil breathed a sigh of relief, the muffler still wrapped around his face. The slide on the gun was down fully¡ªthere were no more bullets left. Benedict turned to Fiona. ¡°We are ready now. Now we must commence the operation.¡± With her right hand clenched over her chest, Fiona looked at Benedict and nodded. ¡¸I see it over there.¡¹ Allison said. Benedict and Fiona looked out at the scene unfolding before them, past the propellers. The snow-white lake was coming to an end, and a large blue mass emerged to its left. It was Kunst, the capital of Iks. Volume 2 7 — The Princess and the Hero Volume 2 Chapter 7: The Princess and the Hero ----- Two aeroplanes were flying in wide circles over the lake, a slight distance from Kunst. They continued to circle the air clockwise, a little less than two hundred meters above the ground. The sky was a dark blue. Though it looked like the sun had set moments ago, the sun was still in the middle of the cloudless sky. But more than half of it had already disappeared. ¡¸¡ªmust walk the path to independence. Thank you for listening.¡¹ A round of applause. The newscaster repeated the name of the politician who just finished his speech. Then, the newscaster announced that the rally would take a short break due to the coming Night. ¡¸After the break, we¡¯ll have a speech from the representative of the pro-Confederation side, Mr. Owen Nichto¡ª¡¹ Benedict turned off the radio and looked at Fiona. ¡°The rally is going just according to plan. And there are many people there, as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Fiona returned his gaze without a word. ¡°It is all right. There are two people who are looking down on you from above you, and here is someone who will protect you now.¡± With that, Benedict called to Allison. ¡¸Are you ready?¡¹ ¡¸We¡¯re good to go any time now. And it¡¯s a good thing Night is here on time. I was just starting to worry it wouldn¡¯t happen.¡¹ ¡¸It looks like Night isn¡¯t a sleepyhead, unlike a certain someone here.¡¹ Wil chuckled. He then looked out of the aeroplane, which was tilting to the right, and up at the weakening sun. Night was coming to midday. The snow covering the ground began to go grey, and the shadows of the aeroplanes on the lake grew a shade fainter. The world began to lose light. Benedict glanced at his watch and called Allison. ¡¸Are you ready?¡¹ ¡¸Anytime!¡¹ Allison replied immediately. Benedict looked to his right at the woman sitting next to him. She nodded firmly. ¡¸Then let us go. Commence the operation.¡¹ Benedict¡¯s plane returned to level position. The tilted world returned to normal. From a slight distance, Allison¡¯s plane mimicked his perfectly. The two aeroplanes began to descend. Dropping to one hundred meters over the lake, they passed the shore and into the sky over the vast capital city. The compass on the instrument panel was pointed due southeast. With the wind against them, the two aeroplanes continued, casting dim shadows over the blue roofs. In an alleyway in Kunst. A man walking down the alley looked up at the sudden roar of engines. Two aeroplanes quickly flew past the long, narrow sky between one house and the next. ¡°Honey, come back inside. It¡¯s almost Night.¡± A woman called him in. The man did as he was told, his brow furrowing. The dark blue sky grew even darker. The sun continued to shrink to the size of a pea, as though staggering in the middle of the sky. Benedict¡¯s plane slowed as it cruised over the darkened city. Blue roofs covered in snow rushed past behind him. Soon, the world fell into deep darkness. Relying on his instruments alone, Benedict continued cruising parallel to the ground. * * * There was a square stone building at the end of the street. It was a magnificent marble building that completely dwarfed the houses around it. There was a large balcony on the third floor, on the side of the building that faced the street. The balcony jutted into the street in a graceful arc, its railings engraved with ornate designs. Set up at the end of the balcony was a podium and a microphone. Behind it were about a dozen men sitting in a row of chairs. They were dressed in suits and coats, and ranged in age from their forties to early sixties. Among the men was the subject of the posters plastered all over the city. On either side of the men also were rows of seats¡ªthey were occupied not only by men, but women and children as well. And standing in the area were police officers. They wore formal dark blue uniforms, and around their waists were belts form which hung truncheons and sheathed ceremonial daggers. They were not armed with guns. On their heads they wore long cylindrical hats. In front of the spiral staircases stood two officers each. On the right side was a desk, and a large radio was set up on it. No one was sitting there. There were a pair of headphones hanging from the back of the chair. In front of the desk stood an officer in his forties who had a stern look on his face. There was an extra horizontal strip on his hat, setting him apart from the others. A younger officer came up to him and saluted. ¡°Did you call, Captain Warren?¡± The middle-aged officer called Warren pointed at a little boy who sat on one of the side seats. The boy was swinging his feet excitedly. ¡°It¡¯s almost Night. Keep an eye out on that boy and make sure he doesn¡¯t fall off the balcony. I¡¯ll take over this station.¡± The young officer answered and saluted him, then went up and knelt beside the boy. They spoke for a moment, and the boy began to ask him for his hat. The young officer put his hat on the boy¡¯s head. His little face slipped right inside. As the boy laughed, Warren smiled and mumbled to himself. ¡°That¡¯s against regulations, but¡­¡± He looked down at the street from the balcony. The crowds gathered there to listen to the speeches were standing idly, waiting for Night to end. There was an even mix of men and women in the group. Most were of voting age, but he also saw the occasional senior. The street was not completely packed. Grey clumps of snow were visible between the people. Their voices echoed in a low rumble. Warren looked at his watch. Then he looked up. The sky was painted a dark blue, and the sun was the size of a pea. Two first-magnitude stars shone next to it. As Warren watched, even the little speck of sunlight finally disappeared. ¡°It¡¯s Nighttime.¡± He mumbled, enveloped in darkness so deep that he could no longer see the street. The moon that circled the planet once every eight days often covered the sun on the first day of the month. The solar eclipse would give birth to Night. The buzzing of an insect began humming in the dark. The hum slowly grew louder, and eventually filled the entire street. ¡°What is that?¡± Someone on the street wondered, looking up at the darkened sky. A second later, the moon passed by the sun. Faint light returned to the world as though a curtain was pulled back. A shard of sunlight began glowing brilliantly in the indigo sky. And the people in the street noticed something overhead. ¡°?¡± An aeroplane was flying above them. It was cruising just above the two-story buildings, almost close enough to touch by hand. And it was moving like a slow bicycle¡ªso sluggish that it almost looked like it was frozen in midair. The people watched, wide-eyed and jaws dropping in shock, as the aeroplane followed the street and slowly approached the balcony. ¡°Wh, what is this¡­?¡± Bewildered, Warren watched the plane from the balcony as it drew closer. Like a backdrop in a play appearing in a moment of darkness, the aeroplane materialized where there had been nothing before. An aeroplane in the middle of the road, its wings reaching to either side. ¡°It¡¯s going to crash¡­?¡± Once more he was taken aback. The aeroplane did not look much bigger now than when it had first appeared. Gripped by the fear that it might come charging at any moment, Warren gaped at the craft before him. But his reaction was no different from those of the other people around him. The eyes of the many people on the balcony were fixed on the aeroplane. Hundreds of sets of eyes were on Benedict as he sat in the cockpit. He stared directly at the balcony and grinned. The observation craft continued to cruise close to the ground. At the rate it was flying, it would soon crash into the balcony. Benedict opened the triangular window and poked his head outside. And he shouted as loudly as he could, ¡°Move! I¡¯m landing!¡± Everyone was instantly jolted to their senses. People scattered quickly from the area¡ªsome to the side, and others in the opposite direction. Benedict took advantage of the gap left behind and began landing. Like a scene in slow motion, or like a craft being lowered by a crane, the aeroplane slowly approached the snow-covered street. Just before the skis hit the ground, he stopped the engine and the propeller. And he landed. The suspension contracted as the craft hit the ground. The sound of creaking metal assaulted the ears of everyone on the street. The aeroplane slid forward, digging through the piled snow. It then came to a stop. There were ten meters to the balcony. No one was run over or hit by the aeroplane. Checking that things were all right, Benedict looked to his right. Fiona was hanging on to the instrument panel, looking down at the ground. ¡°We¡¯ve landed safely. No one is injured.¡± Fiona slowly rose, and in the darkness saw many people watching from all around. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It is all right!¡± Benedict said loudly. Fiona looked at him. ¡°No matter what some say, there is an historical hero beside you. You will succeed, Your Highness.¡± He winked. Fiona clasped her hands over her chest. ¡°You¡¯re right. I know we¡¯ll succeed¡­¡± She slowly closed her eyes. She clenched her fists. Soon, Fiona opened her eyes again. ¡°Then let¡¯s be off, Hero of the Mural.¡± Benedict saluted her from his seat. ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡± The light music playing on the radio broadcast was suddenly interrupted by the newscaster¡¯s frantic voice. ¡¸An aeroplane! A small aeroplane has just landed in front of the balcony! I don¡¯t believe this! There are two people on the craft!¡¹ ¡¸All right!¡¹ Allison cheered, drowning out the broadcast. Her aeroplane was circling overhead, climbing to a higher altitude. The moon was slowly moving past the sun, returning light to the world. ¡¸This broadcast will temporarily give live coverage of this unusual incident that is currently taking place. For listeners who are just tuning in, an aeroplane has just landed in front of the balcony. Oh! Someone is disembarking. A young woman. And a man, as well!¡¹ ¡¸Things are going really well! This is really awesome!¡¹ Wil piped up from behind. ¡¸Allison. An aeroplane needs to move forward to stay in the air¡ªso you would need a long runway to land or take off, right?¡¹ ¡¸Of course.¡¹ ¡¸Then how did Benedict just land on such a short strip of road?¡¹ Wil asked. Allison explained. ¡¸Here¡¯s the gist of it¡ªthat aeroplane is specialized for landings and takeoffs like that. It might look a bit dinky, but it¡¯s the latest in Sou Be-Il aircraft technology. In fact, if I wanted to steal an aeroplane and take it back to Roxche, that one Benedict is piloting will be more useful than this one. Everyone¡¯d prefer it.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­ But don¡¯t do it, Allison.¡¹ ¡¸I was just giving an example. Anyway, I wonder what Benedict is planning to do now?¡¹ ¡¸Who knows? All we can do now is listen to the radio.¡¹ The newscaster continued. ¡¸The police have the aeroplane surrounded. Oh! The man from the craft is saying something. The man is wearing a black military uniform. He¡¯s shouting at the crowd!¡¹ The aeroplane stood like an ill-fitting sculpture in the middle of the road. And from its side emerged a man and a woman. Around them were whispering crowds and several police officers. On the balcony, the newscaster clutching the microphone and everyone else who was seated there had run over to the railings to have a look at the commotion. Night slowly came to an end, and light returned to the eyes of the people, who had only just adjusted to the darkness. Benedict helped Fiona climb down from the aeroplane. Then, he escorted her at her side. The moment two officers stepped forward carrying truncheons, ¡°Everyone! Everyone here!¡± Benedict cried in Roxchean, spreading his arms wide. The officers stopped, and the crowd began to stir. ¡°Everyone! Policemen! I am Major Carr Benedict of the Sou Be-Il Royal Air Force! Some call me the Hero of the Mural!¡± That was enough to strike the crowd into awe. People whispered in excitement. ¡°The hero¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s the hero.¡± ¡°Wow, he¡¯s handsome.¡± ¡°Is he for real?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the hero¡­¡± The officers exchanged glances. ¡°I am very sorry for the loudness! But I wished to come to this place somehow! People of Ikstova! Good day!¡± With that, Benedict took off his hat and waved it in the air. He was greeted by a round of applause. ¡¸This is incredible! Ladies and gentlemen, it¡¯s the hero! The Hero of the Mural, Major Carr Benedict! What could he possibly be thinking? I repeat, Major Carr has stepped off the aeroplane!¡¹ The newscaster babbled in excitement. In the background was the sound of applause. Allison was still circling overhead. ¡¸Talk about Mr. Popularity.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s not surprising. I just don¡¯t think I could have survived all that attention.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s understandable.¡¹ ¡¸Ladies and gentlemen, the Hero is currently speaking to the chief of security. The young woman is still next to him. From her clothing, she seems to be from Ikstova herself. She had black hair, and¡­ Oh! She is being escorted onto the balcony by Major Carr. She¡¯s coming this way!¡¹ ¡°Hey! Call the captain! Major Carr¡¯s at the capital!¡± Someone called in Bezelese. In the communications tent in the Sou Be-Il Royal Air Force encampment, a soldier listening to the radio was giving his subordinate orders. The subordinate rushed out of the tent. ¡°What is going on here?¡± The soldier in headphones wondered, setting aside his duty of receiving radio transmissions from the Roxchean military and turning his attention to the radio. Soon, the captain ran inside. His glasses were sliding down his face. ¡°Elder¡­¡± ¡°Shh. We must listen quietly to the end.¡± In the snow-covered village in the valley, almost every villager was gathered in the hall with the wooden table, staring up at the radio. The elder said quietly, ¡°This, too, is part of our duty.¡± With the eyes of the crowd locked on them, Benedict and Fiona appeared on the balcony. Not only the crowd on the street, but also the politicians and women and children who were on the balcony greeted them with curious stares. The officer who escorted them up saluted Warren. ¡°Good work. Take care of the aeroplane.¡± With his orders, the officer returned to the street. Warren took off his hat, and with a curious look at the woman fiddling with her hair, first saluted Benedict. ¡°Captain Warren of the Kunst Police Force. I¡¯m in charge of security detail today, Major Carr. We¡­ weren¡¯t expecting a visit, I¡¯m afraid.¡± ¡°You must know that we Sou Be-Il Air Force were doing a joint training session on the lake. I have some words I wish to tell everyone. So I came.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Leaving Fiona at Warren¡¯s side, Benedict walked up to the middle of the balcony and spoke to the politicians who greeted him. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet a hero like you, Major Carr.¡± Though each person was different, the greeting was always the same, each time followed by self-introductions. Benedict courteously responded to each person and shook their hands one by one. Among the people he greeted was a man in his forties with his black hair slicked back. When he introduced himself, Benedict reacted. ¡°I know you. Your advertisements were sticking all around the city. Mr. Nichto, without your advertisements, I would never have known it and I would never have come here. Thank you.¡± The man¡ªOwen Nichto¡ªsmiled just as he did on the photographs. ¡°It is an honor, Major Carr. I can¡¯t say I was expecting you to drop in, but would you perhaps care to join me for dinner after the rally?¡± Benedict flashed a practiced smile. ¡°Of course, Mr. Nichto.¡± Once he finished shaking hands with all of the politicians, Benedict grinned at the women sitting nearby. And with their excited screams at his back, he headed for the podium. ¡¸Major Carr has just finished speaking to the Members of Parliament, and he is now going up to the podium. He seems to have something to say. Major Carr.¡¹ Allison spoke. ¡¸Say, you think maybe he¡¯s planning to say something like, ¡®I¡¯m not a hero! Those two tricked me into this mess! Help me!¡¯ or something like that? Maybe he was waiting for his chance, and he¡¯ll prove his innocence and leave Fiona standing there! Wait, that¡¯s it! He¡¯ll seek asylum in Iks! So he can get all lovey-dovey with Fiona in that protected village! I¡¯m kinda jealous.¡¹ ¡¸How do you come up with these ideas, Allison¡­?¡¹ Wil sighed. Then, ¡°A protected village, huh¡­?¡± He wondered to himself. ¡¸Everyone, good day. My name is Carr Benedict. I am a major in the Sou Be-Il Royal Air Force. I am called the Hero of the Mural.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s starting.¡¹ Allison continued to circle overhead. The sun was almost back to its full size and intensity. Benedict spoke into the microphone on the podium. His voice carried through the speakers and radios at the rally. ¡°For arriving rudely suddenly, I am very sorry. And my Roxchean is very weak¡ªer, bad. I am very sorry. I am doing my best to speak.¡± The crowd burst into laughter. One of the politicians whispered to his neighbor, ¡°Look at that popularity. I hope he puts in a good word for the Independence Faction.¡± ¡°I came to this place because there is something I really wish to tell everyone! Everyone, will you listen to this intruder?¡± Benedict asked the crowd. The people cheered agreeably. ¡°Thank you! Then from now on, I will speak something very heavy. Here is someone I wish to introduce to you, but also the people listening to the radio!¡± Benedict went over to Fiona, who was still standing next to Warren. He took her by the hand and slowly escorted her to the podium. The only people on the balcony who didn¡¯t look confused were Benedict, Fiona, and the little boy who was swinging his feet. Fiona and Benedict stood at the podium. The crowd went silent. Everyone looked at them curiously. The newscaster narrated the events as they happened. ¡¸Major Carr has just brought his companion up to the podium. What are they planning to announce?¡¹ Benedict cleared his throat. Every last whisper was silenced. ¡°This lady is the person I wish to¡ªI mean, the person I am very humbled to have a honor of announcing!¡± There was a dramatic pause, before Benedict finally broke the news. ¡°Let me announce¡­ the one daughter of Her Late Majesty the Queen; the first person in line to the throne of Ikstova, Princess Francesca!¡± The silence at the rally was broken by the voice of the bewildered newscaster. ¡¸D, did you hear that, everyone¡­? I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say¡­ Er¡­¡¹ ¡¸He said it! Yeah!¡¹ ¡¸What¡¯s he going to do now, I wonder?¡¹ ¡°You all are surprised, right? That is not impossible. When I, too, heard the fact from Her Highness Princess Francesca, I was very surprised. Because I knew that she left this world in a fire ten years earlier!¡± Benedict continued. The politicians behind him exchanged glances. Some among them frowned visibly, while others could not bring themselves to pick up their jaws off the ground. Warren, standing off to the side, stared fixedly at the back of Fiona¡¯s head. ¡°But! But Her Highness Princess Francesca ran away from the trouble and was safely alive. But because of the scary experience, she lost her memory, and lived as a normal village lady all this time!¡± Benedict explained energetically. A young officer hesitantly came up to Warren. ¡°Should we stop him, Captain? Shouldn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± Warren replied. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take full responsibility. But let them finish.¡± ¡¸I met that Princess Francesca by chance and exchanged words together. And Princess Francesca said that she wants to show her face to you all as soon as she can. I also agree. That is the reason why I invaded a rally.¡¹ Allison banked to the side, and along with Wil, looked down at the tiny streets. ¡°There should be many people among you all who think, ¡®I cannot believe this¡¯. But I can say for sure! This person here is Her Highness Francesca in the reality! I am finished. I will step back now.¡± Most of the gazes directed at Fiona were dubious, yet tinged with the minute hope that Benedict was right. Fiona looked around at the people and took the podium that Benedict offered her. And just as she opened her mouth, ¡°I object!¡± Someone cried from behind her. Fiona quietly turned, not surprised in the least. ¡¸Oh! Mr. Nichto is walking up to Major Carr!¡¹ The newscaster announced. Other politicians also stood at once, but Nichto gestured for them to stop. Then, stopping the other politicians who seemed to have wanted to say something, he approached the podium. Nichto drew nearer to Fiona. Benedict stood in front of her, getting in his way. He pulled the microphone stand over from the podium and placed it between himself and Nichto. ¡°What is the matter? Mr. Nichto.¡± Nichto answered into the microphone. ¡°I have no business with you, Major Carr. Nor do I have any business with the young lady.¡± He took the microphone stand and went up to the podium. ¡°Everyone!¡± Pausing for the crowd¡¯s attention, Nichto continued in a commanding voice. ¡°Everyone! Though it pains me greatly to suggest, I believe we cannot allow Major Carr to continue. Some among you may wish to hear him out further; but we can no longer stand idly by as the people and the Royal Family of Ikstova are insulted. Do you not agree?¡± Some expressed agreement at the proposal. ¡°Unfortunately, Her Majesty and the Royal Family of Ikstova left us ten years ago. It was a tragic incident, but a historical fact nonetheless. I¡¯m sure I speak for everyone here when I say that it took us a great deal of time to finally part with the sorrow of their loss.¡± Nichto shot Benedict and Fiona a glance. Benedict smiled and held out his hand, urging him to continue. Nichto turned back to the crowd. Hundreds of people gave him their full attention. ¡°Unfortunately, our hero¡ªMajor Carr¡ªdoesn¡¯t seem to have thought so far, being from another land. It is very unfortunate indeed.¡± Then, he moved the microphone and said to Benedict, ¡°Did you know, Major Carr? That countless people have come forward in the past decade, claiming that Her Highness the Princess, or Her Majesty the Queen were still alive? Each and every case, however, was a lie and a fraud. They were trying to make a profit from the respect and patriotism our people have for the royal family. And for your information, everyone who came forward claiming to be one of them also claimed to have memory loss of some sort. Doesn¡¯t that sound familiar to you, Major? I don¡¯t know why you think that this country girl is Her Late Highness. Perhaps you were fooled by her into believing that you made another historic discovery here in our remote country. But let me say this: the people of Ikstova will not stand for any more trickery. Please leave us before our anger finally boils over.¡± Nichto finished. Benedict turned to the crowd. Many were clearly disappointed. Some were even getting angry. ¡°He¡¯s right!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need any outlanders trying to fool us!¡± Though a vocal minority hissed at him, most of the crowd listened in silence. Nichto moved the microphone stand back to Benedict. ¡°Do you have anything to say, Major Carr? If not, I humbly ask that you leave us today. We are in the middle of a political rally. It is a serious affair that will decide the future of our country. Would you like to say something?¡± Benedict shook his head. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°I see. Then if you would¡ª¡± ¡°I said before, ¡®I am finished. I will step back now¡¯.¡± Nichto scowled at Benedict¡¯s interruption. The latter gave Fiona a gentle push on the back and had her take the microphone. ¡°Mr. Owen Nichto.¡± Her voice carried from the speakers and the radios, as did Nichto¡¯s. ¡°Yes, young lady? If it is not too much trouble, would you give us your name?¡± Fiona glared and answered curtly, ¡°¡®Francesca¡¯.¡± Nichto sighed loudly. ¡°You still insist on keeping up this charade. No citizen of Ikstova would be ignorant of how impudent it is to claim to be a member of the royal family, even if they have already passed away.¡± ¡°Of course. I know that very well.¡± ¡°If you truly are Her Highness, then answer me this. How did you survive the fire, and how did an orphan survive alone all this time? And where? We will not be satisfied with anything less than a complete explanation¡ªbut I suppose your unfortunate memory loss prevents you from telling us. Although, strangely enough, it seems that you still remember that you are a princess, Your Highness.¡± Fiona remained silent in the face of Nichto¡¯s sarcasm. ¡°This is a shame. It seems¡ª¡± But just as Nichto turned to the crowd, ¡°My memories.¡± Fiona suddenly spoke. Nichto stopped and turned. ¡°My memories begin at about nine years ago, after the fire at the royal palace.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Your convenient memory loss.¡± ¡°Yes. But I can answer your question, Mr. Nichto. Someone rescued me from the palace, you see. And he raised me. His name was Treze Bain.¡± ¡°!¡± Warren¡¯s eyes, locked on Fiona for some time, turned to dinner plates. He mumbled, ¡°Dr. Bain¡­¡± Fiona continued. ¡°Very few people would know. Treze Bain was a doctor who visited the palace once every few days to assist the royal physician. When the fire broke out at the palace, I was rescued by the doctor, who happened to have hurried in that day. He took me to his home in the countryside. I heard from him later that I was on the verge of death for days. There were rumors back then¡­ rumors that the fire was no accident. And the doctor also felt sympathy for me, left without memories or a family. He kept me safe in his home, telling the other villagers that I was his granddaughter who used to live in the capital. For ten peaceful years, I grew up as a normal village girl¡ªas Dr. Bain¡¯s granddaughter. But this past summer, he passed away of an illness. And just before he passed, he told me everything.¡± Fiona¡¯s voice rang across the dumbstruck streets. ¡°I thought about it for a long time. Was there any meaning to coming forward as the princess now, even though I¡¯d lost my memories? Should I reveal the truth? That was when, yesterday, I met Major Carr Benedict, the Hero of the Mural. I asked him how he felt when he decided to make the announcement that would change the world. And this is what he said to me: ¡®No matter what may happen, the truth must be told. I am certain of my belief¡¯. So I decided to do the same, and received his help.¡± As she continued circling the air, Allison asked Wil, ¡¸What¡¯s happening, do you think?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m not sure. Let¡¯s just listen for now.¡¹ ¡°Interesting.¡± Said Nichto. ¡°The circumstances seem plausible. But so were the stories of everyone else who attempted to defraud Ikstova. And I hesitate to say this, but it is also an excellent strategy for a potential liar to bring forward a celebrity like Major Carr to make themselves seem more believable¡ª¡± ¡°So you want proof, Mr. Nichto?¡± ¡°Yes. By all means, if you can produce any. If not, I ask that you stop insulting the royal family further and leave our presence immediately.¡± Fiona glanced at Benedict. He nodded slowly. Reaching into her clothes, Fiona pulled out a gold necklace. Hanging on the golden chain was a small coin. Holding out the pendant over her chest, Fiona used Nichto¡¯s own words: ¡°No citizen of Ikstova would be ignorant of what this means, don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡¸Oh¡­ A pendant. The woman claiming to be Princess Francesca has pulled out a pendant¡­ yes. It¡¯s a necklace with a small coin on it. It¡¯s difficult to see from here, but¡­ It can¡¯t be¡­¡¹ The newscaster suddenly went silent. ¡¸C¡¯mon, do your job! We can¡¯t see a thing from here!¡¹ Allison complained. Instead of the newscaster, however, Fiona¡¯s voice came from the speakers. ¡¸Let me repeat myself. No citizen of Ikstova would be ignorant of what this means.¡¹ ¡°Yes. This is proof of my royal descent. My own crest. Dr. Bain returned this to me before he passed away. Is this good enough for you?¡± Nichto shook his head and replied peremptorily. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, please show me the pendant. You might be bluffing with a piece of metal you found at a souvenir stand.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a funny man, Mr. Nichto. Only in death does a member of the Royal Family allow the pendant to leave their possession. I¡¯m sure you know that well. Not only that, how would you be able to judge my legitimacy?¡± Fiona asked, taking her fingers off the coin. Nichto pulled back his hand, unable to hide his irritation. ¡°Of course. You¡¯re right. But unless someone comes forward who can verify your claim, you are still a liar and a fraud. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°Of course. For once, we¡¯re in agreement.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s not waste any more time here. We¡¯ll search for someone who can prove the legitimacy of your pendant and make an official announcement at a later date. Although, obviously, it will be determined a detailed fake.¡± Nichto said, his tone speeding up. ¡°Why are you that anxious?¡± Benedict asked calmly, taking the microphone. Nichto shot him a glare. But Benedict spoke to the crowd nonetheless. ¡°Everyone. The big reason I carried Her Highness Princess Francesca here today is this pendant. If someone can proof that this pendant is real, please come over here to this place.¡± There was a moment of silence. Some among the crowd exchanged glances, but no one stepped forward. ¡°Please.¡± Benedict whispered in Bezelese. Then, he spoke into the microphone in Roxchean. ¡°Is there no one?¡± ¡°Did you really expect to so easily find someone qualified to make that decision? Frankly, this performance of yours is incredibly upsetting, Major. If you¡¯ll excuse me, please do as you like.¡± Nichto spat. ¡°Do you have no curiosity? This person may be Her Highness, Mr. Nichto.¡± Benedict asked. ¡°This is a waste of time, Major Carr. You are being deceived.¡± ¡°We do not know yet. Maybe someone will run to this place because they hear the radio.¡± ¡°Then please feel free to wait here as long as it takes. Until night really comes, if necessary.¡± ¡°There is no need!¡± Someone¡ªnot Benedict, and not Fiona¡ªcried. ¡¸Who¡¯s that?¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t know¡­¡¹ It was Captain Warren. Before anyone realized, he had come up to the middle of the balcony. As the crowd and the three people watched, Warren quietly bowed to Fiona, far enough from her that his hat would not brush against her. ¡°What is this, Captain?¡± Asked Nichto. Warren turned to Fiona and the crowd, ignoring him. ¡°Until that day ten years ago, I, Rein Warren, was posted at the palace as a member of the royal guard. And just once, not long after I joined the guard, I played with five-year-old Princess Francesca when she was out in the gardens.¡± ¡¸Awesome, Captain! We have a witness!¡¹ Allison cheered, punching the air. ¡°But¡­ if this doesn¡¯t work¡­¡± Wil muttered without holding down the call button. ¡°I felt something strangely familiar when I first saw you today. I didn¡¯t know what it was at the time. But now I realize¡ªthat old memory of mine was coming back to me. There is so much of the Princess¡¯s face in yours.¡± Warren continued. ¡°I still can¡¯t say for certain who you are. And I suppose you wouldn¡¯t remember me, either. But please. Give me a chance to see for myself. Give me a chance to confirm the legitimacy of your pendant. The crest that belongs solely to Her Highness Princess Francesca¡ªthe crest that she showed me as she played that day. I believe my two eyes are still good enough to judge.¡± Fiona nodded. ¡°Wait!¡± Nichto cried. ¡°Wait, Captain Warren. I¡¯ve known you for several years now, but this is the first you¡¯ve said anything about having been part of the royal guard. I¡¯ve never even heard rumors of such things. It pains me to suspect an honest officer like you, but could you perhaps be in cahoots with this woman?¡± Warren turned. He replied quietly, not a hint of emotion rising to his face. ¡°Of course you wouldn¡¯t know, Mr. Nichto. After all, I never told a soul. Me, and the other members of the royal guard who survived that day¡­ none of us revealed ourselves after the incident. How could we, having failed to protect the Royal Family? But I assure you that I am telling the truth. If you¡¯ll visit the National Library later¡ªthough the documents are restricted¡ªyou¡¯ll find all the employment records of the royal guard and its members up to ten years ago. You¡¯ll find my name there are well. If not, I will gladly ask you to take my life.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Nichto looked like he had swallowed a bug. Benedict spoke up. ¡°Thank you for the brave action. Then, we are asking you, Captain Warren.¡± Warren nodded and pulled off his hat. His short, clean-cut hair emerged in the light. Fiona took out her pendant and raised it to eye-level. With his hat under his left arm, Warren put his right hand over his chest and slowly knelt. And he carefully examined the little gold coin before him. There was an intricate crest on the coin. Beyond the coin, Warren could see Fiona¡¯s eyes¡ªand Fiona also could see Warren¡¯s wide eyes beyond the coin. Then, Fiona gently flipped over the coin. The intricate image carved there was a flower with long petals, bowing to the lower left. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Captain. I assure you, that¡¯s the real deal.¡± Benedict mumbled under his breath. ¡¸Well¡­ a police officer, Captain Warren, has stepped up to examine the crest. Oh! He¡¯s looking at it now.¡¹ The newscaster said quietly. ¡¸We know that already! Well, Captain? What¡¯s the diagnosis?¡¹ Allison pleaded from the cockpit. The captain¡¯s voice finally emerged from the radio. ¡¸The royal crest, and the flower bowing to the lower left¡ªthe crest of Her Highness Princess Francesca¡ªI can say for certain. This is the very pendant I saw that day, all those years ago. This pendant is legitimate. It is no replica.¡¹ It was followed by the cheers of the crowd. ¡¸Yeah!¡¹ Allison joined in the triumph. She did a barrel roll. So did Wil¡¯s head. Looking straight ahead as though that never happened, Wil¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°How¡­?¡± He mumbled to himself. As hurrahs filled the rally, Warren said no more and gracefully stepped away from Fiona. He carefully fixed his hat and bowed deeply. ¡°Thank you, Captain Warren.¡± Warren raised his head; and without meeting Fiona¡¯s eyes, he quietly stepped aside. He turned to his right and returned to the back of the balcony. Fiona took the microphone and spoke to the crowds. ¡°And to the citizens of Ikstova¡ªI, Francesca, am deeply grateful to you all.¡± There was an ear-splitting cheer, accompanied by the occasional shouts of ¡®Princess Francesca!¡¯. Fiona passed the microphone to Benedict. ¡°What do you think, everyone? Now you understand why I, Carr Benedict came to this place today?¡± He asked, gesticulating dramatically. The crowd cheered once more. Then, Benedict turned to Nichto, who was standing blankly. ¡°I understand why you said that Her Highness is a fraud, Mr. Nichto. Certainly, until before, it can¡¯t be helped that you did not believe in us. But what do you think now?¡± All eyes were on Nichto. He smiled. With a shake of the head, Nichto went up to the microphone and spoke so everyone could hear. ¡°You win, Major Carr.¡± He grinned. ¡°It is incredibly likely that this woman is Her Highness Princess Francesca. And I understand that you¡¯re not a fraud with a flair for the dramatic. I made some awfully discourteous accusations against you. I take them all back. And I sincerely apologize.¡± ¡°Just like a Member of Parliament, Mr. Nichto. But I was not tricked, but I like dramatics very much. Please correct that.¡± ¡°Hah hah. I surrender, Major.¡± Nichto chuckled. With an optimistic evaluation, he looked rather elegant. Less optimistically, he looked irritating. He offered Benedict a handshake. Benedict took it. The crowd finally broke the silence with a round of applause. Nichto took the podium and spoke. ¡°I will take my leave now and hand over the podium before I¡¯m embarrassed any further. Apologies to anyone who¡¯s come to listen to me speak, but I¡¯ve spoken more than my share today.¡± As the crowd burst into laughter, Nichto waved his hand to the cheers of his supporters. Then, he gave Fiona a deferential bow, gave the politicians a friendly nod, and walked over to the side of the balcony. Benedict took his eyes off Nichto. He turned to Fiona and nodded, satisfied. ¡°Mr. Nichto.¡± Benedict said suddenly. Nichto turned. ¡°You forgot this.¡± Benedict said, holding out his right hand. There was a small golden object in his fingers. ¡°Hm?¡± It was a golden cufflink shaped like a rhombus. There was a beautiful crest engraved intricately upon it. Nichto looked down at his left sleeve. There was an identical cufflink. Then, he looked down at his right. ¡°What?¡± Realizing that both cufflinks were still there, Nichto frowned. Fiona stared silently. ¡°This is your cufflinks, yes? Mr. Nichto. This is a precious thing that has your family crest drawing on it. It would be troublesome if you lose it.¡± Benedict said. ¡°Yes, that is mine¡­ but where did you find it?¡± Nichto asked, reaching for the cufflink. But just as his fingers drew near, Benedict quickly pulled his hand away. Nichto caught nothing but thin air. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I am kidding.¡± Benedict said jovially. Nichto struggled to hide his irritation. Benedict turned and handed the cufflink to Fiona. Nichto turned to her. ¡°¡­¡± Her gaze on him was icy. Clasping her right hand over the cufflink, she closed her eyes. She brought her hand up to her chest, over the pendant. Soon, she opened her eyes and spoke. ¡°This cufflink will not be returned to you until you¡¯ve left prison, Owen Nichto, dead or alive.¡± Her frigid voice carried to the ears of those nearby, and to those far away through the microphone. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡­¡± Nichto¡¯s voice as well. ¡°I accuse you of murder and assault. You¡¯re going to prison, Owen Nichto.¡± The crowd fell silent in a moment of terrible calm. ¡°Ten years ago, you committed murder. My mother, my father, and countless servants¡­ do you understand what I¡¯m saying? Of course you do. Yes. After all, you¡¯re one of the people who stormed the palace that night.¡± Like a swarm of insects squirming as one, the crowd gasped. The eyes of all gathered there¡ªthe politicians and delegates on the balcony, the police officers, and the crowd¡ªall were on Fiona and Nichto. Only the little boy from before was still swinging his legs, completely uninterested in the unfolding conspiracy. ¡°Wh, what do you¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to ask me for proof again? It¡¯s right here in my hand. This cufflink is yours. It¡¯s also the only thing I managed to take from the palace that night, other than my pendant.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Dr. Bain gave me this cufflink when he returned my pendant. He told me that I was clutching onto this desperately in spite of my injuries. He must not have known what it was. But the moment I received it, some of my memories came back to me. I remembered that I got a hold of this cufflink in the past, when something horrible happened to me. And when I saw this poster from your election campaign, I saw this cufflink¡ªthe same one you¡¯re wearing now. This is proof that you were on the scene, and proof that the fire was no accident. You must have assumed that the cufflink you lost melted in the fire.¡± Nichto gaped on the silent balcony, lost for words. He could not manage to speak. Benedict spoke up. ¡°Mr. Nichto. Now do you understand the reason why we picked this place for Her Highness¡¯s presentation? I told you before. I like dramatics.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What is the matter? What do you wish to say?¡± Nichto answered quietly, calmly. ¡°Many things. But I suppose anything will sound like an excuse if I say it here and now.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± ¡°So I have nothing to say. But your companion has just made an accusation against me, correct?¡± ¡°Yes. You are correct.¡± Benedict replied. ¡°In other words, I will stand trial. I will hire a lawyer to speak on my behalf and answer you properly, with legitimate evidence. I will prove that I had nothing to do with that tragic incident. Which will the people trust, I wonder? A cufflink someone might have picked up anywhere? Or the testimony of trustworthy witnesses who will prove that I was not at the scene of the crime?¡± ¡°Please do as you wish. But do not forget that the real Highness and me, the Hero of the Mural, are going to fight with you until the end. Our evidences are this pendant, and the cufflink with a drawing of your family crest. The cufflink that only you can own. I hope you have many friends who can continue lying with a story that will be revealed to be fake one day.¡± Nichto snorted and turned, heading to the right side of the balcony. ¡°Please take care of him, Captain Warren. We will go soon also.¡± Captain Warren nodded and stood before Nichto as he approached. ¡°This way, Mr. Nichto. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to come with us immediately.¡± ¡°Captain. Do you honestly believe that woman and her impossible claims?¡± ¡°I believe that she is Princess Francesca. And I believe in what she says.¡± Nichto looked disgusted. ¡°Of course. You really were telling the truth about having been part of the royal guard. Honest and stubborn to a fault.¡± ¡°I told you earlier. If I¡¯ve lied, you may take my life.¡± Nichto stood next to Warren. Warren stepped forward to arrest him. ¡°Yes. You did. But even if you¡¯re telling the truth¡ª¡± At that moment, Nichto tackled Warren with his shoulder. ¡°Ugh!¡± Warren fell forward at the sudden attack. Nichto reached for the ceremonial dagger sheathed at Warren¡¯s side. He pulled it out, and a twenty-centimeter blade came unknotted into Nichto¡¯s hand. ¡°¡ªI¡¯ll be taking you life anyway!¡± As Warren lay on the floor, Nichto pierced his gut without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Sh*t!¡± Benedict swore in Bezelese. Warren had quickly covered his stomach with his arm, but the dagger went straight through his arm and into his side. Blood spilled a crimson red on the balcony. ¡°¡­Urgh¡­¡± ¡°Impressive, Captain!¡± Said Nichto, pulling out the dagger. Blood spilled from Warren¡¯s side as well, staining his uniform. Nichto stepped down on his face and kicked him in the head, knocking him out. Then he began running. He was not headed for the side exit¡ªthe spiral staircase leading down¡ªinstead, he charged at the guest seats in front of it. Nichto ran toward the people sitting there, who were mostly watching in horror without any idea what to do. He quickly tackled a young woman in one of the chairs. She fell to the floor, chair and all, and did not move. ¡°¡­¡± Right before Nichto¡¯s eyes was a young boy, looking up at him absently. For some time, all that came out of the radio were screams and angry howls. ¡¸Hey! Newscaster! What¡¯s going on here?!¡¹ Allison demanded. And as if on cue, the newscaster¡¯s voice returned to the foreground of the screams. ¡¸E, everyone! Mr. Nichto has just stabbed Captain Warren!¡¹ ¡°What?!¡± ¡°!¡± ¡¸He¡¯s grabbed a young boy who¡ªno! He¡¯s choking him from behind with his left hand! The boy seems to be in pain! How could this happen?¡¹ Women shrieked as they fled the balcony. The one who was knocked to the ground was pulled away by a nearby officer. Most of the politicians also ran. ¡°N, Nichto¡ª¡± One of the politicians said, trying to talk him down, but Nichto shot him an icy glare. The politician backed away silently, before finally turning tail. The boy was frozen, still not understanding what was happening. Nichto pulled him up by the underarm with his left hand. In his right hand was the bloodstained dagger. He kicked a chair aside. The chair flew through the air and hit the balcony, breaking loudly for the microphone. The newscaster alone remained on the side of the balcony, continuing the broadcast. ¡°Mr. Nichto is holding the boy hostage as he approaches Major Carr and Princess Francesca! It seems like¡­ he¡¯s saying something to them! I¡¯ll raise the microphone¡¯s sensitivity.¡± With the child still under his arm, Nichto shook off the blood from his right hand and stepped closer to Benedict and Fiona, who were at the center of the balcony. His calm facade was nowhere to be seen now; his slicked-back hair was a mess, and hostility was clear in his eyes. ¡°I suppose I should have known.¡± Fiona said, glaring. Benedict glanced at Captain Warren, who was fallen on the floor. A younger officer went over to give him first aid treatment, and Warren slowly raised his head. ¡°Mr. Nichto, you are the worst human. Not only the crime you did ten years ago, but the crime you are doing now will pay for certain.¡± Benedict warned, turning his gaze to the side of the balcony. Several police officers holding truncheons were glaring at Nichto. ¡°I¡¯ll have to decline. You officers over there. Don¡¯t take a single step. Or do you not care what happens to this innocent child?¡± Nichto threatened, sliding the tip of the knife against the boy¡¯s cheek. His face was smeared with Warren¡¯s blood. Fiona took a step forward. Benedict tried to stop her, but she calmly pushed his arm aside. ¡¸Let the boy go, Owen Nichto.¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t make me laugh, you half-dead witch.¡¹ ¡¸You took me hostage all those years ago¡­ in that very same way.¡¹ Allison was indignant. ¡¸That bastard!¡¹ ¡¸...¡¹ They watched from the aeroplane circling overhead. The balcony was a tiny dot below. ¡°So you do remember. Yes. The queen and her husband both crawled out of their hiding-holes to save you, and I shot them both. They were perfect targets. But I seem to recall putting two bullets into your skull right afterwards.¡± Nichto laughed. Fiona shot him a furious glare. ¡°Both of you, get out of my way. Or this boy loses his ear.¡± Benedict pulled Fiona away by the shoulders to the side of the balcony. Nichto walked up to the center of the balcony, which jutted out over the street. Over the railings he could see the crowd watching in transfixed silence. And in the midst of the crowd, an aeroplane. With the railing behind him, Nichto held the boy at knifepoint. ¡°I¡¯m going to take my leave. Conveniently enough, there happens to be an aeroplane right here in front of me. I¡¯ll be taking it. And I¡¯ll be asking the Hero of the Mural to pilot it for me. I¡¯m sure that craft can seat three.¡± ¡°And what if I refuse you?¡± Benedict asked. Nichto answered immediately. ¡°Then this nameless boy goes down in history as a martyr. His life being on the princess¡¯s head, of course.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Benedict replied coldly. And he laughed. ¡°I understand, Mr. Nichto. I will be your hostage and your pilot. I do not wish to fly an aeroplane beside a man, but, well, this is not the time to be saying things like it.¡± There was an incredulous look on Fiona¡¯s face. Benedict met her gaze. ¡°This cannot be helped. The life of the hostage is the most important thing.¡± Then, he turned to Nichto. ¡°If I wish to fly the aeroplane, I must prepare the aeroplane. Will you wait here? Or will you wait with the other people on the street there?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay here. Work quickly now, Major.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± Benedict turned to Fiona. ¡°Keep your eyes on him from this place.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Benedict began walking away. He looked back at Fiona, winked at her, and went off to the right side of the balcony. ¡°I¡¯m glad the man knows to listen to reason. But what a fool. Is he really a hero?¡± Nichto sneered. Fiona shot him another glare. ¡°If he heard you, he would be wondering by now if he should be happy or sad.¡± There were several officers remaining on the right side of the balcony. One of them was Warren, who vehemently refused to be moved as he was treated where he lay. Suddenly, he glimpsed Benedict walking in his direction. Warren weakly sat up. ¡°Major¡­ you can¡¯t let that bastard get away¡­¡± ¡°Please do not try too much.¡± Benedict replied. One of the officers came up to him stubbornly. ¡°Are you really going to let him get away with this, Major?¡± ¡°No.¡± Benedict replied sharply. He turned to the young officer at the radio who was desperately calling for backup from the distant police station. ¡°Please move beside.¡± ¡°What? Whoa!¡± Benedict took the officer¡¯s headset, pushed his chair aside, and took the microphone. Then, he reached over to the transmitter and changed frequencies. ¡¸This is Benedict. Allison, do you copy? I¡¯m on the ground, using the police force¡¯s radio.¡¹ Allison replied immediately in Bezelese. ¡¸Yes, I hear you. Things must be getting dicey down there.¡¹ With the microphone in hand Benedict looked out at the middle of the balcony. Nichto stood leaning against the railing, and the boy was limp at his side. And a little ahead of Nichto, Fiona, who was probably still staring a hole through him. ¡¸I need your help. Both of you. We have to stop this guy.¡¹ ¡¸All right. Wil?¡¹ ¡¸R, right. What do we do?¡¹ Both Allison and Wil answered. Benedict pressed the call button. ¡¸He¡¯s standing at the edge of the balcony now, holding a little boy hostage. Shoot him in the back from midair. The two of you will snipe him together.¡¹ Wil gaped incredulously from his seat. Allison sounded enthusiastic. ¡¸All right! Just leave it to me. I¡¯m no good at aiming by hand, but I can do it from an aeroplane. I just have to shoot him down with this craft, right?¡¹ ¡¸No. That craft is equipped with a 20mm machine gun. You want to turn the balcony into a beehive?¡¹ ¡¸Tch.¡¹ Allison¡¯s pout carried over Benedict¡¯s astonished voice. ¡¸It¡¯s up to you, Wil.¡¹ ¡¸...How?¡¹ ¡¸Just like before. You have to shoot him from midair.¡¹ ¡¸What? But¡ª¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯ll distract him starting now, so Allison¡ªyou descend just low enough to reach the balcony, and bank to the side as you cross the street. That¡¯s when Wil will shoot him.¡¹ ¡¸But that¡¯s too dangerous! What if I shoot the hostage, or you?¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about the hostage. The bastard¡¯s own body will be enough of a shield. Those rounds you have won¡¯t penetrate that far. And I¡¯m ready to lose an arm and a leg if necessary.¡¹ ¡¸I¡­¡¹ ¡¸You can do it. Sixth place at Kaashi, you said. You and Allison are the only ones I can count on now. And just one more thing¡ªwe¡¯ve got a lot of questions for this guy, so try to keep him alive if possible.¡¹ Three seconds passed before Allison finally broke the silence. ¡¸I¡¯ll do it. We¡¯ve come all this way, so we might as well.¡¹ ¡¸Good. And you, Wil? Could you lend us your strength, just like you did when you saved us and the mural?¡¹ ¡¸...Yes. I¡¯ll do it.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you. Open fire in exactly sixty seconds. Are both of you ready?¡¹ Soon, he received their answers. As the officers watched, Benedict nodded, satisfied. ¡¸Then we¡¯ll synchronize our watches. 3, 2, 1, now.¡¹ Benedict pressed the knob on his wristwatch. The stopwatch hand on the 12 began ticking. ¡¸Easy, Wil. We still have 55 seconds.¡¹ As Allison calmed him down, Wil quickly got to work. The aeroplane was turning rapidly like a hunter having located its prey, and was descending. He could feel the pressure on his body. First, Wil took off his gloves. Taking out the handgun from the bag between his feet, he attached the stock without getting it confused this time. Then, he tried to take out the box of ammunition from the inside of the bag, but fumbled. ¡¸We still have time.¡¹ Allison said lazily, as though having read his mind. This time, Wil succeeded. He opened the lid. ¡°Is everything set?¡± Nichto asked as Benedict returned to the balcony. The dazed child was under Nichto¡¯s left arm, his feet above the floor. Fiona came up to Benedict. Benedict spoke to her. ¡°You must go beside. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Captain Warren is calling you. Leave this problem to me from now on.¡± Giving Fiona a gentle push, Benedict looked down at the watch on his left wrist. ¡¸We¡¯re getting into position, Wil.¡¹ Allison said, her tone still laid-back. The aeroplane was cruising just over the houses. Blue and white roofs passed by them, close enough to touch. Their destination was the large building ahead. The handgun on Wil¡¯s lap was empty, the slide fully lowered. ¡¸He¡¯s going to be on our left. I¡¯ll tilt over and slow down as much as I can.¡¹ Allison said, looking at the built-in clock. She returned the throttle lever to starting position, and the engine grew significantly quieter. ¡¸If I don¡¯t make the first shot, how much time do I have for another?¡¹ ¡¸You won¡¯t. It¡¯s all-or-nothing. 25 seconds left.¡¹ ¡¸All right.¡¹ In Wil¡¯s right hand was a single bullet. He loaded it into the magazine and inserted it into the gun. There was a dull shine to the round as it glinted through the hole in the slide. Wil held the gun against the left side of the fuselage. He lowered the slide stop with his thumb. The slide swallowed the bullet with a metallic noise. ¡¸Ready.¡¹ ¡¸All right! Take it easy, now.¡¹ Wil put the stock against his shoulder. ¡°Just one shot.¡± ¡°Well, Major. If you¡¯ll lead the way.¡± Said Nichto, raising the dagger in his hand. ¡°Saying that.¡± Benedict said, crossing his arms. The second hand on his left wrist passed the 40-second mark. ¡°I will stop after all. I think that if I carry a garbage like you, I will also become unlucky.¡± 45 seconds. ¡°What¡­?¡± Benedict slowly approached Nichto, his expression inscrutable. Surprised by his actions, Nichto pulled the boy in front of him. 50 seconds. ¡°I am saying that I will not leave a villain like you, you garbage.¡± 55 seconds. Benedict took another step. ¡°Bastard!¡± Nichto stopped short of pointing the dagger at the boy¡¯s neck, and instead held it out toward Benedict, who had walked right up to him without a hint of fear. He then raised his arm to attack. ¡¸5¡­ 4¡­¡¹ Allison was counting down. The scenery was flowing from right to left. Formless roofs suddenly gave way to a gigantic theater. Soon, the world turned as though they were riding on a rotating plate. And the balcony came into view. ¡¸3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­¡¹ From behind the tilted wing, Wil saw the two men. The back of the man standing before the railings, and just beyond him in a near-match of silhouettes, the confident Benedict. The gun was pointed at both men. ¡¸Now!¡¹ Wil pulled the trigger. 60. Out of nowhere came the roar of an engine. Over the head of the man lunging to stab him, Benedict glimpsed the fighter craft carrying Allison and Wil. On the side of the fuselage was the crest of the beacon. The gun at the back seat was pointed in his direction. Benedict did not try to move. ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡± A golden shell casing shot up from the gun. ¡°Argh!¡± Nichto gasped in pain. At the same time, the fighter craft rushed by like a gust of wind, disappearing into the sky. Blood spouted from Nichto¡¯s left shoulder. He writhed in pain and wildly swung the dagger. The blade cut thin air. ¡°Excellent!¡± Benedict cried, and tackled Nichto with his left shoulder. Then, he quickly pulled over the child with his right arm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Immediately, he pushed the child to the ground. The boy fell on his back. ¡°You bastard!¡± Nichto roared. His face contorted as he swung the dagger at Benedict¡¯s neck. ¡°Take this!¡± With a glare, Benedict raised his left hand as though covering his neck. He held his right hand behind it like a support. Crush. There was a dull sound as the dagger came to a stop. The tip of the blade was lodged in Benedict¡¯s wrist by a scant few millimeters. ¡°What¡­ is this¡­?¡± Nichto hissed. ¡°It is very expensive.¡± Benedict replied in Roxchean. The dagger had shattered the glass pane of the wristwatch on Benedict¡¯s left hand, destroying the face of the watch and coming to a stop inside the clockwork. Benedict swung his left arm. The dagger flew into the air and fell to the floor with a loud noise. Nichto stood in a daze. Benedict clenched his right fist. ¡°I made a promise!¡± And he ¡®ouched¡¯ Nichto in the face. ¡¸Oh! Major Carr has taken the hostage and¡ªthe dagger! Look out! No! It¡¯s flying off¡­ This this is incredible!¡¹ The newscaster cried. ¡¸What¡¯s going on down there?! Straighten up, news guy!¡¹ Allison complained as she ascended and sped up. And, ¡¸He¡¯s punched him! Mr. Nichto has just hit the railing and is on the floor! The boy is also safe! Major Carr¡¯s done it!¡¹ ¡¸Yes! He did it, Wil! Isn¡¯t the major amazing?¡¹ Allison cheered. ¡¸And you, too, Wil!¡¹ She turned. Beneath his goggles, Wil was smiling a little. In his right hand was the gun, the slide lowered all the way. At the same time, a voice interpreting the broadcast into Bezelese filled the communications tent. ¡°Go, Major Carr!¡± The Sou Be-Il soldiers cheered in excitement, not caring that military equipment was being damaged as they hugged and jumped around in the tiny tent. The bespectacled captain gasped, ¡°That¡¯s it! If it¡¯s a boy, I¡¯ll name him ¡®Benedict¡¯!¡± * * * With his hair in a mess, Nichto stood weakly against the railing with blood dripping from his mouth. He looked up. Before him were Benedict and Fiona. Behind them, police officers glaring with truncheons at the ready. Behind them, Captain Warren, sitting in a chair with bandages around his stomach. ¡°Owen Nichto.¡± Fiona spoke. Benedict pulled the microphone over to her. ¡°I accuse you of the crime of raiding the palace that night.¡± ¡°But before, you will be arrested for this crime. Please be careful that he does not run away. We will listen to his story after. I¡¯m sorry, but I think our dinner will have to be eaten with bars between us two.¡± Benedict said, waving the right hand that had punched Nichto. ¡°!¡± Nichto spat saliva and blood onto the floor. Blood flowed from his limp left hand, dying his suit a deep red. He slowly got up. The officers moved quickly. Nichto leaned against the railing and looked out at the streets. ¡°¡­¡± No one was moving. The crowd watched as though frozen. Hundreds of sets of icy eyes. ¡°Hmph¡­ you have no idea how easy you have it¡­¡± His wavering voice carried through the microphone and out of the speakers. The crowd watched silently. ¡°I¡¯m just going to say one last thing: don¡¯t even think about separating from Roxche.¡± ¡°But you say the things you wish to say until the end. Incredible.¡± Benedict said, honestly impressed. Nichto looked at him, also smiling. ¡°This¡­ this is all your fault. If you hadn¡¯t made this discovery¡­ if only you¡¯d left it to rot¡­¡± ¡°This discovery was too large to hide.¡± ¡°Heh¡­ And you, the immortal Princess Francesca¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Fiona met Nichto¡¯s gaze. This time, not with a glare, but with pity. ¡°I¡­ I have two requests.¡± ¡°For now, I¡¯ll listen to what you have to say.¡± Nichto¡¯s weak voice rode the airwaves and reached Allison and Wil. ¡¸One¡­ do not hold my family accountable. My wife, my daughter¡­ they had nothing to do with my actions. They don¡¯t know what I did.¡¹ Fiona¡¯s voice replied. ¡¸That¡¯s a rather tall order coming from the man who shot my family. But I will promise you as the princess of this country, Owen Nichto. Everyone here will serve as witness.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m¡­ grateful¡­¡¹ The green aeroplane continued to circle the city overhead. ¡°And the second request?¡± Nichto smiled. With an optimistic evaluation, he looked rather irritating. Less optimistically, he looked elegant. ¡°Go to hell¡­ Princess Francesca.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to decline. Is there anything else?¡± ¡°Heh¡­ heh¡­¡± Nichto put his right hand on top of the railing. He pulled himself onto the ledge. ¡°Goodbye.¡± His smile twisted into a smirk. ¡°Sh*t!¡± Benedict swore in Bezelese, lunging forward. Nichto¡¯s body leaned back. Fiona gasped. Benedict reached his right arm to Nichto, not with a fist, but with an open hand. He caught nothing but thin air. There was the sound of the gasping crowd. Nichto¡¯s body disappeared from the balcony. Then came the sound of a person falling head-first onto a stone-paved street from a third-story building. Volume 2 8 — Conversations and Letters Volume 2 Chapter 8: Conversations and Letters ----- It was a luxurious room. The sun¡¯s rays illuminated the thick carpet and the intricately-designed furniture. A beautiful painting decorated the wall. Next to it was a large bouquet. Further inside the large room was a door leading into another room. ¡°¡­¡± Wilhelm Schultz gaped at the hotel room he was led into. The moment he opened the door and took a single step inside, he had found himself rooted to the spot. He was in his sweater, with his coat hanging from his arm. ¡°Come in.¡± In the very middle of the room was a round table with ornate carvings. Standing next to it was Fiona. She wore a white blouse and a navy skirt. Over her chest shone a golden pendant. ¡°Er¡­ excuse me.¡± Wil slowly stepped forward. On either side he was accompanied by men in red clothes, similar to the police uniforms. Fiona addressed the two royal guards. ¡°Would it be all right if you gave us some time alone?¡± The guards exchanged glances. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± ¡°This is my friend¡ªhe helped me out back in the village. He¡¯s also a friend of Major Carr¡¯s. We¡¯ll be all right. I¡¯ll ask for some tea later, so would it be all right if you left us for a bit?¡± ¡°Of course, Your Highness. And please, we¡¯re happy to honor your requests. If you¡¯ll excuse us.¡± The guards bowed respectfully, left the room, and quietly shut the door. Unable to hide his anxiety, Wil stepped up to the table. ¡°Take a seat, Wil. You can put your coat on the empty chair.¡± Wil did as Fiona suggested and hung his coat on the back of a chair. It slid down once, so he had to pick it up again. Then, he finally sat facing Fiona. Fiona looked him in the eye. ¡°Thank you so much, Wil. I wanted to thank both you and Allison in person. Major Carr told me that she¡¯s left already¡­ but I¡¯m glad I could at least see you like this.¡± ¡°It was no problem, Your Highness Princess Francesca.¡± Wil replied. ¡°Please, call me Fi. I wanted to tell you that, too. And thank you again, Wil.¡± ¡°Not at all, Fi.¡± They laughed quietly. Wil spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving this country tonight as well. I¡¯m really glad we had the chance to meet like this.¡± ¡°What happened to you and Allison afterwards? I was so worried¡­ about both the aeroplane and your school trip. Was everything all right?¡± Wil gave a wry chuckle and answered Fiona¡¯s questions. ¡°After the commotion, we went back to the Mushke area and landed on the lake. We left the aeroplane there and headed into the city. We sent an anonymous radio call to the encampment just before we ran, and we saw a truck rushing over soon after. Then, we got the car back at the post office in Mushke¡­¡± Wil caught the shadow flitting by Fiona¡¯s eyes. But pretending not to notice, he continued. ¡°Then, Allison suggested going for tea downtown. But unfortunately¡­¡± ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°We ran right into my classmates, who were on their way back from visiting Slankalans. Allison had no choice but to run, and I got on the bus with my friends. Allison left by aeroplane the next day¡ªtwo days ago.¡± ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯m sorry. This is my fault.¡± Fiona said, crestfallen. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have to apologize to Allison later.¡± ¡°Not at all. Allison really enjoyed everything, I think. She said in the aeroplane, ¡®It¡¯s amazing that we get to help the princess¡¯.¡± This time, Wil failed to catch the shadow flitting by Fiona¡¯s eyes. He smiled. Fiona shrugged and changed the subject. ¡°And what about you? Did you get into trouble?¡± ¡°Yes. But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°Everyone¡ªthe teachers, the students¡ªwas so distracted by the news that Princess Francesca was alive that I just had to write a few pages reflecting on my actions. And to be perfectly honest, I don¡¯t regret what I did one bit. I¡¯m very happy that I got to experience what I did.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Fiona smiled as Wil laughed. And, ¡°You¡¯re not Princess Francesca.¡± Wil said. Fiona stared at the brown-haired boy before her. ¡°You¡¯re someone else. After all, Princess Francesca, though brought to the village by Dr. Bain, passed away ten years ago.¡± Wil continued. Fiona¡¯s tone grew solemn. ¡°Did¡­ did Major Carr tell you that?¡± Wil shook his head. ¡°Two days ago, I received a phone call from Benedict while I was at the hotel. He wanted to thank me for the successful shot just before he left. He told me that he managed to take care of the aeroplane issue, and that his rank remained unchanged. And finally, he talked about you. ¡®I want you two to simply rejoice at the fact that Princess Francesca has come back to life¡¯, he said. That was all.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Fiona whispered, hanging her head. Wil closed his eyes. A moment passed in silence. Wil opened his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not Princess Francesca. But you are a true princess. You¡¯re twins, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°!¡± Fiona looked up. ¡°You and Princess Francesca were twins. But because royal tradition only allows for one child to be recognized, you could not become a princess. You were entrusted to that village, raised as the granddaughter of Dr. Bain. Am I correct?¡± Fiona¡¯s eyes were wide. She shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­¡± Then, she smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m not Francesca. I¡¯m her younger twin, Fiona. But how did you know?¡± There wasn¡¯t a hint of irritation in Fiona¡¯s tone. Wil thought for a moment before answering. ¡°I have several reasons to think so. First, Captain Warren mentioned that you resemble the young Princess Francesca. That would have been rather unlikely if you and the princess were total strangers. And again, if you were strangers, you wouldn¡¯t have been so desperate. But if you were trying to avenge your family, your actions make a great deal of sense. Also, your pendant was a big hint.¡± ¡°This?¡± Fiona picked up the coin hanging over her chest. First, she examined the royal crest. Then, she flipped it over and examined the flower bowing to the left. ¡°The crest?¡± ¡°Yes. Princess Francesca¡¯s crest. Do you know the name of that flower?¡± ¡°No. Do you?¡± Fiona asked, curious. ¡°I looked into the flower after the incident. I managed to find it in an illustrated guide our biology teacher brought from the school. It¡¯s called the Linnaea¡ªit¡¯s a very small plant that grows at high altitudes.¡± ¡°I know the names of almost every plant there is, but¡­ ¡®Linnaea¡¯¡­ I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not surprising. The Linnaea is not native to this country. It¡¯s not a plant known to many Roxcheans, since it grows mostly in the coniferous forests and highlands of Sou Be-Il. And even fewer would know about it in Iks.¡± ¡°I see¡­ but how did the flower¡¯s name tip you off?¡± Fiona asked. ¡°Its shape.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°The flowers only bloom in sets of two. The stem splits and grows into two flowers, each pointing in a different direction. That¡¯s why, in Bezelese, they¡¯re known by another name¡ª¡®Twinflower¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who might have thought up this crest for you. But Princess Francesca, the original owner of that pendant¡­ she probably knew that there was another flower that matched hers.¡± ¡°I¡­ I see.¡± Fiona looked down at the little flower resting on her fingers. ¡°I see¡­¡± Then, she smiled. she looked up at Wil. ¡°Wil?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Major Carr knows everything¡ªthat I¡¯m Francesca¡¯s twin, and how I got my hands on this pendant. I told him on the way to the capital. Wil¡ªno, the true Hero of the Mural, alongside Allison.¡± This time, it was Wil¡¯s turn to be surprised. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Major Carr told me the truth after I told him everything. That he wasn¡¯t the real hero¡ªthat you and Allison were the ones who cross the border and found the treasure. It was very fun listening to that story.¡± Fiona said brightly. Wil was a little embarrassed. ¡°I see¡­ er¡­ please don¡¯t tell anyone, if at all possible.¡± ¡°Of course. Then let¡¯s make things fair, shall we? Could you listen to my story? About how I learned the truth without Grandfather knowing, and how I came to find the pendant and the cufflink?¡± Fiona said, smiling. Wil nodded. ¡°By all means!¡± * * * My oldest memory is from when I was three or four, when I was buried in a pile of snow that fell from a tree. I was crying my eyes out. Of course, I was living in the village back then, as well. Grandfather, the elder, and all the aunties and uncles in the village. They were so kind to me. I helped Grandfather with his clinic, learned to make medicinal herbs, cooked, and cleaned¡­ I had a normal life. Grandfather told me that my parents had passed away in an avalanche. But I wasn¡¯t lonely or sad. And on that fateful day¡­ winter of ten years ago. Grandfather went on one of his regular visits to the capital, but out of nowhere he returned by carriage at midnight, when it was still snowing. That had never happened before, so I was very surprised. ¡°We have an emergency patient.¡± That was what Grandfather said. I¡¯d never seen him look so desperate and angry in all my life. He told me to stay in my room, and took the patient to the treatment room. Then, he told me to keep the fire going in the fireplace, and to have boiled water on hand so he could use it anytime, and locked himself up in the treatment room. All day long. ¡°I¡¯m all right.¡± That was what he said each time I asked if he was okay. Several times afterwards, he asked me for more boiling water and fresh bandages. I still remember clearly making his meals, too. That day, Grandfather told me to turn away all patients, no matter what. It was a very snowy day, but when a woman came to the door for her usual medicine, I just gave it to her at the door. It was night. I fell asleep at the fireplace, tired. When I opened my eyes, it was midnight. There wasn¡¯t a cloud in the sky. Because of all the snow piled up on the ground and the full moon above, it was clear as day. It was almost blinding. As I lit the fireplace and boiled more water, it slowly grew dark outside. I remembered then that there was going to be a Midday Night that night. I took the boiling water into the treatment room. ¡°Grandfather?¡± I often went into the room to help look after patients, so I did the same then as well. In the room was a single bed, and a table covered with bloodstained bandages. Grandfather was sitting in a chair next to it, sleeping. He looked exhausted. I put a blanket over Grandfather and went to check on the patient like I usually did. I thought that, if something had happened to the patient, I should do something. That I should wake Grandfather, if necessary. The world was filled with pale moonlight. The white sheets of the bed were blinding. She lay there. ¡°¡­¡± I was shocked. There were bandages covering her face. Only her eyes, nose, and mouth were not covered. The rest, wrapped up in clean white bandages. She was young. About the same age as I was. She was breathing quietly but steadily. She seemed to be asleep, so I turned to leave. But at that moment, ¡°Who¡­¡± Someone suddenly spoke. I flinched. I looked around, not knowing who it was. But I finally realized that it was her voice. I walked up to the bed. She turned her head and looked at me. ¡°Who¡­ are you¡­?¡± A weak voice escaped her lips. It was a girl¡¯s voice. I had never heard the voice before, but I thought it was beautiful and clear. ¡°I¡¯m Fiona. But everyone calls me Fi.¡± ¡°Fi¡­ I¡¯m so happy to meet you. I really am.¡± She said. I didn¡¯t know why she was saying such things, but I answered, wanting to hear more of her wonderful voice. ¡°Thank you.¡± The Midday Night passed by in silence. I was just about to turn on a lamp. ¡°Fi¡­ talk with me.¡± She said suddenly. Patients often said things like that. That they were bored and wanted someone to talk to them. But because I didn¡¯t know if she was all right to speak, I asked, ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but are you all right to talk? Doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if I just listen¡­ Please, Fi. Tell me about you. Tell me as much as you can.¡± So like I usually did, I pulled a chair over to the bedside. In the dimming world, I talked about myself. How I had lived in the village all my life. How the villagers were very kind and taught me many things. How they were all very happy whenever I learned something new. How I had no parents, but wasn¡¯t lonely thanks to the villagers. She smiled at points along the way, so I continued. Grandfather did not wake. I wanted to let him rest, if even a little longer. Even as we spoke, the moon slowly disappeared from the sky. It grew darker and darker. After telling her as much as I could, I asked her, ¡°Say, what¡¯s your name?¡± She replied in her beautiful voice. That it was a secret¡­ for now. ¡°You¡¯ll know one day, Fi¡­ You¡¯ll know. Soon¡­¡± I thought she was being strange. At the time, I didn¡¯t understand what she had meant. It was pitch-black. I couldn¡¯t see anything in the room. The moon floated overhead, shining a dull red. ¡°Fi¡­ could you do something for me?¡± I asked her what she wanted. She answered, ¡°Take these bandages off my face.¡± I immediately asked her if that was all right. But, strangely, she said that her face wasn¡¯t injured at all. And she asked me again. ¡°All right.¡± In the dark, I fumbled around and unwrapped her bandages, moving her pillow. The bandages were clean, and came off easily. Sighing in relief at the fact that her face was really uninjured, I finished unwrapping the bandages. She thanked me. But because it was so dark, I still could not see her face. ¡®Should I turn on the light?¡¯ I asked, but she declined. And soon, the great shadow in the sky disappeared. The lunar eclipse ended, and the red moon turned into a thin, white arc. Light began returning to the room as well. ¡°¡­¡± And I looked into her face. ¡°Hello, Fi¡­¡± She said, meeting my gaze. To be honest, I was confused. I was very confused. I didn¡¯t know what to say, or what to do. I looked upon the girl who had the same face as me. ¡°You didn¡¯t think that she was your twin sister at the time?¡± Wil asked. ¡°Back then, not at all. I knew about twins, but I¡¯d only ever heard about them. So I assumed that, maybe the world was full of people who resembled each other closely. And I wondered if I should point out our resemblance. In the end, I didn¡¯t.¡± Lying on the bed, she smiled gently. I still remember that smile like it was yesterday. Such a soft and beautiful smile. The moment I saw it, it occurred to me that I might never be able to match such a face. I realized with all my being that the girl was different from me. She was a girl who only looked like me, but had a beautiful voice. That was her. ¡°Say¡­¡± She whispered. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m badly hurt. So I think I might die.¡± Whenever a patient said something like that, I would always say, ¡®Don¡¯t think like that. You¡¯re going to get better, I promise. Dr. Bain is amazing¡¯. So that was how I answered then, too. She smiled. ¡°I see¡­ but just in case. Listen to me, just in case. Okay?¡± ¡°Okay. But only just in case.¡± ¡°Thank you, Fi. You see¡­ someone did this to me.¡± ¡°What? Who? Who could do something so horrible?¡± ¡°But¡­ you¡¯re safe. You weren¡¯t hurt. I¡¯m jealous.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°If I die¡­ will I go to sleep in this village, do you think? I will, won¡¯t I?¡± I nodded. ¡°Then¡­ Fi? Could I leave my body to you? Please. Promise?¡± ¡°...All right. I promise, just in case. But¡ª¡± I was going to say that such a thing wouldn¡¯t happen. But, ¡°Thank you, Fi. That was all I wanted to ask.¡± ¡°No problem. But you¡¯re going to get better, okay?¡± ¡°Okay¡­ then¡­ please put the bandages back on my face.¡± I agreed and did as she asked. She thanked me again, and I replied, ¡®Don¡¯t mention it¡¯. Then, I told her that I had to go and boil water and watch the fire. ¡°I see. Thank you for telling me about you.¡± ¡°Not at all. I can tell you lots more later.¡± ¡°See you again, Fi. Thank you¡­¡± Those were the last words I ever heard from her. That beautiful voice I still remember to this day. And so, I left the room. The living room was completely bright by then, and I fell asleep while I was watching the fireplace. Morning came. Grandfather came out of the room, looking dejected. He looked very sad. I asked him, ¡°Grandfather, what happened to the patient?¡± Grandfather slowly shook his head. The next day, Grandfather buried her in the village cemetery. Apparently, he¡¯d told the other villagers that she was an orphan he had been treating in the capital, and that that was why he brought her there to be buried. Everything was covered up. In any event, the entire village was in an uproar that day¡ªthe rumors floating around since the day before had been proven true. The royal palace had burned to the ground, and Queen Calensia, Sir Brown, and Princess Francesca had gone missing. Chances of their survival were dismal. And the days went by as usual. Even I knew that the queen¡¯s family had gone from the world, but I didn¡¯t know why Grandfather¡¯s regular trips to the capital stopped completely. But I was happy that he stayed in the village all the time. I never told anyone that I had spoken to the girl with the beautiful voice who looked like me. That memory remained a dreamlike recollection in my mind, occasionally surfacing as it grew up alongside me. This summer, news reached even Iks and our little village that someone discovered the mural. It was just around that time that Grandfather passed away. ¡°I see¡­ so that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t recognize Benedict.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I wasn¡¯t in any state to know. Although I do feel bad about it.¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯m sure he must have been happy.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°N, never mind. Please tell me more.¡± Of course, Grandfather didn¡¯t tell me the truth on his deathbed, as I claimed on the balcony. He was nothing but a loving grandfather to me until the very end. I decided to bury him with the villagers¡¯ help. And that was when I finally realized what the girl from ten years ago had meant. She was sleeping in the cemetery. I retrieved her body and buried Grandfather where she had been sleeping. All alone, I began the task of polishing her remains. That was when I found it. ¡°What? You mean¡­¡± Wil was stunned. He glanced at the pendant shining over Fiona¡¯s chest. ¡°Of course¡­ if it was made of gold¡­¡± He gasped. Fiona pulled up the coin into her fingers. ¡°Yes. It was just as clean as it is now. Do you understand what that meant?¡± Wil nodded. ¡°Yes! I get it! Incredible¡­ This might sound strange to say, but¡­ to get revenge on the ones who killed her and her parents, Princess Francesca made an unbelievable decision. And she acted on it with everything she had.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Fiona wore a look both angry and vicious, but her face was tinted by sadness. ¡°I found two tiny shining objects in her remains. One was the pendant, and the other¡ª¡± ¡°The cufflink! When Nichto took her hostage, Princess Francesca must have pulled off one of his cufflinks with her teeth. And¡­ and she swallowed it so she could use it as evidence, along with the pendant that would prove her identity. Because even if she died, someone would find those things one day, when her body was retrieved.¡± Fiona slowly nodded. ¡°The moment I found the royal pendant and saw the crest, everything fell into place. That the girl was Princess Francesca, who supposedly died in the fire at the palace. Why Grandfather brought her to the village on the night the palace burned down. Why I saw my mirror image in the moonlight that night. And what she meant when she asked me to take care of her bones.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And I came to a conclusion: That I was a twin, and she was my older twin Francesca. That because of the rules that allow the monarch to have only one child, I had to be entrusted to Grandfather¡ªDr. Bain. That Grandfather was a royal physician.¡± ¡°And that conclusion turned out to be right.¡± ¡°No one came out and told me, ¡®You¡¯ve got it¡¯, but I was confident. But I couldn¡¯t solve the mystery of the cufflink until the end. I could imagine that its owner was involved with the incident, but I¡¯d lived in the countryside all my life¡ªI¡¯d never seen something like that before, and I had no idea that people engraved family crests on them. And of course, I couldn¡¯t go around asking the other villagers about it, either.¡± ¡°So Benedict brought you the final puzzle piece?¡± ¡°Yes. The moment I noticed the same cufflink on that poster, it occurred to me¡ªthat God must have created me to pass judgement on that man.¡± Wil exhaled loudly. ¡°The one Allison greeted in your basement that night must have been Princess Francesca. I was curious that hers was the only small skull in the room. Thank you for telling me your story.¡± Fiona nodded and jokingly replied, ¡°Although it¡¯s no match for the story about the mural.¡± They laughed cheerfully. Then, Wil pointed out two problems and asked Fiona how she would deal with them. The first was that Nichto must have had allies, and the second was the problem of where Fiona would live. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not sure, but it¡¯s true that there must have been other culprits. But now that Nichto is dead, it won¡¯t be easy to find the rest of them. Although Captain Warren¡¯s fired up about the investigation, even though he¡¯s still in the hospital. That¡¯s a problem we¡¯ll have to struggle with from now on.¡± Then, the look on Fiona¡¯s face shifted into a troubled one. ¡°And as for where I¡¯ll live¡­ to be honest, I wish I could do something right now. I can¡¯t stay at a hotel like this permanently, and I don¡¯t know what to do about my expenses. But I don¡¯t want to rebuild the palace, like some people are telling me. The prime minister came to visit the other day, and asked me to try and use as little tax money as possible.¡± ¡°It must be a lot to deal with.¡± ¡°Yes. Do you have any suggestions?¡± Fiona asked jokingly. Wil¡¯s reply was immediate. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Wil looked Fiona in the eye. ¡°I have a good idea. Actually, that was part of the reason I came to visit you. In fact, I had to tell you. That¡¯s why I went so far as to rudely unravel your past.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Will you have a listen?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Fiona leaned forward in her chair, her elbows on the table. Wil spoke. ¡°You must live in that village¡ªthe village where your grandfather sleeps.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t do that.¡± Fiona replied, crestfallen. ¡°The villagers know better than anyone that I¡¯ve lived there since I was a baby. And they know better than anyone that I¡¯m not the real princess. I lied to the people of the country to avenge my murdered family. I chose to bury the truth to the end. There was no other way, I think. But I can¡¯t go to the villagers who loved and looked after me and ask them to play along. I couldn¡¯t.¡± Wil listened quietly. ¡°And security is going to be a problem, too. I don¡¯t want to bother that quiet village with all the commotion it¡¯s going to involve. I¡¯m sorry for shooting down your suggestion, Wil.¡± Wil replied that that was all right, and added, ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing you told me will be a problem, Fiona. I guarantee it.¡± Fiona stared, bewildered. Wil continued. ¡°A lot of things about the village bothered me from the moment I first set foot inside. First, the fact that they fed us tea spiked with sleeping herbs. No one would go that far, even against a pair of outlanders. Not only that, the woman who happily told us how to get to the village hall and the shrewd old woman who met us there both struck me as suspicious. And now that I think about it, the reason our car got stuck must have been because they set up traps in the area.¡± Wil paused. ¡°And the barbed wires Benedict told us about, which are set up in a circle all around the village. They were much too secure to be merely for keeping animals out. Then there were the village men, who were coordinated like well-trained soldiers. Also, when you told us that you are a princess, Allison guessed that you were living in hiding. She also pointed out as we flew to the capital that the village was protected. And in the morning, she also noted that the village was full of older people. I also noticed that the age range there was skewed disproportionately to middle age and older. In addition, there were the restricted documents Captain Warren mentioned, which listed the names of all members of the royal guard.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I saw the crests displayed in the village hall. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen them as well.¡± ¡°What? Yes, of course.¡± ¡°The princess¡¯s crest¡ªthe Linnaea¡ªwas among them. But it was pointing to the lower right. The opposite direction from the one in the pendant. Didn¡¯t you think that was strange?¡± ¡°I heard this when I was about fifteen¡ªapparently, one of the villagers had copied down the design from the city and made it here. But the person made a mistake, and the princess¡¯s flower was done backwards. They found out too late, so they just left it as it is.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably an excuse they made up for you. The flower wasn¡¯t reversed by accident.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The Linnaea that points to the right is yours. It¡¯s your crest.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s the other half of the Twinflower. It was your crest all along. Just like two flowers bloom on the Linnaea, each in different directions.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°Let me get to the point. The entire village knows about you. They knew all along that you¡¯re one of the queen¡¯s twin daughters. In fact, I believe that when you were born twenty years ago, many guards and attendants must have been dispatched to the village where you were to be sent. All under the guise of average villagers. The area must have had been connected to the royal family for a long time, or maybe there was a secret villa of the royal family there.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Fiona blinked silently. She stared at the brown-haired boy across from her as though looking at a magician. ¡°So things will be all right. They¡¯ll welcome you back with open arms. And they¡¯ll be proud to protect you, just as they have for the last twenty years.¡± Wil declared. Fiona closed her eyes. A single teardrop ran down her cheek. A moment of silence passed. Wil spoke. ¡°I¡¯d wanted to return something very important to you, but I couldn¡¯t bring it here. I¡¯m taking very good care of it for now, so could I send it by post to that village? To your name?¡± Fiona opened her teary eyes and smiled. ¡°Yes! By all means.¡± * * * After that, Fiona looked so happy. We drank tea together for a while. The teacup was very thin and beautiful. The saucer, too. I was afraid of what would happen if I dropped it. After the attendant left, Fiona slowly walked over to a cabinet on the side of the room and opened it. It turned out the cabinet was actually a new model of refrigerator. Fiona took out a bottle of strawberry jam and scooped up a heaping spoonful into her tea. I was floored. She took a sip and started laughing, saying that it tasted strange. I tried putting jam into my tea, too. It was delicious. I heard from Fiona that she promised to exchange letters with Benedict. It looks like she¡¯s planning to officially invite the Hero of the Mural, Defender of the Princess to the Kingdom of Ikstova later. I also heard that, once civilians are allowed to visit Sou Be-Il, Benedict¡¯s going to invite Fiona first. I don¡¯t think that day will be too far off. He also wants both of us to come, too, and promised to send us tickets. The four of us might be getting together for tea someday soon. That¡¯s about all I have to say. I wrote this before, but I just wanted to tell you again¡ªthank you so much, Allison. It was a really memorable trip. The best. This letter¡¯s probably going to reach you in the beginning of the new year. So here¡¯s my new year¡¯s greeting: Happy New Year, Allison. Wilhelm Schultz P.S. When we were talking about going to Sou Be-Il, Fiona said, ¡±Please tell Allison that I won¡¯t get in her way next time¡±. I wonder what she means¡­? -To be continued in Volume III Volume 3 Before the Prologue — a Volume 3 Before the Prologue - a ----- Crash! My name is Lillia Schultz. Lillia is my given name, and Schultz is my family name. Everyone calls me ¡®Lillia¡¯, but my full name is ¡®Lillianne Aikashia Coraz¨°n Whittington Schultz¡¯. It¡¯s ridiculously long. That¡¯s why I only end up using the whole thing once a year or so. In Roxche¡ªthe Roxcheanuk Confederation¡ªnot many people have middle names, so everyone who hears my full name asks me what it all means. I always explain that it comes from an old custom in the West¡ªthe Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa¡ªwhere you put the names of both parents and your grandparents into your name. People either get it or look surprised. Some people are astonished. I was born and raised in the Special Capital District(Capital District for short). I¡¯ve lived in the same apartment building and room since I was born. Our place is at the very top floor of a cluster of five-story apartments filling the Capital District¡¯s residential district. Until the Historic Architecture Protection Law was amended and elevators were installed in even the oldest apartment buildings, apartment buildings were extremely cheap because climbing the stairs was such a hassle. That was why they were so popular with young people. ¡°That¡¯s why we rented this place. We¡¯re still crashing here because moving is such a hassle.¡± That was what Mom said. She¡¯s asleep right now. That crash just now was the sound of Mom chucking the poor, hardworking alarm clock against the wall. So, as usual, I decided to go wake her myself. I turned off the electric toaster, put breakfast on our plates, and left the kitchen. The bricks lining the hall were chipped everywhere, showing signs of age. I went into Mom¡¯s room. I didn¡¯t get permission to enter. I couldn¡¯t get it even if I wanted to, since she was still asleep. The room faced east, and the window was installed with thin curtains on purpose. The morning sun was bright. But Mom was lying face-down on her bed, still in her pajamas. She was sleeping with her golden hair covering her face. As usual, her blanket was crumpled on the floor and her pillow was on top of her feet. If she weren¡¯t sleeping in a double bed, she would have fallen by now. Her right arm, in fact, was already dangling off the side of the mattress. First, I picked up the poor, abused alarm clock from by the door and put it back on the shelf. It was the latest model¡ªthe hands and batteries were impact-resistant¡ªand expensive to boot. But it was lasting a surprisingly long time for a clock in Mom¡¯s room. It really is a miracle. ¡°It¡¯s morning, Mom. Wake up.¡± I tried saying, glancing at the clock on the wall. If Mom woke up just like that, it would rain cats and dogs and hell would freeze over. And I¡¯d stay bundled up inside. As usual, there was no response. I went around the bed and up to Mom¡¯s shoulder. Her left side, today. Squatting by the bed, I grabbed Mom¡¯s shoulders as she lay facedown. ¡°Wake up!¡± I shouted, shaking her hard enough to pull off her shoulders. I showed her no mercy. The bed shook and squeaked irritatingly. ¡°It¡¯s! Morning! Mom! Wake! Up! Wake! Up! Now!¡± I yelled. About nineteen seconds of shaking later. ¡°Mmm?¡± A reaction. Mom is still alive today. I stopped shaking her. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± With a groan, Mom slowly raised her head. She stared at me¡ªI was still holding her shoulders¡ªthrough her messy hair. Her clear blue eyes were still half-covered by her eyelids. ¡°Who¡¯re you?¡± She asked. Still not awake. I came up with an answer. Take this. ¡°This is the Confederation Police Force. You¡¯re under arrest for using an Air Force aeroplane without permission to teach your daughter to fly, using two hundred liters of gasoline without permission, and falsifying a ground run of an engine test to justify the use of gasoline. What do you have to say to that?¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, Officer. It¡¯s all for the noble goal of raising the next generation of pilots.¡± Mom slurred, still half-asleep. ¡°As long as no one finds out. Right, Officer?¡± If I were a cop, I would have arrested her on the spot. If a cop¡¯s come to see you, he obviously knows about your rampant personal use of military assets. ¡°Bye-bye.¡± I gave up. Mom buried her face in the mattress and began snoozing away again in the same pose as before. Because she had shifted slightly, she was now lying very close to the edge of the bed. That was it. The switch was pressed. I got up and waited for the engine in Mom¡¯s head to warm up. And I aimlessly looked around her room. There was no dust on the floor; I cleaned the room yesterday. There wasn¡¯t a single fallen leaf by the flowerpot. The big dresser caught my eye. Mom¡¯d been talking about moving it to the north-side wall for days, but she still hadn¡¯t done it. On the clothes hanger by the dresser was the boring dark-red uniform of the Roxcheanuk Confederation Air Force, top and bottom side-by-side. She must have gotten them ready last night. Women could wear pants or a skirt; today, she was going to wear a skirt. On the collar of her top was a badge of rank with three stripes¡ªthree stripes for the rank of captain. Over the left breast was a square, multicolored embroidered patch. Over the right breast was embroidered her name. Of course, it read ¡®Schultz¡¯. On the oaken desk was a small electric lamp and an oak bookshelf. There were difficult flight theory books, and a thick book of fairy tales from the West that I¡¯d never seen her read. And a picture frame. It was a pretty silver frame. There was a color photograph inside, slightly yellowed with age. There are two people in the picture. They were shot from the knees-up, but the angle is wonky¡ªit looks like the picture was taken looking down at them. One of them is wearing a thin yellow dress, looking like a lady from a rich family. She has an awesome and confident smile, and has long blond hair and blue eyes. Mom, when she was younger. Next to her is a boy with light brown hair, who¡¯s wearing a school jacket and uniform. He must have moved his head when the picture was taken, because his face is a complete blur. It kind of looks like he¡¯s nervous. The backdrop is the platform of a train station. I can see a dark sky, a hazy green forest, and a station sign that¡¯s written in Roxchean but only the first letter is visible. It looks like a ¡®Ka¡¯, but I have no idea where that is. The boy is Dad¡ªWilhelm Schultz¡ªwhen he was younger. It¡¯s the only picture of the two of them together¡ªin fact, it¡¯s the only photo of Dad, period. ¡°Mmm¡­? Hmm¡­¡± I turned to the bed, where Mom was mumbling. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± All of a sudden, she got up. She lost her balance and fell back-first on the floor. There was a loud noise. ¡°Huh¡­? What?¡± I could hear her voice from across the mattress. ¡°It¡¯s morning, Mom. You¡¯re going to be late.¡± I replied coldly. Mom raised her head from behind the bed with a pout. She shot me a glare. ¡°You¡¯re awful, Lillia¡­ You know, your father used to wake me up every morning with a kiss. He used to stroke my hair and waited next to me until I woke up.¡± I guarantee you that that is a lie. ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything, Mom. Anyway, you have to wash up, brush your hair, and eat breakfast. You¡¯re going to be late. You said you¡¯re going to get a pay cut if you¡¯re tardy again, right? I¡¯m not going to the command center for you even if they call. It¡¯s embarrassing.¡± ¡°All right, all right.¡± Who¡¯s the mother around here, anyway? I sighed. ¡°And you said you¡¯re going to have lunch with Mr. Hero today, right?¡± ¡°Hm? Did I?¡± This is ridiculous. She¡¯s the one who pranced home last night and announced it as soon as she stepped through the door. ¡°Oh, right! That¡¯s right. I¡¯d better dress up nicely.¡± Sleep completely chased from her, Mom leapt over the bed. ¡°Good morning, Lillia. You¡¯re looking as lovely as usual.¡± Planting a kiss on my cheek, she rushed into the bathroom. I went back to the kitchen, brewed tea for both of us, and ate breakfast first. It tasted delicious. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± Mom said as she emerged, although I hadn¡¯t waited for her. She was in full Air Force regalia. It was hard to believe that she was the same person who was half-asleep in pajamas in her bed until just earlier. Captain Allison Whittington Schultz of the Roxcheanuk Confederation Air Force. A female test pilot who¡¯s the undisputed no.1 in the Confederation. What a flawless transformation. This is how she fools the taxpayers who support her. With a ¡®Thanks for the meal¡¯, Mom began eating. I observed her as I sipped my tea. She had clear blue eyes as beautiful as the sky on a winter morning. And strands of hair that glinted like fine strings of gold. ¡°Hm? Wha iff iff?¡± Mom asked with a sandwich in her mouth, noticing my gaze. ¡°Well. I just kind of wished I could have gotten those from you.¡± ¡°¡®Those¡¯?¡± ¡°Your eye and hair colors.¡± Mom nodded in understanding and gulped down her tea. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Lillia. You have Wil¡¯s eyes and hair. And that¡¯s the biggest proof that you¡¯re his daughter.¡± The same answer as usual. And nothing more. I held up the teapot. ¡°More tea?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Make sure to lock up when you leave. Don¡¯t be late for school.¡± Mom said, skipping out the door. For someone who so boldly said to her commander, ¡°Days without flights are too boring, sir. To be perfectly honest, I want to make up excuses and skip work those days¡±, she was pretty cheerful. She¡¯d also once said, ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s going to be an accident on the way to work. Then maybe I could use the traffic jam as an excuse¡­¡±, but today, she¡¯s going to rev up the engine on her beloved car, drive through the packed Capital District streets, and race down the autobahn. That¡¯s all thanks to the date she has scheduled with Mr. Hero. He¡¯s Mom¡¯s boyfriend. Of course, ¡®Hero¡¯ isn¡¯t his name. I don¡¯t know where the nickname came from¡ªMom never told me. A long time ago, Roxche was involved in a stupid(from my perspective, having been born after the war) conflict with Sou Be-Il over who was the ancestor of humanity. Mr. Hero is from Sou Be-Il, and he¡¯s working at the embassy in the Capital District. He¡¯s something called a ¡®military attach¨¦¡¯¡ªhe¡¯s around Mom¡¯s age, but he¡¯s a rank higher than her at major. According to Mom, he¡¯s one of the super-elite. Straight from the cream of the crop. He came to visit us at home a few times when I was little. I still sort of remember the last time he came over. Mom was sitting in a chair drinking tea, giving him orders as he moved the dresser. She was lording it over him like he was her underling or subordinate. ¡°Is he a ¡®nobody¡¯?¡± I asked Mom while he was right there. Mom was astonished, but at the same time she sounded impressed. ¡°Oh my, Lillia. Where did you learn that word?¡± Now that I think about it, that was really rude of me. I still remember how Mr. Hero was smiling bitterly. Mom answered, ¡°Mr. Hero here¡¯s fallen head over heels for me, and he owes me a lot. So I can order him around as much as I¡¯d like, whenever and wherever. Isn¡¯t that useful? I¡¯m going to boss him around forever.¡± Now that I think about it, that¡¯s unbelievable. I wonder what Dad would say if he were still alive? That¡¯s right. Dad¡¯s already gone¡ªhe passed away a little while before I was born. I heard that he got into an accident while he was on his way to the West for some business. Apparently he fell off a luxury train while it was passing through the mountains. They never found his body. Volume 3 Prologue Volume 3 Prologue ----- ¡°It¡¯s dirty work. Only a gentleman can carry it out.¡± That was what I learned, and that was what I believed. I betrayed many people, and sometimes I threw them away. I made many shed tears, and sometimes I killed them. I loved my country, and my country loved me. I gave my all for my country, and my country paid me back in full. I love my country. Even if my country does not love me. I give my all for my country. Even if my country does not pay me back in full. But¡ª How did it come to this? How did it come to this? Oh, Goddess of Fortune. You cruel and fickle mistress. I will not lose. I will use any means necessary. Now, think. Think. Think. What use is that head of yours? To display hats? To touch with your fingertips as you salute? Think. Think. Think. The whistle finally sounds. Volume 3 1 — Radio and Telegrams Volume 3 Chapter 1: Radio and Telegrams ----- The 14th day of the second month of the year 3288 of the World Calendar. ¡¸Good evening, Raputoa and neighbors. This is Republic Radio, bringing you the evening news. The Confederation Department of Transport has officially announced today that citizens of the Roxcheanuk Confederation will now be permitted to travel to the Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa. Starting from the 2nd, even civilians will be able to use the transcontinental express bound for the capital of Sfrestus. The luxury passenger liner that crosses the North Sea Passage, scheduled to begin service this summer, will also be open to civilians. The curtains are finally rising on the age of transcontinental travel. For a short period of time following the first journey of the transcontinental express train, the train¡¯s schedule will be built around tours conducted near the stations and the nearby hotels. This travel package will be conducted once or twice every month, and travelers are encouraged to join the maiden journey that is set to begin next month. The price has yet to be determined, but according to the Minister of Transport, it ¡®will not be cheap¡¯. In other news, public security in Bael is worsening uncontrollably as a protest calling for national independence turned into a riot in the capital of Baelcia. Police fired rubber bullets at the rioters, leaving many injured. There are also reports that farms are being robbed of produce in the countryside. If the situation continues to worse, the Confederation Army may be dispatched¡ª¡¹ * * * Evening. The first day of the third month of the year 3288 of the World Calendar. In the town of Makkaniu, in the Republic of Raputoa. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it¡­¡± Wilhelm Schultz gasped in the plain concrete lobby of the Lowe Sneum Memorial Secondary School student dormitories. He was standing in front of a wall of student mailboxes, which were packed together like honeycombs. He had light brown hair and brown eyes. On his arm hung his jacket, and in his hand was an open envelope. There was a stamp on it, marking that it had passed inspections. It was international mail from Sou Be-Il. Inside were two pieces of paper. Wil looked down at them and mumbled. ¡°I¡¯d better write back¡­ I wonder if it¡¯ll arrive in time?¡± At about the same time. In a certain valley in the Kingdom of Iks in the Roxcheanuk Confederation. ¡°Fi¡ªI mean, Your Highness! It¡¯s a letter! You have a letter from the hero!¡± A middle-aged woman exclaimed, rushing into the village hall. She was plump to put nicely, and fat to be blunt. The front door led her straight into a rectangular room with stone walls, which was furnished with a large table made with a thick board. Several village women wearing aprons sat around it, enjoying a relaxing cup of afternoon tea. All eyes were on the plump woman. The only young person among them¡ªa woman about twenty years of age¡ªput down her mug and stood. The woman, who had short black hair, took the envelope with a word of thinks and carefully opened it under everyone¡¯s gaze. And for dozens of seconds, she read one of the two pieces of paper. ¡°Oh my. This is a surprise.¡± She chuckled. ¡°What does it say, Your Highness?!¡± The fat woman asked nervously. Then, something occurred to her. She began stuttering. ¡°C-c-c-c-could it be a¡­ a p-p-p-p-proposal?!¡± ¡°Unfortunately, no.¡± The young woman replied with a smile. ¡°But that might not be so far off.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± Everyone reacted at once. ¡°My goodness!¡± Cried the fat woman. At about the same time. In a pilot¡¯s lounge in a certain Confederation Air Force airfield in a certain country in the Roxcheanuk Confederation. ¡°It¡¯s here!¡± Allison exclaimed triumphantly, grasping an envelope in her left hand. Inside the small lounge were rickety chairs and several tables. It was dark, with the only light coming from a dim lightbulb. There was no one else around. Allison had her long blond hair tied at her neck and tucked into her grey coveralls. Her leather jacket, aviator hat, and goggles were lying on a chair. There was a dark stain on the bridge of her nose¡ªthe only part of her face not covered by her goggles and muffler. ¡°Pretty good, Mr. Hero!¡± In her right hand was a newly-read letter and a piece of paper of about the same size. The piece of paper was thick and expensive, and was a light cream color. At the top of the letter were written Roxchean words in fancy, official letters: [The holder of this ticket, Allison Whittington, is hereby recognized as an official passenger of the transcontinental express train.] ¡°Allison, are you here?¡± A female pilot in her twenties asked, stepping inside. Allison was practically dancing in glee. ¡°What¡¯s this? Another letter from your boyfriend?¡± ¡°Nope!¡± Allison replied giddily, ending her dance. Her friend frowned. ¡°Oh? Cheating on him already? Kids these days¡­¡± ¡°No!¡± At about the same time. A certain countryside village in the Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa. The gentle slopes were lit by the morning sun, dotted with citrus trees and identical white buildings with red roofs. In the yard of one of those buildings, Carr Benedict lay on a hammock hanging from pipes as he stared up at the sky through his sunglasses. He wore a simple long-sleeved shirt and slightly messy cotton pants. Next to the hammock were a pair of comfortable-looking sandals. ¡°They must have arrived by now. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re happy. I guess I¡¯ve kept my promise.¡± Mumbling to the sky, Benedict held up a paper aeroplane between his fingers and raised his right hand. ¡°Whoosh.¡± The aeroplane slowly took to the sky and crossed the radiant sun. ¡°Benedict!¡± A shrill, female voice interrupted the flight. ¡°Benedict! Just because you¡¯re a historic hero doesn¡¯t mean you get to put off cleaning your room! You¡¯ve been gone so long; why won¡¯t you be more considerate of your poor mother? Clean up your mess, now! Also, we¡¯re out of vinegar and eggs, so go pick some up before you start! And don¡¯t get distracted hitting on girls!¡± ¡°Yes, Mother¡­¡± The paper aeroplane spun, unable to take the barrage of attacks, and landed on his stomach. At about the same time. A room inside a certain building in the city of Sfrestus, capital of the Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa. ¡°Yes, sir?¡± ¡°Let me get to the point, Colonel. Your proposed plans has just been approved.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything to deserve your gratitude. Now, do you really intend to personally take part¡ª¡± ¡°I must finish this myself, Brigadier General.¡± ¡°I understand. Then let me wish you luck. Fortune be with you, ¡®Major¡¯.¡± * * * The 22nd day of the fourth month of the year 3288 of the World Calendar. ¡°Marry me, Wilhelm Schultz! We¡¯re close, aren¡¯t we? I¡¯m outgoing and you¡¯re calm, so we¡¯ll make a great couple, won¡¯t we? Just like my mom and dad! And we¡¯ll have a wonderful family together that everyone¡¯ll be jealous of. We¡¯ll have four kids! A daughter, a son, a daughter, and a daughter. We can start coming up with names tomorrow. Isn¡¯t that a great idea?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wil was lost for words. He was sitting at a white table, wearing a winter school uniform. He was not wearing a tie. Wil was in a vast garden that belonged to a grand mansion¡ªcarpeted underneath him was neatly-trimmed grass, and around him were flower bed that had recently been planted with bulbs. From his vantage point he could see perfectly-cut hedges, sculptures, and a fountain. And standing proudly at an almost-annoying distance was a great white mansion. The spring sky was clear and bright. It was past afternoon, and the sun was disappearing over the Central Mountain Range in the west. On the table was a teapot, saucers, and steaming hot-teacups¡ªand beyond them, across from Wil, sat a girl. Her elbows were on the table, and she was leaning far forward with her eyes glittering in anticipation. ¡°Er¡­ well, I¡­¡± Wil stuttered. The girl cut in excitedly. ¡°You will? You will! I mean, there¡¯s no reason for you to¡ª¡± ¡°Idiot.¡± Wil¡¯s friend ran up from behind and smacked the girl on the head. ¡°Ouch!¡± The girl cried, turning around. She was about twelve years of age. She had long, curly brown hair, wore a long dress, and had a pair of knee-high boots on her feet. ¡°I didn¡¯t hit you that hard.¡± Wil¡¯s friend said nonchalantly, pulling up a chair between Wil and the girl. He advised Wil to ignore her. The girl took a seat again and retorted. ¡°That¡¯s not the problem here! What kind of barbarian hits a lady on the head?!¡± Wil¡¯s friend took a laid-back sip of tea. ¡°If there¡¯s a lady in this house, then please enlighten me. And for your information, Wil is not a lady.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kick your butt!¡± ¡°Wil¡¯s watching, you know.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it in secret later. That¡¯s right! You¡¯d better watch your back!¡± ¡°Thanks for taking the time to warn me in advance.¡± Wil finally cut in on the argument. ¡°Er¡­¡± Two sets of eyes turned to him. ¡°Let¡¯s stop this argument before it gets nasty. And Eumie?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Wil¡¯s friend¡¯s sister¡ªEuphemia, Eumie for short¡ªanswered excitedly. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ve never really thought about marriage before, so I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t give you an answer.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s too bad, then. We can talk more later.¡± Eumie mumbled with a shrug, and slapped her brother on the back as he put down his cup of tea. ¡°See? Wil is a gentleman, unlike a certain brother whose name I won¡¯t mention.¡± ¡°There you go. I¡¯m not a gentleman to you because I¡¯m your brother.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?!¡± Eumie demanded. As Wil watched with a smile, he blew on his tea to cool it down and muttered slowly. ¡°It must be nice, having siblings.¡± ¡°It depends on the person.¡± ¡°Depends on the person.¡± The siblings replied in unison. Wil and his friend sat facing each other at the table with a chessboard between them. Eumie was sitting in her chair, asleep with her mouth hanging open. Her brother¡¯s cotton jacket, which he had been wearing, was covering her like a blanket. As Wil¡¯s friend scrutinized his losing forces with his arms crossed, a butler came running from the mansion. The butler, who was old enough to officially be a senior citizen, bowed deeply and handed a telegram to Wil¡¯s friend. He took the telegram with a word of thanks, read the first line¡ª¡®To Mr. Wilhelm Schultz¡¯¡ªand said, ¡°Wil. It¡¯s that wire you were waiting for.¡± ¡°Really? Thanks!¡± Wil took the telegram and read over its contents. When he finished, he breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Not worried anymore?¡± Wil nodded. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s all right now. Looks like I made it in time. Thank goodness¡­ now I just have to set off. I¡¯ll be able to take the night train, just like I planned. I¡¯ll have some time to spare, just in case.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I¡¯ll have the driver take you down to the station. And don¡¯t sweat it¡ªwe had to take the car to town for maintenance anyway.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll get ready to go.¡± Wil stood and headed for the mansion. His friend smacked Eumie awake. Wil waved through the rear window of the car. His friend and Eumie waved back. The car headed for the gates, about a hundred meters ahead. It was nearly evening¡ªthe sky was growing darker. When the car was the size of a pea in the distance, Eumie¡ªstill in her brother¡¯s jacket, long enough to be a coat for her¡ªslowly lowered her hand. ¡°First Mom, then Wil. Everyone¡¯s going off on trips without telling us where. This is stupid.¡± ¡°Well, breaks like this aren¡¯t too bad once in a while.¡± her brother said cooly. ¡°Okay, so Mom might¡¯ve had to go meet people for business meetings. But Wil¡¯s going to be gone all spring break, and he hasn¡¯t even told you where he¡¯s going. For being your friend, he doesn¡¯t trust you a lot, huh?¡± Eumie commented, looking up at her brother. He looked down at her and answered without missing a beat. ¡°Sorry to completely negate that cutting remark you worked so hard on, but you¡¯re wrong.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°If he says he can¡¯t tell me right now, then he must have his reasons. A real friend would believe that and not ask questions.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± ¡°And it¡¯s not like we¡¯ll never see each other again. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll tell me one day.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve got nothing to do now. I¡¯ll follow you fishing or something. You¡¯ve got to put something on the dinner table, after all.¡± ¡°Alas! Woe is my boring spring break!¡± Eumie sighed, turning to the mansion. ¡°Good luck with the pilot.¡± Wil¡¯s friend whispered, giving a thumbs-up in the direction Wil disappeared to. The evening breeze wrapped up the siblings. * * * The next day. The morning of the 23rd. Wil was sitting alone on a bench. The station lobby was large enough to be a gymnasium. Metal arches supported the high ceiling, and about thirty five-seater benches were standing at regular intervals over the tiled floor. On the left side of the lobby was a window. The lower part was made of regular glass, but the upper part was stained glass. Lined up on the opposite wall were ticket windows, which were still shuttered. Above it was a sign that read, ¡®Karen East Station - Republic of Niasham¡¯, a map of nearby routes, and a train schedule. Night had finally come to an end, and white light was returning to the sky. But the clock on the wall indicated that there was still an hour or so until sunrise. Naturally, the only occupant of the half-lit lobby was Wil. Only the sound of chirping birds echoed from the distance. Like the previous day, Wil was wearing his winter uniform(this time with a tie), and a long dark blue school-issue coat for winter weather. There was a wool hat on his head. Because the heaters set up in the four corners of the room were all turned off, each time Wil exhaled, he breathed out a puff of white. Lying next to him was his old favorite¡ªor, rather, his only¡ªleather suitcase. ¡°Am I too early?¡± He mumbled in the empty lobby. The previous day. After departing with his friend and Eumie¡¯s goodbyes behind him, Wil left the suburbs and entered the city. He arrived at Raputoa City Central Station in Raputoa City, the capital of the country. He thanked the driver for taking him to the station and waiting with him for his telegram, then said goodbye to him as well. Wil bought his ticket and boarded the northbound night train that departed that evening. The Republic of Niasham was a member of the Roxcheanuk Confederation of the East. It was located north of the Republic of Raputoa, and was also along the Lutoni River that divided the continent in two. The train headed north, the rails lined only by forests or fields. At night, there was nothing but darkness all around. Wil spent a long time in his seat in the nearly-deserted second class car. For dinner, he bought a packaged sandwich through the window at one of the stations. Afterwards, Wil took off his shoes and fell asleep with his feet on the seats opposite his. The train arrived at Karen East station. It was still closer to midnight than morning. Unusually for a Roxchean train, his trip had not run into any delays. He had asked a conductor to wake him at the stop¡ªand when he opened his eyes, he stepped outside to a much colder climate than what he was used to in Raputoa. His fatigue was instantly chased from him. As the disembarking passengers left on cars to their hotels or homes, Wil remained alone in the lobby. An employee who led passengers to the taxis in front of the station came up to Wil, but walked away confused at Wil¡¯s response. After that came a concerned station employee. Wil thought for a moment before answering, ¡°I wanted to see the transcontinental express that¡¯s coming in tomorrow morning.¡± He was not necessarily lying. ¡°That¡¯s perfectly fine. But take care not to catch a cold.¡± The employee said, leaving. ¡°Am I too early? ...Though I suppose it¡¯s better than being late.¡± Wil mumbled to himself. He looked around, and making sure that no one was there, took out an envelope from inside his uniform coat. Along with the letter inside, he pulled out another folded piece of paper. The letter came into view first. The first sentence was scrawled expertly in Bezelese cursive: [How¡¯re you doing? I¡¯m keeping my promise! Let¡¯s all board together!] With a smile on his face, Wil shuffled over to the next piece of paper. The piece of paper was thick and expensive, and was a light cream color. At the top of the letter were written Roxchean words in fancy, official letters: [The holder of this ticket, Wilhelm Schultz, is hereby recognized as an official passenger of the transcontinental express train.] Underneath in smaller font was recorded Wil¡¯s age, height, hair color, and eye color. Underneath that was a schedule of the transcontinental express tour. This was the train¡¯s fourth trip since the tours began¡ªin other words, Wil was on the fourth tour. The schedule listed the meeting and departure times from the station in the Capital District, as well as stations along the way in Roxche. It was noted there that passengers were free to board at any of the listed stops. The last stop in Roxche was Karen East Station. The train would arrive at 9AM on the 23rd, and depart at 10AM. The train would cross the new bridge erected over Lestki Island¡ªwhich was, ten years ago, a battlefield¡ªand the Lutoni River, which divided East from West. The schedule also had a brief listing of Sou Be-Il stations they were to stop at, short descriptions of tourist destinations, and the dates for the return trip. At the very bottom was a certificate of authenticity and a confirmation number. Finally, there was a space for the signature of the purchaser. ¡®Carr Benedict¡¯ was written there. Wil read the letter to the end, and flipped it over. On the back were notices for the tour. Listed first was the weight restrictions for the cargo they were allowed to bring. The limit was a weight too heavy for Wil to lift¡ªin fact, it looked almost like the amount of cargo a family would take to move houses. The guidelines also specified that, though cargo that did not leave the train would not be searched, plants and animals could not be taken across the Lutoni River. Other points of note followed. That the cost of all meals(on par with five-star restaurants, also including vegetarian options), drinks, and liquor was covered by the cost of the tour, and passengers would not have to pay separately for them or pay tip. That during the tour, passengers could send telegrams at any time while in Roxche, and at all stops while in Sou Be-Il. That the conductor and the train crew had a great deal of experience in Roxche, so language and service would not be an issue. That one doctor accompanied them on the tour. That he should send a telegram with the confirmation number to the following address to receive a comprehensive guidebook which detailed the specifics of their itinerary in Sou Be-Il. Wil carefully folded up the ticket and the letter, put it back in his coat, and buttoned up. He looked around the station lobby. There was still no one there. Glancing at his watch, Wil closed his coat tightly around himself and closed his eyes. Three seconds later. Wil opened his eyes and mumbled, wide-awake. ¡°Sou Be-Il¡­ Sfrestus¡­ This is incredible. The best spring break of my life.¡± Giving up on trying to fall asleep, Wil took out a key from his pocket and opened his suitcase. Inside were shirts, underwear, sweaters, several books, and a large paper envelope. The envelope took up a third of the suitcase. A thin length of string was wrapped around it¡ªfitting, but not tight. On it was a piece of paper which said, ¡®Don¡¯t forget to pack this!¡¯. Wil had written it himself, afraid that he might not remember it. He looked at the envelope, relieved, took out a book, and shut the suitcase. He spent the rest of his time reading. As dawn neared, the square by the station began to grow brighter. Another day at the station began. Wil closed his book and observed morning at the station from his bench. First, a station employee did the rounds and opened the shutters at the ticket windows. Then, a janitor carrying a mop and a bucket expertly cleaned the large lobby. He greeted Wil. Wil greeted him back, and got out of the way for a moment. Workmen began unloading freight from trucks that stopped at the square. The cargo was taken on rickety metal carts, through the lobby and onto the platforms. They were cargo, parcel, and mail to be transported via rail. The first bus of the day stopped at the square. People in suits and fatigues spilled into the lobby. The first train of the day arrived with a loud noise, then departed with a whistle. The store next to the lobby opened, selling magazines, newspapers, and breakfast foods like bottled milk, hot tea, bread, and bagels. Counting his change, Wil waited for a lull in the crowds and bought milk and a bagel. He nodded as he realized that food was more expensive there than Raputoa, where agriculture was a major industry. The lobby was bustling. Though Wil was still sitting at the same bench, it felt as though he had been transported somewhere else. As he watched people busily head out to work, Wil took his time eating his bagel with sour cream. He threw out his finished bottle of milk at the box by the store, contemplated buying today¡¯s newspaper, and returned to his seat upon realizing that he could probably get it for free on the train later. Once the adults had gone to work, the students followed. Teenagers his own age, wearing unfamiliar uniforms, passed him by. Some glanced at Wil, whose uniform did not belong to any schools in the area. Some of the girls gossiped loudly. ¡°He must be a lost transfer student.¡± Wil soon remembered that spring break was on different dates in Raputoa and Niasham. Wil waited on his bench. He waited and waited. The lobby was warm with the presence of people. He took off his hat and coat and placed them on his suitcase. The morning rush hour finally came to an end, and the women who ran the stores were just beginning to have breakfast on wooden crates. A squad of police officers entered the station. Wil watched quietly. About two dozen officers had disembarked from a truck. They were each armed with a rifle. The officers were led onto the platform by a station employee. Wil checked the time, made sure that he hadn¡¯t left anything behind while he went to the bathroom, and said goodbye to the bench he had sat on overnight. He passed by the wide hallway by the ticket windows and opened the large glass door that had been closed to keep the station warm after rush hour. The sky was still cloudy; everything was grey. There was an occasional gust of cold air. Wil put on his coat and hat. Karen East was neither a very large station nor a terminal. The platform was not encased in a dome like Raputoa City Central Station, and the lines were on either side of the station. There were four roofed platforms which were slightly higher than the ground. They were parallel to one another, stretching from north to south. The lobby exit located at the southern end of the platform was connected directly to a crossing. Passengers were only allowed to cross when the signal was silent, and like most stations in Roxche, there was no crossing gate. On platform 1 at the very front was a short passenger car bound for a nearby village. Smoke billowed quietly from the small steam locomotive at the head. There were no other trains, and there were no other passengers. The wide platform was empty. However, platform 4, at the very back of the station, was full of people who were not passengers. The policemen who had entered earlier were there. They stood in pairs at regular intervals, alert and ready. There were bottles of liquor and vegetable crates in the middle of the platform. About five or so men were next to them, speaking with a station employee who was holding some documents as they waited to load the cargo onto a train. Giving up on stepping onto the heavily guarded platform, Wil took a seat on a bench by the exit. He kept his eyes on platform 4 as he once more began to wait. The train at platform 1 departed northward with a sound of the whistle. The hands on the clock had just passed the scheduled arrival time, when a police officer blew on his whistle. Soon, a bell went off all throughout the station. Wil stood and looked southward. The rails converged into one, leading into a forest outside the city. Ahead, he could see smoke from a steam locomotive. The signal began to sound. Volume 3 2 — The Bridge Over the Old Battlefield Volume 3 Chapter 2: The Bridge Over the Old Battlefield ----- The station employees and the police officers, on standby on platform 4; Wil, standing in front of a bench; employees watching from the station building; and other passengers who happened to be passing by. The transcontinental express slowly approached as though intending to take away every person in the station. At the head of the train was a steam locomotive with an unusual design. In most steam locomotives, the large cylindrical boiler was on placed its side. Underneath it would be large wheels propelled by the movement of the coupling rods. Behind the boiler would be a small driver¡¯s compartment. And behind the locomotive, a box-shaped car called a tender, where coal was burned and water was boiled. In smaller trains, the tender was attached to the locomotive itself. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a train like this before¡­¡± Slowly passing by his eyes was something completely different from the usual; an excruciatingly long steam locomotive. At the head was a box-shaped tender equipped with large headlights. Behind it was a chassis, where the boiler and driver¡¯s compartment were. And behind it was yet another tender. Four wheels were installed side-by-side under the tender¡ªand as there were only small mechanical devices under the boiler, the ground on the opposite side was clearly visible. It was a high-output locomotive with two power supplies instead of one. The black locomotive whistled sharply under the cloudy skies, passing by the point where the rails diverged into platform 4. The three-part locomotive twisted through the junction, followed by the passenger cars. The passenger cars were painted dark green, like a deep forest. But from the tops of the windows to the roof, it was white. On either side of each of the cars was a single golden strip that ran horizontally, with a large golden ornament sparkling in the middle. The ornament was designed in the form of the potato-shaped continent. At the very center shone a certain emblem. A beacon composed of a vertical shaft with a curved rod atop it. On the wooden sign underneath the ornament were the words, ¡®Roxche Capital - Sfrestus¡¯. Watching the cars make their way through the crossing, and listening to each bump of the wheels as they passed over the grooves of the rails, Wil remembered the layout and description of the train and the photographs he saw in the guidebook. The first car, connected to the steam locomotive, was the freight car. It was used to store supplies needed for the tour. Although it resembled the passenger cars, it had smaller and fewer windows. On the opposite side from Wil¡ªin other words, the right side of the train, which the hallway did not run through¡ªwere large doors for large pieces of cargo. The car also held a diesel-engine generator that provided the passenger cars with electricity, and there was a small chimney sticking out of the roof. The second car was a sleeping car for the train crew. Excluding people like the conductor¡ªwho had private rooms¡ªa crew of cooks, servers, and other staff members would sleep and rest in the car. The hallway was on the left side, and on the right side were bunk beds and a crew lounge. The third car was the luggage car, which looked very similar to the freight car. Large quantities of passenger luggage and souvenirs that did not fit in the cabins were stored there. Wil, naturally, had nothing for that particular car. The fourth car was the VIP car. Even in the already-luxurious train, it was a step up from the rest. Inside was a suite room, and the entire car was assigned to two VIPs. There was even a bodyguard lounge at the suite entrance, and the windows were made of bulletproof glass. The guidebook had explained that the car was reserved for high-profile politicians and the fabulously wealthy. For security reasons, the layout of the interior was not disclosed. But according to a magazine Wil had read, the suite was equipped with a bathtub that could be used at any time. It was even said that the sheer opulence of the interior was something for the history books. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll ever go inside¡­ Although they wouldn¡¯t let me in in the first place.¡± Wil mumbled to himself. The fifth car was the galley. In other words, a kitchen. Exquisite meals were part of the joys of traveling¡ªeven more so during long trips on trains or ships. That was why an entire car was dedicated to a large and excellent kitchen where hand-picked chefs of the highest caliber could exercise their talents in full. The galley was even equipped with a large refrigerator and a storehouse for storing large quantities of food and high-quality wine. The sixth car¡¯s function was clear at a single glance. Behind the large windows draped with light red curtains, Wil could see pristine white tablecloths. Atop them were lamps, silverware, and neatly-folded napkins. It was the dining car, fancy enough to pass for a high-class restaurant. The seventh car was also a dining car. This one, however, had cream-colored curtains with delicate brown patterns. Unlike the other dining car, this one¡¯s interior was largely subdued¡ªperhaps to keep the passengers from growing tired of the decor. The eighth car was the lounge. Similarly to the dining car, it had large windows. Inside was a miniature bar, and on the wide floor covered with expensive carpet were comfy-looking chairs. And there was also a grand piano that had been brought in during the construction of the car, which meant that it could not be taken out without destroying the car. ¡°This one doesn¡¯t have much to do with me, either. I¡¯ll probably just end up passing it by.¡± Wil, who was not old enough to drink in either Roxche or Sou Be-Il, mumbled. Cars 9 through 12 were standard passenger cars of identical designs. ¡®Standard¡¯, of course, belied the fact that they were still the most luxurious cars in Roxche. The hallway was on the left side, and the cabins were on the right. There were only two cabins in each car. Each car housed four passengers. Ordinary sleeper cars, where cabins were lined with bunk beds, did not compare. Stepping in from the hallway, one would find a squashy sofa on the coupling-side. In front of it would be a folding table and a window large enough to offer an excellent view. Further inside would be a bathroom, a sink, and a shower. Toward the middle of the car, where the sounds from the door did not carry as much, would be two single beds arranged parallel to the tracks. In front of the beds would be a deep suitcase shelf that kept its contents inside no matter how much the train shook, and a small dresser. Other than the fact that the rooms were long and narrow, they were little different from luxury hotel rooms. Even counting the VIP car and the standard passenger cars, there would be less than twenty passengers on board the train. To keep the passengers¡¯ belongings safe, each car was equipped with secure locks. The doors and windows could not be opened from the outside, preventing anyone from trespassing. When the train arrived at a station, the crew would open the doors from the inside. Four passenger cars passed by Wil as they slowly came grinding into the station. Through the window, where the curtains were tied back, he could see an aging man walking down the hallway. On either side of the cars were passenger doors, and steps to help passengers down onto the platforms. The small rooms next to the doors were lounges for the cabin crew¡ªone crew member per car. There were also bathrooms segregated by gender. On either side of the cars, pairs of buffers with dish-shaped discs stuck out and met like supports. In the middle was a chain coupling, the brake hose, and a power cable. A wrinkly cover provided footing over the coupling. The thirteenth and final car was the observation car. The windows, even larger than those in previous cars, lined the walls. Metal piping covered the exterior like a basket to reinforce the wooden frame. It looked almost like a moving greenhouse or a glass box. Inside, two-seater sofas were placed in a row, facing the windows. There was a small bar that provided drinks. Passengers could sit comfortably in the sofas and enjoy the view from the car. The last three meters of the car composed a balcony of sorts that passengers could step out onto. Waist-high railings were installed to prevent anyone from falling, and there was a sunshade stretching out from the roof. Finally, the three-hundred-meter giant of a train came to a stop. The locomotive at the front had already passed the platform. The ornate metal carvings on the railings of the observation car balcony were right next to the crossing. Platform 4 was concealed completely by the train. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s go.¡± Taking a deep breath, Wil took his suitcase and stood. Checking that the bell was no longer going off, he cautiously looked left and right before traversing the crossing. His pace, though slow at first, gradually quickened. Realizing that, he slowed down again. As he drew nearer and nearer, it felt more and more like the train was falling over him in an attempt to crush him. ¡°Hey! You there!¡± Someone called sharply, stopping Wil¡¯s approach. Wil turned away from the train and toward the voice. A young police officer looked at him from platform 4. Noting that he had Wil¡¯s attention, the officer said, ¡°Yeah, you. This is a luxury transcontinental express train. You don¡¯t belong here.¡± ¡°Er¡­ I¡­¡± Not knowing how to answer, Wil slowly approached the platform. ¡°Stop. No rubberneckers. Turn around this instant.¡± ¡°¡­¡± For the moment, Wil stopped on platform 3. He thought of taking out his ticket, but he hesitated at the thought of suddenly reaching into his coat in front of a police officer. In the meantime, the officer crossed the rails and came up to Wil. ¡°I¡­ well¡­¡± ¡°If you really want to take a look, stay by the station lobby. Platform 4 is off-limits to anyone but passengers and authorized personnel.¡± ¡°Let me show you my ticket¡ª¡± ¡°Back to the lobby, kid.¡± Wil moved his suitcase to his left hand and reached into his coat for his ticket. But the officer snorted and turned him away by the shoulders. He began pushing Wil away. ¡°Hey, you! Officer!¡± A young woman cried harshly. The officer took his hands off Wil¡¯s shoulders and turned. Wil turned as well. The owner of the voice was on the observation car¡¯s balcony. With the dark sky at her back, she held on to the railing with her left hand and was pointing at the officer with her right. She was wearing a light yellow dress. Her golden back-length hair fluttered in the wind. ¡°Yeah, you.¡± Repeating the officer¡¯s lines word-for-word, she clutched on to the railing with one hand and leapt off the balcony. ¡°Hyah!¡± The edge of her dress fluttering, her two legs cleared the railing. The railing was two meters away from platform 3. ¡°Whoa!¡± The officer flinched. Wil watched indifferently. A second before her dress fluttered too high up, the girl¡¯s military boots touched down on the paved walkway. Bending her body forward, she landed without a hitch. Finally, her golden hair silently came falling onto her back. She shook her head to clear her hair out of her face. Then, she walked right up to the dazed officer. Her clear blue eyes highlighted her piercing glare. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± She asked reproachfully. ¡°Er¡­ Miss? I¡­ this is part of my duties¡­¡± ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing to my companion? He¡¯s coming on the train with me.¡± ¡°What? But¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± As the girl chastised the officer, Wil took out an envelope from his coat and unfolded his ticket. ¡°This student?¡± ¡°Actually, yes.¡± He showed his ticket to the officer as he turned around. ¡°Thank you for your hard work. But you can leave us alone now. Get back to your job.¡± Sending away the crestfallen guard, Wil and the girl stood face-to-face on the edge of platform 3. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Wil. How are you?¡± ¡°It really has been a while. I¡¯m doing fine.¡± Wil nodded. Allison Whittington grinned. ¡°Hey, you didn¡¯t ask if it was me this time.¡± She twirled elegantly. Her dress and her golden hair danced in the air. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who¡¯d jump out of a train while wearing military boots, after all.¡± Wil replied, looking at her feet. ¡°I see. So I can¡¯t pull off a perfect disguise after all.¡± Allison said. She held up the edges of her dress and slowly bowed her head. The hair by her neck slid down her shoulders. Then, she looked up. ¡°Welcome to the luxury transcontinental, Wil.¡± Wil took off his hat and placed it over his chest. ¡°Thanks, Allison.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really posh inside. Don¡¯t get a heart attack as soon as you step in.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t promise that.¡± Allison and Wil went up to platform 4 as they chatted. Wil could finally see the other side of the long train. Several passengers had disembarked and were taking in the outside air. Workmen were loading cargo onto the galley and the freight car¡ªfoods, drinks, and countless bouquets to decorate the interior. ¡°Is that all you brought?¡± Allison asked, looking at Wil¡¯s suitcase. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Of course it is. All right¡ªlet¡¯s get to our car.¡± They walked side-by-side on the platform. The police officers threw Wil suspicious looks, but no one tried to question him. ¡°Where¡¯d you get the dress?¡± Wil asked. ¡°One of the ladies in our unit is from a really rich family. Though she¡¯s practically disinherited because she volunteered for service and had an affair with a superior. She told me that a lot of rich people look down on people who don¡¯t dress nicely, and lent me some of her old clothes. She went to the trouble of asking a maid at her mansion to send them. Now I have all this extra luggage to drag around.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ by any chance, is she one of the people who kidnapped me back in Mushke?¡± ¡°Yeah. Surprising, huh?¡± ¡°Definitely.¡± Next to the observation car, an elderly man who had been vacantly gazing at the surroundings from the platform met Allison as she approached. ¡°Ah, good day, Miss.¡± The man was probably well over seventy. He had white hair and wore a clearly-expensive suit with a bow tie. His back was slightly arched and he was holding a cane. Allison smiled as she greeted him back. ¡°Good day, Mr. Orres.¡± ¡°And this must be the important companion you told me about.¡± ¡°Yes. As you can see, he made it on time.¡± ¡°Splendid. Why don¡¯t you introduce us later? It¡¯s going to be a long trip¡ªit¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, young man.¡± Wil greeted the man back and passed him by. Allison explained. ¡°Mr. Orres is staying in the room next door with his wife.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Also, he¡¯s the chairman of Orres Studios.¡± ¡°What?¡± Wil glanced back as he walked. The old man was still taking in the scenery. Wil remembered the biggest film studio in Roxche and asked, ¡°You mean the Orres Studios?¡±. ¡°The one and only.¡± Allison simply replied. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s the kind of company we have. Last night, this really rich-looking couple came up to me in the dining car and asked me who I was and what kind of family I was from.¡± ¡°What did you tell them?¡± ¡°That I¡¯m from the kind of family where my father could send me on the tour for valuable life experience.¡± ¡°¡­In other words¡­¡± ¡°Everyone thinks I¡¯m filthy rich. Leave it all up to their imagination.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Allison looked at Wil from the side. ¡°Are you all right? Don¡¯t get a heart attack, now.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t promise that.¡± As they chatted, they came by a sign that read, ¡®Karen East Station¡¯. At that moment¡ª ¡°Excuse me, you two!¡± A female voice called to them from the back door of car 12. Allison and Wil turned. There stood a woman holding a camera. She was wearing a white blouse, a navy cardigan, and a navy skirt. Her camera was black and boxy, with two lenses¡ªone above the other. The silver frames around them made them look like a snowman. The woman looked down into the camera. ¡°I¡¯m from the local newspaper. Could I ask for a photograph?¡± ¡°What? We¡ª¡± Just as Wil spoke, there was the click of the shutter. Allison, who was smiling for the camera, turned to Wil. ¡°You moved a little just now, Wil. The photograph might end up blurry.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Should I take another?¡± The woman asked, lowering the camera. She carefully stepped down from the door. Wil looked into the woman¡¯s face. She was about twenty years of age, and wore simple silver-rimmed glasses. Her long black hair was tied in a braid. The camera¡¯s leather strap hung from her neck. ¡°Yes! Yes, please! Take ten, twenty, thirty more! Please!¡± With Allison¡¯s voice filling his ears, Wil stared at the smiling woman for a dozen or so seconds. ¡°Ah!¡± He exclaimed out loud. ¡°You finally noticed.¡± Allison said, amused. The woman beamed. ¡°But don¡¯t say anything here. It¡¯s supposed to be a secret. It¡¯s been a long time, ¡®Mr. Magician¡¯.¡± ¡°It¡¯s this car. Hop in.¡± Said Allison. ¡°Actually, it might be a better idea to get on that way.¡± Said the woman with the camera, gently raising her hand at the opposite side. Allison agreed. ¡°Let me go drop off my camera. I¡¯ll meet you in your room.¡± When she disappeared, Wil spoke. ¡°That was a surprise. It took me a while to recognize her.¡± ¡°Same. She¡¯s really good at this incognito business, huh?¡± They began walking down the length of the car. The distance was about 25 meters. In front of the doors at the end stood a man about forty years of age, wearing a light green uniform with a standing collar top. He was the crew member in charge of car 12¡ªat the moment, he was speaking to a workman who was connecting the car to the water main in the platform. Soon, the workman pulled himself onto the roof by a handgrip on the side of the door and began doing some work. Wil watched curiously as he walked. Allison pulled on his sleeve to keep him from bumping into the car. ¡°You there. Boy.¡± Out of nowhere came a woman¡¯s voice. Wil and Allison turned. Wil was the only one on the platform who fit the descriptor of ¡®boy¡¯. The woman who stopped Wil was standing next to the platform. She was in her mid-forties, wearing a grey suit with a skirt. Her long hair was tied neatly in a bun and secured with a net. She was tall and stood confidently. Next to her was a mustached man of similar age. He wore a navy suit and was quite slender, looking rather soft-spoken in contrast to his companion. ¡°Yes, you. I¡¯d like a copy of today¡¯s paper. Could you go get me one from that pile over there?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wil looked at her without a word. Allison was indignant. ¡°Hey! Wil¡¯s not your servant. And he¡¯s not a station apprentice, either. He¡¯s a passenger.¡± The woman seemed a little surprised, but her composure did not waver. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry. I suppose I¡¯ll have to ask my darling husband to get it for me. Young man?¡± ¡°Yes, madam?¡± The woman seemed amused by Wil¡¯s show of politeness. ¡°Make sure to guide your companion¡¯s hand well. Let¡¯s talk again sometime.¡± Then, she winked. ¡°Of course, ma¡¯am.¡± Wil replied with a smile as he watched the couple walk away for the dining car. Allison was annoyed. ¡°Those two boarded at the Capital District. Apparently the woman¡¯s the president of some huge company.¡± ¡°She looks strong.¡± ¡°She¡¯s way too arrogant!¡± Afterwards, they sought out their cabin crew and showed him Wil¡¯s ticket. He welcomed Wil without showing a hint of surprise. He took Wil¡¯s suitcase and led the way to the cabin. Wil climbed the stairs into the car first and held out his hand to Allison. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°Oh! Thank you. There.¡± Allison took his hand, leapt over every step, and landed straight in the car. Wil managed to get out of the way before she crashed into him. The door was facing another door on the other side of the car. Next to it was the hallway. There was a door in between to keep the cabins quiet, but at the moment it was held open. The three of them walked down the hallway. The interior of the car was mainly brown teak, and was incredibly fancy. Under their feet was soft carpet. Around them were polished brass handrails and curtain rods. The curtains were thick. ¡°Don¡¯t get a heart attack from this.¡± Allison advised Wil from behind, The cabin crew unlocked the cabin with a key and sent Wil and Allison inside first. It was cabin 1 of car 12. Wil stepped inside and was floored once more. The interior was larger than the dorm room Wil usually lived in. It was also more than a match for the hallway in luxury. There were no cheap stones, rough supports, or flimsy wallpapers. Bouquets of flowers and ivory engraved with birds hung from the walls. To his left was an imposing sofa, and to his left, two perfectly-made beds. Between them was a curtain that could divide the room in two. From the calming grey ceiling spun a silent ceiling fan. The entire room was colored in simple, understated hues that made it look quite dignified. There were two electric oil heaters installed in the room. The windows were large. The one next to the beds was fixed shut, but the one beside the sofa opened from the bottom up. As Wil stood in a daze, the cabin crew put down his suitcase and asked if Wil wanted to hear an explanation on the facilities in the room. Allison replied that she would do the explaining. The cabin crew then asked if they wanted something to drink. Allison replied that the tea from the day before was delicious, so she wanted the same tea and three cups. ¡°The conductor will be here shortly to check your ticket. If you need anything, please don¡¯t hesitate to press the call button. If you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± With a bow, the cabin crew left. ¡°Here. That way.¡± Allison said, pushing Wil over to the sofa. ¡°You won¡¯t need these anymore.¡± She took off his hat and his coat, put them on hangers, and put the hangers into the closet. ¡°Oh¡­ thanks.¡± Wil finally managed to speak, falling into the sofa. ¡°¡­What is this?¡± He wondered, surprised at the softness. Allison chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s too early to be shocked, Wil.¡± ¡°This is going to be one incredible trip.¡± Wil mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s not like all this luxury¡¯s going to kill you.¡± Allison said nonchalantly. With a knock, the conductor entered. The man introduced himself as Welch. He was about fifty years of age, with thinning hair and a small stature. He had an amicable smile. The black uniform Welch wore was exactly the same as those worn by other railroad employees in Roxche¡ªwith the exception of the gold buttons of his double-button top, upon which were engraved the beacon from the mural. To add, he was also wearing a short-billed cap embroidered with a mark¡ªthough most passengers would not know¡ªsignifying that he had worked for the company for over thirty years. Welch did not seem surprised in the least by Wil. He smiled and treated him with respect as he went over the boarding procedures. Welch checked Wil¡¯s identification¡ªhis student card, issued by the Republic of Raputoa¡ªand ticket, then placed the ticket into a binder. Afterwards, he asked Wil about the luggage he brought and what station he would be disembarking at on the return trip. He also explained about regulations to keep in mind at stations, the kinds of whistles the train sounded, and that even if he were to miss the departure time, the tour would stop to make sure he came along. All Wil and Allison had to do as they listened was lounge in the comfortable sofa¡ªlarge enough to seat four¡ªand nod. Somewhere in between, the cabin crew entered with a long teapot and a platter with three teacups, placed them on the table in front of the sofa, and left. Upon completing boarding procedures, the conductor handed Wil a key. It was the key to the cabin, and Welch explained that one key was given to each passenger. He also explained that the cabin crew had the key to their car, and that Welch himself was the only person who had the keys to every cabin on the train. ¡°That will be all, sir. Do you have any questions?¡± Wil replied that he did not have any. Welch reached up to the bill of his hat, when a soft knock sounded. ¡°It¡¯s me. May I come in?¡± It was the voice of the woman with the camera. Allison gave the conductor a look; Welch opened the door. ¡°Oh, Mr. Welch. Thank you.¡± The woman said as she entered. She sat on the sofa as Allison instructed. Welch took off his hat, bowed courteously, and closed the door softly as he left. ¡°Let¡¯s celebrate our reunion with some tea.¡± Said Allison. Fiona nodded. ¡°Yes. To success.¡± ¡°To success!¡± Wil asked them what they were talking about. They answered in unison. ¡°For a good trip.¡± Allison got off the sofa and sat on a chair by the desk, facing Wil. To his left sat the woman with the camera. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Fi.¡± ¡°It certainly has, Wil. It¡¯s so good to see you again.¡± The woman who had photographed them on the platform¡ªFiona, or Francesca¡ªsmiled and nodded. ¡°Please just call me Fi while we¡¯re on the train.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Wil replied. ¡°Here.¡± Allison handed him a teacup. All three of them raised their cups slightly. Allison spoke. ¡°We might break the cups if we clink them, so let¡¯s just do this. To a good trip!¡± The workmen finished loading the cargo onto the train. The tender was stocked with water, and the freight car and galley with supplies and ingredients. The engineer, having inspected the locomotive, decided that they would not be using the backup locomotive that had been on standby at the station. The engineer of the backup locomotive departed, crestfallen. The station¡¯s maintenance crew climbed onto the roofs of the cars to check that everything was in order, and the cleaning staff quickly wiped all the windows. Once all the passengers on the platform had gone back inside, the cabin crew checked to ensure that everyone was present. At precisely departure time, there was a long whistle. The wheels of the steam locomotive began to rotate as the steam escaped faster, and the train slowly began to move. After a slight delay, the force was applied to the couplings and every car was pulled behind. The police officers saluted them, and the station workers waved. The massive train slowly departed from Karen East Station and headed north. The rails continued in a straight line. Steam spouting from the head, the train moved along the rails leading through the forest. The train shook as it ran, but not noticeably so when one was sitting. When standing, one only had to hold on to something on occasion. There was very little noise, as well. ¡°It¡¯s much more quiet than the regular train I took yesterday. This is incredible.¡± Wil exclaimed. Allison admitted that everything sounded quiet compared to flying on an aeroplane. Wil, Allison, and Fiona spent some time silently gazing out at the forest passing by. Then, they returned to the conversation from when the train was at the station. They had been talking then about the man who planned the trip in the first place. It was almost funny how he had so suddenly sent the tickets, accounting for Wil¡¯s spring break. Wil was now in his final year of secondary school. He told the others that things were going quite smoothly for now. Stories about the aeroplane that landed without warning at the school the previous summer had been exaggerated and spread amongst the incoming first-years, and some seemed to believe that the aeroplane had landed as part of a training exercise and that the female pilot was an ace test pilot from the Air Force. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure that happens one day. Otherwise I won¡¯t be able to fly on an aeroplane unless a war breaks out.¡± Allison said. Wil expressed his surprise that Allison had managed to get so much time off at once. ¡°It¡¯s because my legs are broken.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°At least, they¡¯re supposed to be broken.¡± Allison explained. That her aircraft transportation unit had conspired together¡ªfor the duration of the trip, they would falsely claim that Staff Sergeant Allison Whittington had carelessly fallen off an aeroplane and was injured, and that she was in such an emotional state that she was hospitalized in the countryside for an extended period of time. Wil listened, amazed. When he asked Fiona how she had been doing, she answered optimistically. That she was not yet officially Queen of Ikstova, leaving her in a rather awkward state for the time being. That she was living in the village in the valley as per a certain someone¡¯s instructions, enjoying the same peaceful life as usual. That she had a surprising amount of things to learn, which made things quite difficult for her. ¡°The hardest thing to do is acting like a superior. I¡¯m really not used to giving orders and commands.¡± Fiona said that she learned many things from the villagers. Most surprising of all was the identity of the woman who first met Wil and Allison at the village entrance and sent them to the village hall. She was once a member of the royal guard, and before that, a detective with the Kunst police force. She was supposedly one of the cream of the crop, and a potential candidate for Police Chief. Having no family of her own, she had volunteered first to protect the newborn Princess Fiona as a villager of the valley. Fiona also said that the valley received its first new residents in years¡ªCaptain Warren and his family. Though Warren was very eager, he was still being trained under the rigorous discipline of the other villagers. She explained that she was still regularly exchanging letters with Benedict. Each time a letter arrived from him, a small commotion swept through the village. Fiona added that some of the villagers were against the trip, and that it took a bit of convincing before they finally agreed to let her go. Allison and Fiona had both boarded at Niasham Capital Station the previous night¡ªAllison, because she had been stationed at a nearby base, and Fiona, because there was a train that ran straight there from Elitesa. Apparently, Warren was in plainclothes and next to Fiona all the while, his eyes fiercely protective. ¡°To be honest, it was a bit tiring. I was really relieved to meet Allison.¡± Afterwards, they had been seen off by Warren, who looked just about ready to follow them by clinging to the car. The train had continued overnight on its way. Because most of Roxche consisted of flat plains, Fiona saw the horizon for the first time in her life. Wil asked about her camera. Fiona replied that she had hesitantly mentioned the villagers that she wanted a camera¡ªeven if it was cheap¡ªso she could take photos as keepsakes of the trip. That the villagers had held a small conference on the matter, and finally took a bar of gold they had stashed away to Elitesa to buy her one. ¡°I also have this.¡± Stating how much she treasured her camera, Fiona took out a leather pouch from under the belt of her skirt. It was an object about fifteen centimeters long, and three centimeters wide and thick. At first glance, it looked much like a vertically-bisected glasses case. There was a hanging chain dangling from it. Fiona opened the case and took out a stick-shaped machine. It was shiny and metallic with a small dial, a button, and a lens. ¡°Is this also a camera?¡± Wil asked. Fiona nodded. In her hand was the latest in miniature cameras. The camera had a reputation of being able to even take photos of documents from a tripod. The film was wound inside by opening a sliding door on the side of the camera. Fiona said that she planned to take photographs of the interior with that camera, and took out a cardboard box from her pocket. Inside were extras of the lightbulb that was attached to the tip of the camera. The lightbulbs could only be used once, as the metal inside burned out in a blinding flash of light. ¡°Amazing. I¡¯ve never seen such a small camera. I didn¡¯t even recognize it at first.¡± Wil gasped, and asked Fiona to show him how she took photos sometime. ¡°Of course. One of the village men taught me how to take photos. He said that I was very good. Maybe I¡¯ll become a professional camerawoman one day.¡± Said Ikstova¡¯s future queen, sounding quite driven. Soon, the conversation moved on to what happened in the dining car the previous evening. Allison, with her borrowed dress and flowing golden locks, was the center of attention in the car. But the lady Francesca, who wore relatively humble clothing, caught no one¡¯s eye. Fiona added that she would not worry about being found out until someone actually did. Allison butted in. ¡°If someone finds out about you, I¡¯ll tell them that I pretended to be the rich lady to fool them all.¡± Allison and Fiona had considered going to bed straight after dinner, but because it felt lonely to be sleeping alone in such large cabins, Fiona had slept over in Allison¡¯s cabin. They added that they ended up talking for hours, falling asleep very late. ¡°Oh, I borrowed your bed.¡± Allison said to Wil, pointing at a bed that was currently perfectly made. Once the conversation tapered off, Wil moved over to the chair by the window and watched the world pass outside. It was still cloudy. Because the sun was nowhere in sight, it was impossible to tell directions. All he could see were trees, the leaves only just now beginning to bud. On the ground were spotty clumps of dirtied snow. ¡°Apparently we¡¯re heading north for a while. Wanna grab a map?¡± Asked Allison. ¡°I heard we¡¯ll be making a sharp turn somewhere and heading west. So maps won¡¯t be of any use.¡± Wil replied. Allison agreed. Fiona asked them what he meant. ¡°The rails that head westward were exclusively for military use, used for transporting personnel and supplies. Just like villages and roads, the rails in that area aren¡¯t accurately marked on maps. In both Raputoa and Niasham, and other countries by the border, maps aren¡¯t trustworthy.¡± ¡°I see. Living in the countryside, none of that feels very real to me. I really do need to get out and see the world.¡± Fiona said, sounding a little disappointed in herself. ¡°But that¡¯s going to change pretty soon, isn¡¯t it?¡± Allison chirped. Wil agreed. ¡°That¡¯s right. Soon, ordinary civilians are going to be able to enter those areas freely. Things that aren¡¯t necessary are bound to disappear in time. So that more important things can take their place.¡± ¡°Urgh¡­ don¡¯t remind me. I might get back and find out that the Air Force and my unit disappeared while I was out.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Watching Allison and Wil chat with smiles on their faces, Fiona whispered quietly to herself. ¡°The ¡®true heroes¡¯¡­ the two of you really are amazing. You¡¯ve saved so many lives through your actions.¡± The train continued unimpeded. Allison called the cabin crew again and ordered more tea. The crew instantly brought her order. He had also brought a small, cold bottle of strawberry jam, presumably straight from the galley refrigerator. The crew then asked them what they would do about lunch. Because the highlight of the trip¡ªthe crossing over the Lutoni River¡ªwas around noon, lunch that day was scheduled a little earlier. He explained that passengers had the option of eating in their cabins or going to the dining cars. ¡°Wil can make his high society debut in the evening.¡± Allison joked. They decided to eat in the cabin. The crew showed them the menu. Wil was daunted by the sheer variety. Allison ordered a lunch set that included pasta and lamb stewed in cream sauce. Wil asked for the same thing, but she scolded him. ¡°You should pick something different. I want to try other stuff, too.¡± In the end, Wil ordered the train¡¯s specialty sandwiches. Fiona ordered chicken stew wrapped in pie. They also ordered a salad to share. And as no one drank wine, they asked for more tea. When the crew asked what they would do about dessert, they said that they did not want any at the moment. ¡°I¡¯ll get fat if I keep eating like this.¡± Fiona mumbled. She added that dinner was too filling as well. ¡°You can work it off later. Just run about ten times back and forth down the train.¡± Allison advised. ¡°Then she might bother the other passengers.¡± Wil warned her. ¡°Then how about the roof of the¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one who could pull that off, Allison.¡± For some time, they sat on the sofa as they watched the scenery zooming past. Once, another train passed by next to them. The transcontinental express must not have left the standard rails. ¡°Thank you for your patience.¡± The cabin crew and a sever from the dining cars arrived with lunch. They spread a tablecloth over the table, arranged the silverware, and laid out the food. And without even being asked, the cabin crew brought in a folding chair so that everyone could sit around the table. ¡°Please call us when you¡¯ve finished. We¡¯ll be here shortly to clean everything up. And please don¡¯t hesitate to order seconds.¡± Sitting in her seat, looking down on the already-sufficient amount of mouth-watering food, Fiona sighed softly. The specialty sandwiches Wil ordered were composed for two kinds of bread, stuffed between which were salami, smoked salmon, and a heaping helping of vegetables. They came with several varieties of sauce and were cut into small, easy-to-eat sizes. They began to eat. Wil made a comment about his food¡ªAllison picked up a piece from the edge of his plate and ate it. ¡°Mm. Everything here is fantastic.¡± When Wil talked about how he had come by the night train the previous night, how he spent a long time on an uncomfortable bench in Karen East Station, and how he had a single bagel for breakfast, Allison could not hide her shock. ¡°I wanted to be there on time, above all else. Actually, I even thought of taking an express train yesterday afternoon and spending the entire night at the station.¡± ¡°Then again, if you weren¡¯t at the station on time, I would have gotten straight off the train.¡± Allison commented, popping a cherry tomato into her mouth. In the middle of their lunch, the train suddenly slowed down to a grind. For some time, the train moved so slowly that it could stop at any moment. Then, it shook. Wil looked out the window, and told the others that the train was now on the military-use rails that headed westward. The rails that stretched north slowly grew distant. The train slowly made its way along the curve and turned to the west. Forests spread out before them again. The train continued at a snail¡¯s pace down the lonely rails surrounded by trees. A soft chime sounded in the cabin. Allison pointed at a speaker on the wall. ¡¸Good day, everyone. This is the cabin crew of car 12.¡¹ Speakers were installed in every cabin so that the crew could make announcements. Though surprised, Wil nodded and stopped as he reached for the last piece of his sandwich. The announcement continued. ¡¸If you would turn your attention to the right side of the train, we will soon be passing a post used by the Confederation Army. There are countless cannons, once placed to defend the banks of the Lutoni. Since the historic discovery last year, they have been slowly being moved back to a post further inland. We can finally see with our own eyes the transport of the weapons. Thank you for listening.¡¹ After the announcement. ¡°Huh. I¡¯m not interested.¡± Allison said indifferently in cabin 1 of car 12. ¡°Hmph. They have no idea how easy they have it.¡± Said a man in a different cabin, listening to the same announcement with a completely different reaction. Another man replied in a rather mechanical tone. ¡°More gifts for the road to hell, it seems.¡± ¡°Yes. Perfect for the fools riding on this train. I hope they¡¯ll give us an even better show.¡± Said the first man, who added, ¡°this halibut is exquisite.¡± After lunch, when the table was cleared and the extra chair taken away. ¡°I see them.¡± Wil, sitting in the chair by the window, said to the others in the sofa. The trees that they had passed by thus far¡ªwith more branches than leaves¡ªdisappeared. The rails passed by a small security post and multiple junctions. Each time, the number of rails parallel to theirs increased. Eventually, they came across a gigantic post several hundred meters wide. Countless vehicles were parked there. Most of them were transport trucks. Squarish vehicles with sides and roofs. vehicles with no roofs and only bases, or roofless railroad wagons covered on the sides with hoods on the sides. There were also tankers carrying fuel and vehicles for transporting personnel. They were all painted in camouflaging blacks and greens. There were also armored vehicles and vehicles carrying weapons. One roofless car had a small cannon loaded on the back. Others had tanks and armored vehicles secured on them. Some were built for soldiers to fire from. There was even a steam locomotive that was protected on the sides by armor plating. Perhaps the soldiers were ordered to conceal themselves ahead of time; there was no one there. The white-roofed luxury express train slowly passed by the frozen post under the grey sky. Wil stared out the window with his face to the glass. Allison and Fiona remained comfortably seated on the sofa. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Wil¡¯s expression shifted as though he had come to a realization. ¡°Something interesting?¡± Asked Allison. Wil nodded firmly. ¡°Yeah. Look over there.¡± At that moment, a massive vehicle on another set of rails came into view. There was a long, thick mass of metal bridging two railroad wagons. Atop it was a long, thin barrel lying on its side, the tip of which jutted through the wagon and into the air. The railroad wagon was about forty meters long¡ªsixty, counting the barrel. It was so large that the freight car next to it looked like a miniature in comparison. ¡°It¡¯s a railroad gun. I¡¯ve never seen one in person.¡± Said Wil. A railroad gun was a large cannon mounted on a railroad wagon. It was pulled by a locomotive to a designated location, from where it pivoted around a rotating mount to aim at a distant target and fire. Following the first gun came two more, lined up side-by-side. ¡°So, Punisher Cannons.¡± Commented Allison. ¡°Yeah. I never thought I¡¯d get to see them with my own eyes.¡± Wil nodded solemnly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but could you explain?¡± Fiona asked. Wil, eyes averted, apologized and explained with his gaze outside the window. Train-mounted cannons had been around for ages, but railroad guns had become much larger and gained increased range in the immediate aftermath of the Great War. Although the facts were a military secret, rumors said that railroad guns had a range of over 100 kilometers. In other words, it was possible to attack anything within a 100-kilometer radius of the Lutoni River. And if necessary, it was possible to open fire on the frontline of the enemy forces from the safe distance of 100 kilometers. During the Lestki Island Conflict, the battle was limited to the island itself and the river; consequently, railroad guns were almost never used. But because it was often said that the first weapons to fire in case of another large-scale war would be the railroad guns, both Roxche and Sou Be-Il invested time and effort into developing better railroad guns and more effective placements. The two parameters were among both governments¡¯ biggest military secrets. Even transportation of the weapons took place along military-only rails when the moon was at a sliver. It was said that civilians would never lay eyes upon them. They were named ¡®Punisher Cannons¡¯ to mean that they would be used to bring justice to Sou Be-Il¡ªin other words, to punish the West. ¡°...I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s sad or just idiotic. Maybe both.¡± Said Fiona. During the explanation, eight railroad guns passed by the windows, and only the transport trucks and tanks remained. The thick bundles of railroads converged again at every junction. And once they were down to five railroads, four of them split off into pairs and disappeared into the woods. The transcontinental express gained speed as it followed its own rails to the west. Wil finally turned his gaze from the window to the others. ¡°It¡¯s incredible that we¡¯ll be the ones going to Sou Be-Il instead of the projectiles.¡± ¡°It really is, Mr. Hero.¡± Fiona said. Wil was a little taken aback, then, embarrassed, then serious again. ¡°We still have no idea what will come of our actions that day. So I¡¯d like to live as long as I can to find out.¡± Another announcement came over the speakers. The train was soon to enter the buffer zone. The buffer zone was an area agreed upon by both sides in the aftermath of the Lestki Island Conflict. It was a demilitarized zone that covered thirty kilometers from either shore of the Lutoni River. Inspection teams from the opposite side came regularly¡ªor unannounced¡ªseveral times a month to the area, and civilians were naturally forbidden from entering. The steam locomotive expelled several long whistles. Soon, a large sign that read, ¡®Lutoni River - 30km¡¯ passed by car 12. As Wil looked out the window without a word, the others remained quietly seated in the sofa. Fi spoke up once to ask Allison what she would do about her dress. Allison replied that she was too lazy to change and that she would keep it on until dinnertime. Upon entering the buffer zone, and as they approached the Lutoni River, the woods began to thin out. Apparently, the Lutoni overflowed once every several decades, flooding the entire area. That was why there were few trees near the shore, leaving a flat plain. The vibrant carpet of green stretched past the northern horizon. The rails were raised above the ground. About two meters over the plains, gravel was laid out. Over that were railroad ties and the rails themselves. There were roads on either side of the rails. They had been used to build the rails, but now there was nothing but tire marks and overgrown weeds there. To the southern side were power lines that reached all the way to the island. Occasionally, the locomotive expelled short whistles. A dispatch rider on standby in a security post by the rails reported the train¡¯s arrival. ¡°We¡¯re almost there. Once we cross the river, get to the island, then cross another bridge, we¡¯ll be in Sou Be-Il. It¡¯s been a while. And surprisingly, we¡¯re going legally this time.¡± Allison grinned. Wil chuckled bitterly. Fiona, also laughing, remembered something. ¡°Allison, what about the flowers? Shouldn¡¯t you get ready soon?¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± This time, Wil was the one asking for an explanation. Fiona informed him that there would be a flower-giving ceremony for the Roxchean war dead on the bridge in front of the island. Family members were invited the previous night, and Allison had agreed to join. In fact, Allison had tried to refuse, saying that it was a hassle. But Fiona was insistent that she take part. ¡°All right, whatever.¡± At that point, there was a knock. The cabin crew, who made an impressive habit of swiftly answering every need, arrived with a beautiful bouquet and a pen to write with. Even upstream, hundreds of kilometers from the mouth, the Lutoni River was a staggering fifteen kilometers in width. Excluding the area of the mouth, there was only one island in the middle. In Roxche, it was called Lestki Island. In Sou Be-Il, Green Island. It was a long, narrow island¡ªseven kilometers by fifty kilometers¡ªwith a raised center and gentle slopes down to the shores. Over the slow, muddy currents of the river, a set of rails stretched toward the island. It was a truss bridge, with a concrete deck and rows of countless triangles. It was rather narrow¡ªjust enough for one set of rails. Construction on the railroad bridge was agreed upon in the direct aftermath of the historic discovery in order to further relations between the two sides. East and West took on their respective sides of the bridge. And only half a year after the hurried construction began, the bridge was completed. Its name: ¡®Trans-Lutoni Bridge I¡¯. The name had bested more poetic monikers like ¡®Peace Bridge¡¯, ¡®East-West Handshake Bridge¡¯, and ¡®Lutoni Oath Bridge¡¯. The quick construction was not due to each side wanting to best the other in effort or speed. In actuality, it was because both sides had long wanted to build a bridge across the Lutoni for the purpose of invasion, and had been researching such a project in secret. It was blindingly obvious that, if war were to break out once more, there would be a fierce battle for possession of the bridge. There were even rumors that both sides had installed massive quantities of explosives on it. It was also said that the bridge was built so low for fear of enemy ships passing through. ¡°I¡¯m not even surprised at this point.¡± Allison said, once Wil finished his explanation. Outside the window was the sound of fluttering flags, the diagonal bridge passing by, and the murky waters beyond. ¡°But still, I never imagined I¡¯d cross the Lutoni by bridge one day.¡± Wil said, amazed. Allison did not seem impressed. ¡°Aeroplanes are faster.¡± The train came to a slow before finally halting near the middle of the bridge. As per the rule that the island belonged to neither side, the memorial service for the Roxche side took place on the bridge. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. It won¡¯t take long.¡± Allison said nonchalantly, and headed for the dining cars with bouquet in hand. Asking Fiona for permission, Wil folded the table and opened the window. A cold but refreshing breeze swept the cabin. Wil put on his coat, leaned outside, and looked around. Several cars ahead, to the right of the dining cars, was a small platform. About a dozen people were squeezed there. Apparently, even members of the train crew could take part in the ceremony if they had lost family in the conflict. ¡°Do you see her?¡± Fiona asked, leaning out the window as well. She brushed so close that Wil pulled back slightly. ¡°Oh¡­ yes. There¡¯re quite a lot of people. It might take a while.¡± Fiona spoke, sounding nothing but plain. ¡°I didn¡¯t pry too deep last night, but¡­ I heard that Allison¡¯s father passed away here.¡± Wil looked out at the river next to Fiona and replied, ¡°Yes. Somewhere on that island.¡± For about a year starting in the spring of 3277, East and West were involved in a conflict over possession of the island. In Roxche, it was called the Lestki Island Conflict. In Sou Be-Il, the Green Island Conflict. On the shores of the Lutoni the two sides fired cannons, on the water they clashed on small vessels called gunboats, and on the island soldiers made landing and dug maze-like trenches. It was also the first time that aeroplanes were deployed into the battlefield. However, neither side took full control of the island¡ªyet the conflict never erupted into an all-out war. The battles dragged on tediously with no end in sight, only the number of dead increasing day by day. In the end, it came down to a stalemate. There was a chance that the conflict could worsen¡ªboth sides could end up in an all-out exchange of railroad gun fire, leading to a second Great War. But such a thing never happened, and the conflict ended on a hazy note. ¡°Oh, Allison made an exception for me yesterday and told me about Madame Coraz¨°n the defector.¡± Fiona said. Wil¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ certainly an exception.¡± ¡°Maybe it was because I told her about myself. In any case, I¡¯m very happy that we¡¯ve become closer friends.¡± Fiona smiled. The conversation came to a stop. Then, ¡°I¡­ I once read the notice of death for Allison¡¯s father.¡± Wil said quietly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°When Allison first came to the Future House, her father was still missing in action. It was about three months later that the conflict came to an end and a search for bodies was conducted. Allison received a letter from the military headquarters, saying that they had found her father¡¯s body¡ªin other words, it was a notice of death.¡± ¡°And¡­?¡± ¡°It was three years later, when we were in our final year of primary school. Allison and I were cleaning out our things¡ªactually, I was cleaning out our things under her orders¡ªwhen I discovered the notice. I didn¡¯t know if she wanted to keep it, so I asked. She said that she didn¡¯t mind if I threw it out or read it. ¡­In the end, I regretted reading it. I wondered if Allison really had to hear such a thing at the age of eight. Grandma Mut may have explained it to her so she could understand, but whatever the case, the letter told her something very cruel.¡± Fiona gazed quietly at Wil¡¯s profiled face. ¡°May I ask what it said?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯d like you to know about it.¡± Wil replied. He continued. ¡°There¡¯s a very good chance that Allison¡¯s father was murdered by an ally. And, of all people, by someone Allison knew.¡± A woman and a young man, leaning their heads out the window. They looked out at the gentle current of the Lutoni River and continued to speak quietly. ¡°What¡­ does that mean?¡± ¡°Let me summarize the contents of the letter. ¡®The body of Major Oscar Whittington of the Roxcheanuk Confederation Army was found on the shores of Lestki Island. His wrists were bound with wire and there were signs that he was shot in the head.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°At the time, Major Whittington was working at the Main HQ in the Capital District. But he happened to go to the Roxchean base on Lestki Island to survey the situation, or maybe for another reason. That was near the end of the conflict, when the battles had died down somewhat. But unfortunately, the very day he arrived, Sou Be-Il launched an all-out offensive on the island.¡± ¡°What happened then?¡± ¡°The base was plunged into chaos, and Major Whittington, along with the subordinate who accompanied him from the Capital District, went missing. Of course, that¡¯s almost a euphemism¡ªthe letter specifically said that the major was ¡®under suspicion of desertion¡¯. Apparently they received testimony from the surviving soldiers¡ªthat the major and his subordinate fled without trying to fight. That they ran in terror.¡± ¡°But anyone would be scared in a situation like that.¡± Fiona said firmly. ¡°I also agree, but the military doesn¡¯t accept excuses. Desertion is a serious crime, and the sentence is usually execution by firing squad. Otherwise, anyone who wanted to run would flee on the spot. In any case, his body was found near that area.¡± ¡°But how did they know it was him?¡± Fiona asked. Wil paused. He slowly opened his mouth. ¡°It was thanks to his identification tag. The thin pieces of metal soldiers wear around their necks identify their names, blood types, and identification numbers. No one walks around with someone else¡¯s tags.¡± Fiona nodded several times in understanding. ¡°I get it. It¡¯s just like my pendant. So what happened to the major¡¯s subordinate?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still missing. Allison said that he used to visit her and her father often, and that she remembers him as well. That he used to always buy her presents, that he was from the northeast and had blue eyes just like her and her father, and that he always wore round glasses.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that he was the one who killed the major, right? Maybe the major was killed normally¡ªI mean, killed by an enemy soldier like the others¡ªand the subordinate just disappeared. Or maybe he was also killed and his body still hasn¡¯t been found.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not impossible, but the report pointed out an important piece of evidence. That the bullet holes in the major¡¯s head were left by shotgun slugs. At the time, only the East used shotguns on the battlefield¡ªSou Be-Il complained often that they were inhumane. That¡¯s why things are so suspicious.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Let me tell you one more thing. It¡¯s about the work Major Whittington did back in the Capital District. When she just came to the Future House, Allison often said that her father was an important man who did secret work.¡± ¡°Secret work?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think she was being an attention-seeking child when she said those things. She was probably telling the truth. After all, Allison doesn¡¯t own a single photograph of her father.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°Ordinary photos a family might take at a studio once in a while. Allison didn¡¯t have any pictures of her mother, who passed away young, or her father. Not a single one. So I came to a conclusion. Maybe Allison¡¯s father worked in a special department in the military where he couldn¡¯t easily let his photo be taken.¡± ¡°What kind of department?¡± ¡°This is just a hunch based on things I¡¯ve picked up here and there, but¡­ probably the intelligence department.¡± ¡°You mean¡­ he was a spy?¡± ¡°Not quite. The only duties of intelligence agents at the Capital District Headquarters are to analyze and research collected information. Allison¡¯s father was fluent in both Roxchean and Bezelese¡ªhe must have put his talents to use as an analyst or a translator. He never told his daughter any details about his work, but he never lied to her, either. After all, it¡¯s better to provide a vague truth than a lie that might be found out through interrogation.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°Back to the point. If the enemy were to take prisoner someone with access to such important intelligence, they would interrogate or torture him for information. And if he wanted to avoid that, but would also prefer not to face the firing squad for desertion¡­¡± ¡°¡­It might have been a better idea to willingly turn traitor¡­ after shooting his ally to silence him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what the military HQ concluded. That rather than both of them being captured and killed by hostile forces, it was more likely that the subordinate, who was still single and had no family, betrayed the major. Allison also believes that her father was killed, not by enemies, but by the subordinate who often played with her in the past. Growing up at the Future House isn¡¯t the only reason Allison holds little¡ªno, almost no hostility¡ªtoward Sou Be-Il.¡± Fiona sighed loudly at the window. The puffs of her breath were carried away by the wind. Wil turned, checking to see if anyone was still on the platform. ¡°But Allison¡¯s always spirited. I¡¯ve never seen her cry at the Future House¡ªat least, not for the reason that she lost her parents.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Fiona fell into thought for a few seconds. ¡°Allison told me about you, Wil.¡± ¡°Ah. Did she get really angry?¡± Wil asked cheerfully. Fiona smiled, saying that she did not. ¡°But you know, neither Allison nor I¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Neither of us pitied ourselves for being orphans. We might look very unfortunate to other people¡ªand we¡¯ve been pitied, too¡ªbut I never thought that way.¡± ¡°Me too. I was never unfortunate, and I¡¯m still not.¡± ¡°I wonder what it means to be ¡®unfortunate¡¯?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Me neither.¡± ¡°Sorry to make you wait, Miss.¡± Said Mr. Orres as he made room for Allison. Most had already thrown their bouquets and returned to the train. Allison thanked him with a smile and stood on the jutting dais. Oscar Whittington. That was the name written on the little piece of paper in her bouquet. A chilly breeze sent her dress and her long blond hair aflutter. ¡°Er¡­ ahem. Dear Dad, in heaven¡ªor the other place¡ªhere you are!¡± With both hands she threw the bouquet. It flew straight against the wind and landed on the surface of the murky Lutoni. It slowly drifted down the river. Allison turned as she mumbled to herself, ¡°All done. Back to the trip¡ªthis time I¡¯ll do it for sure.¡± Volume 3 3 — Major Stork’s Battle Volume 3 Chapter 3: Major Stork¡¯s Battle ----- There was a ¡®station¡¯ on the island. The island was overgrown with grass and trees not yet a decade old. It narrowed as it stretched further north, and the sharp northern tip was less than a kilometer wide. On either side of the tip was a long bridge, at the center of which was a facility made of concrete. It was very similar to a station¡ªit was a building where travel between East and West was regulated. The rails split into three tracks on the island, and on either side of two of them were platforms. The platforms were about eight hundred meters long. On the western and eastern edges of the facility, on the south side of the platform, were two similar two-story buildings. They were residences of the soldiers and officials from either side. The third set of rails led to the side of the building and ended at a short platform were freight could be unloaded. A concrete path led down from each building to the river. About twenty meters downhill was a large wharf. Small unarmed communication ships were moored at several of the piers. The facility was surrounded by wooden fences, from the rear of the buildings to the corners of the platforms, making it impossible to go outside. The island was still off-limits because there were many undetonated explosives left. A man stood on the wharf on the Sou Be-Il side. He was wearing a brown Royal Army uniform. He had a kit belt around his waist and a holstered gun, and wore a hat and a trench coat. At his feet was a rather small leather suitcase. He was in his mid-forties and was of average height and build. His face was rather long and narrow. He had short brown hair and round, scholar-like glasses that complemented the air around him. His eyes were blue. The man stood at the edge of the wharf with his gloved hands firmly closed over the railings. He gazed at the vast horizon on the Lutoni River. ¡°¡­¡± It could start to rain at any moment. He watched the water under the cloudy sky, looking just about ready to burst into tears. ¡°What¡¯s he doing, I wonder?¡± A young soldier wondered in Bezelese from the platform, quite close to the wharf. He was the kind of man no one would ask for help from in a bar fight¡ªgentle to put nicely, and frail to be blunt. He was wearing a Sou Be-Il uniform as well, but his was a formal outfit with fine embroidery. His leather shoes were polished to a shine, and there was a leather belt around his waist. He was not carrying any firearms or blades. He also wore a dress hat on his head. For some time his eyes had been locked on the back of the man in the trench coat, who was looking out at the river without so much as twitching. ¡°Should I call him over?¡± The young solder asked his companion. The companion was a fellow soldier in an identical uniform. He was in his late thirties and was a sergeant. His stout stature and short hair cast the impression of a seasoned soldier. ¡°Who?¡± The sergeant asked. The young soldier pointed at the wharf. ¡°The major, sir. The one who came from the capital as the VIP¡¯s contact. Why doesn¡¯t he go to the residence where it¡¯s warm and have some tea? There¡¯s still a long time left until the train comes in. I¡¯ll call him. Ma- mmph!¡± The sergeant quickly slammed his hand over the young soldier¡¯s mouth. ¡°Quiet! Don¡¯t bother him.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean, sir? What is the major doing, standing all the way over there?¡± The young soldier was clueless. The sergeant replied, quietly but firmly. ¡°Are you an imbecile? Ten years ago, this place was the front line of the Green Island Conflict. He¡¯s obviously thinking about the subordinates and comrades who lost their lives here.¡± ¡°Oh. Right¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call him once it¡¯s time.¡± ¡°Yes, sir¡­¡± Waiting for the designated time on the platform, the young soldier sighed loudly. His breath scattered in the wind. The sergeant next to him asked, a little gently this time, what was wrong. ¡°Well, sir¡­ I guess I still have a lot to learn about tact.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let that bother you now. You¡¯re here because you have a job to do. Not many soldiers are fluent in Roxchean, MOS Private First Class Ren¨¦.¡± The soldier called Ren¨¦ nodded in understanding. On the side of his hat was a white feather that the sergeant did not have. According to the tour guidebook, the white feather identified a soldier who could speak Roxchean. ¡°Sir.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Have I ever told you how I could speak Roxchean?¡± ¡°No. But if you¡¯d like to tell me, I¡¯m all ears. We¡¯ve got plenty of time to kill.¡± ¡°All right, sir. You see, my father was from Roxche.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The sergeant glanced at Ren¨¦¡¯s profiled face. ¡°A POW, then? From the Great War?¡± ¡°Yes. How did you know?¡± ¡°There¡¯s not many other ways to cross the Lutoni.¡± Ren¨¦ nodded. ¡°My father was even younger than I am now when he was conscripted thirty-six years ago. But he was almost immediately taken prisoner and spent the entire war in a POW camp.¡± ¡°So he learned Bezelese and stayed behind. I¡¯d heard that quite a few people chose that option.¡± ¡°Yes. He was the youngest son of a poor farming family, so he didn¡¯t have much waiting for him back in Roxche. So he said that he chose to live here instead.¡± ¡°Then what did he do?¡± ¡°At first, he taught Roxchean for the military. Afterwards, he started a small engine repair workshop with a superior he met while teaching. Then he married the superior¡¯s younger sister, and they had me and my older sister and brother. You couldn¡¯t call his life spectacular, but I think he was happy. Until he passed away four years ago, he never once said that he had any regrets about leaving Roxche.¡± ¡°That¡¯s certainly a relief to hear.¡± ¡°Yes. But Father taught Roxchean to me and my siblings. He said that, whether there was another war in the future or not, it would be of help to us. When I first joined the military, I didn¡¯t say anything about it because a superior advised me that it would be best to keep the skill a secret from the other soldiers.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s why you were reassigned here from the Teruma Base.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. ¡­Oh, wait. It¡¯s the Teruto Base, sir.¡± ¡°Hm? The records I received said ¡®Teruma¡¯. I¡¯m quite sure of it.¡± ¡°Someone must have gotten lazy typing it out, sir. It¡¯s the Teruto Base.¡± The sergeant was astonished at the typist¡¯s carelessness. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have it corrected later. It looks like that skill of yours was no help until you were lucky enough to be reassigned here. But that¡¯s all right. Now is the time we need your help the most.¡± Ren¨¦ fell into thought for a moment, then replied, still doubtful. ¡°Maybe, sir.¡± The man on the wharf gazing at the Lutoni slowly turned at the sound of footsteps. He greeted the sergeant, who came to a stop and saluted. ¡°Major. The train is scheduled to arrive soon.¡± ¡°I see. So it¡¯s already time¡­ thank you.¡± The man was polite, like a tutor hired to work for a wealthy family. The name ¡®Stork¡¯ was embroidered onto the name tag on his chest. He turned to face the river again. The sergeant stood next to him. ¡°The Lutoni River¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s certainly massive.¡± After the short conversation, only the wind punctuated the silence. The still-chilly breeze caressed the river and the island as it passed. Soon, Major Stork spoke up with his eyes still on the river. ¡°Sergeant. Have you ever come to this island?¡± The sergeant immediately understood what the major meant. ¡°No, sir. Eleven years ago, I was in Sfrestus training new recruits.¡± ¡°I see¡­ this is my second time setting foot on this island. I lost many things here. For the first time I was nearly killed, and for the first time I killed another. I never again got to meet the excellent comrades who faced death alongside me.¡± ¡°It must be difficult, sir. I understand.¡± Major Stork smiled, his eyes on the river. ¡°Yet this island is now the center of a bridge connecting East and West. How strange. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would return to this place, for a purpose like this. Or maybe I¡¯m still dreaming?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± The sergeant replied honestly. Major Stork gave him a gentle smile. ¡°A dream might not be too bad. Because, at the very least, it¡¯s certainly not a nightmare.¡± Then, he took up his suitcase and fixed his hat. ¡°Now, off to work. Whether it¡¯s a state of peace or emergency, we¡¯ve all got to earn our pay.¡± The sergeant nodded and began to lead the way to the platform. ¡°Hm?¡± On their way up the hill, Major Stork noticed something. He stopped and looked up. Soon, the dull roar of an engine began to sound overhead. ¡°That must be it.¡± The sergeant said, pointing at the sky. An aeroplane was flying over the bridge on the western side. The amphibious plane, which had an engine atop its wings, flew straight for the island with the bridge in its sights. Soon, it banked to the left with a flash of its underside as it ascended toward the Lutoni River. ¡°That must be from the Air Force.¡± Said Major Stork. ¡°Yes. He¡¯s already received a permit for the flight. Some Air Force personnel is going to be joining the trip here. On vacation, at that.¡± ¡°My goodness¡­ he must be a very influential man if he¡¯s allowed to fly in the buffer zone for such personal reasons.¡± Major Stork said, astonished. ¡°The passenger list I received only said, ¡®1 Adult, Male - Herman¡¯.¡± ¡°A pseudonym.¡± ¡°It must be, sir. Some general must have pulled some strings to get himself a ticket. Maybe he¡¯s going to have a talk with some Cross-River millionaires to talk about starting up a business together after he¡¯s retired. Probably an old man with a chestplate of medals.¡± As they watched, the craft made a landing on the river and began moving toward the wharf. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll have no choice but to pay him my respects.¡± Major Stork joked. The other soldiers, including Ren¨¦, rushed over to the wharf. The plane slowly approached the wharf. The soldiers quickly moored it to the pier. A door on the side of the plane opened, and a man emerged. Major Stork and the sergeant watched curiously. The man was still quite young, probably in his mid-twenties. He had rather long brown hair and a full beard. His expression was hidden behind his sunglasses. He was not wearing a uniform, but rather a pair of khaki pants and a brown cotton jacket, as though he were going hunting somewhere. His only luggage was a large duffel bag used by infantrymen. He looked rather like a wanderer who hitchhiked and stowed away on freight trains. ¡°Hm?¡± The sergeant was taken aback by the betrayal of expectations. ¡°This is a surprise.¡± The sergeant looked at the major, who mumbled in an amused tone. Stork continued. ¡°Well, well. He¡¯s disguised himself. Although I can see why he did so.¡± ¡°Do you know him, Major?¡± ¡°Yes. In fact, so do you. That man is the Hero of the Mural.¡± ¡°What? You mean¡ª¡± ¡°Yes. Major Carr Benedict of the Royal Air Force. There¡¯s no mistaking it.¡± The sergeant gaped in disbelief and carefully scrutinized the bearded man. Carr Benedict. He was a fighter pilot from the Sou Be-Il Air Force who stumbled upon the Mural of the Beacon and transparently announced the discovery to East and West at the same time. His actions earned him the nickname of ¡®Hero¡¯, and he was given a special triple promotion to the rank of major. He was currently twenty-five years old and single. He was speaking with one of the soldiers around him¡ªMOS Private First Class Ren¨¦ Falkrott. ¡°Incredible¡­ so it was Major Carr. Now that you mention it, I do see a sort of resemblance¡­ but if someone told me that it wasn¡¯t him, I might be convinced, too¡­ I¡¯m surprised you recognized him, Major.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a special talent of mine.¡± Major Stork replied, to the confusion of the sergeant. ¡°But I understand why he would put on a disguise and use a pseudonym. If he decided to board the train as himself, they might as well rename the train ¡®Hero Express¡¯.¡± The sergeant said, only half-joking. Major Stork sounded a little amused as well. ¡°To think I would be boarding the same train as the Hero of the Mural¡­ It¡¯s truly an honor. Forget changing the name¡ªthey might as well build a special train for him alone. After all, it was his decision that ended the endless conflict. Think of the tens of thousands of soldiers who are no longer destined to lose their lives on this very river.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine, Major. And I¡¯m sure we¡¯d be part of those thousands. I never imagined things would turn out this way.¡± ¡°Neither have I. But it¡¯s not a bad thing at all. This, too, is a part of history. Although the conclusion ended up being quite unexpected, I certainly can¡¯t complain.¡± ¡°I agree. All we can do is try our best in the time and place we¡¯re given.¡± ¡°Yes. And I must do what I can.¡± As they watched, Benedict gave Ren¨¦ a friendly slap on the shoulder. Immediately upon stepping off the plane, Benedict spotted a familiar face among the soldiers who rushed over, and quickly spoke to him. ¡°Hey.¡± Ren¨¦ was confused. Benedict half-dragged him to the middle of the wharf and lowered his sunglasses ever-so-slightly. ¡°It¡¯s me. Second Lieutenant Carr. Remember Teruto?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Look at you! MOS Private First Class. I really owe you a lot from back then. And¡­ ¡° As Ren¨¦ stood with his mouth agape, Benedict gave him a hearty slap on the shoulder. ¡°Thanks for keeping your promise.¡± Ren¨¦ finally mustered up a smile. ¡°I guess I made myself useful after all.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°N-nothing, sir. Just talking to myself. Welcome to Green Island! This way, please.¡± Leading ¡®Mr. Herman¡¯ to the platform, Ren¨¦ introduced him to the sergeant and Major Stork. Ren¨¦ and the sergeant remained behind as ¡®Mr. Herman¡¯ and the major began walking down the length of the platform. Not long after they began walking, Major Stork said suddenly, ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be traveling alongside you, Major Carr.¡± Benedict looked up, surprised. He gave a wry grin. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you saw me through so quickly. Excuse my manners. Major Carr Benedict of the Royal Air Force.¡± Benedict stopped and saluted. Major Stork quickly replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need for formalities, now. We¡¯re not here on duty.¡± As they strolled down the platform, they continued to talk. ¡°Some Roxchean friends I met during a joint training session are going to be on the train.¡± ¡°Ah, that sounds wonderful.¡± ¡°I¡¯d wanted to invite the two of them to Sou Be-Il once it was possible to travel across the border. So I sent them tickets. I¡¯m a little ashamed that I flew in here for my own convenience, but if I didn¡¯t meet them today, I¡¯d have to wait until tomorrow evening to see them.¡± ¡°You have that right, Major Carr. After all, you are the Hero of the Mural. I¡¯m a little jealous, myself.¡± ¡°I also thought that it would be great to be a hero. At least, until I became one.¡± ¡°Does it become tiresome?¡± ¡°Very much. Being in the spotlight means you stick out like a sore thumb. So many things become impossible once your face is known to every man, woman, and child.¡± ¡°I see¡­ I don¡¯t believe I¡¯m much suited to such attention. I take back what I just said.¡± ¡°Where are you headed, Major Stork?¡± Benedict asked. But he quickly stopped himself. ¡°Forget I asked, Major. If you¡¯re on duty¡ª¡± ¡°Hm¡­ I suppose I should tell you ahead of time. If you¡¯ll agree to keep quiet about it, of course.¡± Major Stork said slowly, and continued. ¡°There is a passenger on the VIP car who may go on to play an important role in cross-border trade in the future. Many corporations are waiting for him in Sfrestus, planning to worm themselves into his good graces. A certain corporation that sells cannons to the Army is one among them, and they requested that the Royal Army dispatch personnel to the train under the pretense of security and communication. Someone to get them ahead of the competition and butter up the VIP, so to speak.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Benedict said nothing. Major Stork looked at him, smiling. ¡°Astounding, isn¡¯t it? I also froze when I first received the orders. After all, I¡¯m usually in charge of compiling war history records in the military¡¯s archives. My orders this time are to wag my tail like a dog and flatter the VIP as we cross the continent. I¡¯ve been given a budget to purchase expensive liquor at the stations and even hire high-class call girls. Of course, it¡¯s all paid for by the people¡¯s tax money.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t say I envy your job, Major. But I hope things work out.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to keep my mouth shut.¡± ¡°Please. It would be an embarrassment to the Royal Army if anyone knew.¡± At the center of the platform were people waiting for the transcontinental express train. Security from both East and West, and suit-clad officials in charge of entry procedures. And repair technicians and engineers. A little ways off to the west, a large diesel locomotive stood on the southern tracks. In Sou Be-Il territory, the Sou Be-Il railroad took over the management of the train. That was why everyone had arrived on the island early in the morning and remained on standby. Though the Roxchean locomotive was large in its own right, this one was no slouch. The locomotive was over thirty meters long, and divided into two cars. In some cases, extra locomotives were attached to a train to provide more power¡ªbut this one in particular had a built-in connection, and could not be uncoupled. It was painted a reddish-brown. The locomotive was shaped like a small box stacked atop a railroad wagon. On the box-like compartment was a large diesel engine and a generator. It was an electric-style generator that powered a motor by creating electricity from the engine. On either side were passageways lined by railings. The engineers were wearing black Sou Be-Il railroad uniforms. They had all been selected from the Royal Army¡¯s railroad unit. Finishing up the official procedures with the officials, Benedict and Stork stood side-by-side on the southern edge of the platform, with the wooden fence behind them. Many people shot Benedict suspicious looks because of his messy attire, but ultimately no one caught on to his true identity. Of course, Major Stork made sure to consistently refer to him as ¡®Mr. Herman¡¯. As Benedict looked down at his new watch and mentioned that it was nearly time, they saw a thick stream of smoke in the distance. ¡°I¡¯d heard rumors that they were often delayed. I¡¯m pleasantly surprised.¡± Said Major Stork. Benedict turned to his brethren from Sou Be-Il¡ªthe diesel locomotive and the engineers. ¡°Better not lose to ¡®em.¡± Major Stork chuckled. The transcontinental express slowly entered the station platform on the southern rails. Soon, the second dining car came to a stop before Benedict and Major Stork. The car doors opened and the passengers disembarked for some rest. Soon after stopping, the steam locomotive was uncoupled and moved to the second set of tracks. The diesel locomotive slowly approached and was connected to the passenger cars. Conductor Welch stepped outside with a binder in hand, and began to speak with the officials from both sides. Benedict and Stork also joined in, introducing themselves and getting their tickets re-checked. After the boarding procedures, Major Stork and Benedict were left alone. ¡°I believe I¡¯ll be in the VIP cabin the whole journey. I doubt I¡¯ll even have time to enjoy a drink with you, so let me say goodbye here. Have a good trip. And you have my word that no one will hear of your identity, Mr. Herman.¡± ¡°Thank you, Major.¡± With that, Benedict pulled up his bag and began to head toward the other passengers. Major Stork also turned to the VIP car. But suddenly, over Benedict¡¯s shoulder, he caught a glimpse of three passengers standing next to a car four cars ahead. A young woman with black hair, a boy in a school uniform, and a blond girl in a dress. ¡°!¡± Major Stork quickly grabbed Benedict by the shoulder. Though surprised, Benedict answered the major¡¯s solemn glare. ¡°Is something the matter, Major Stork?¡± Stork sighed softly, as though trying to calm himself. ¡°Apologies, but I¡¯d like to ask something. Those three young people on the platform¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The¡­ the black-haired woman there. She is royalty from Iks, am I correct?¡± Benedict¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly gave a wry smile. And making sure that no one was within earshot, he replied quietly. ¡°Well¡­ yes. She is Francesca, the future Queen of Iks.¡± ¡°I knew it¡­¡± ¡°I thought that was a convincing disguise, but you saw through it again. I¡¯m honestly impressed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite fond of reading the papers, you see. I remember clearly reading of your actions in Iks last year. So she was the Roxchean friend you were talking about. What of security detail?¡± Major Stork asked, sounding quite serious. ¡°She¡¯s traveling incognito. Please don¡¯t say a word about her.¡± ¡°¡­Not a single bodyguard?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll be there. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be all right as long as no one finds out, seeing as we¡¯re going to be on a train.¡± Major Stork sighed. ¡°Astounding¡­ That¡¯s quite brave of her. So I suppose the boy and the girl next to her aren¡¯t servants. Are they just fellow passengers she met on the trip, do you suppose?¡± ¡°N-no. Those two are good friends of mine as well. Both Roxchean. I met them by coincidence during a joint training session. They are both fluent in Bezelese.¡± ¡°Then they already know your identity.¡± ¡°Yes. I asked them to keep it a secret as well.¡± ¡°I see¡­ I understand. I apologize for holding you up. Have an excellent trip.¡± Benedict walked away. The older passengers on the platform cringed at the sight of him. The three young people noticed him¡ªtheir eyes turned to dinner plates, but they quickly broke out smiling and greeted him cheerfully. Major Stork stood alone on the platform, watching all the while. Eventually, the four were led into car 10 by a cabin crew. Major Stork quietly mumbled to himself. ¡°¡®The Goddess of Fortune is a cruel and fickle mistress¡¯, eh?¡± ¡°Er, Mr. Stork?¡± Welch, the conductor, spoke to Stork from behind as the latter glared a hole through the platform. The conductor¡¯s Bezelese was not fluid, but exceedingly polite. Surprised by his name being called, Major Stork exclaimed quietly. ¡°We¡¯ve just received permission from the passenger, sir. Allow me to lead you to the VIP car. This way, please.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Thank you.¡± They began to head for the VIP car on the western side of the platform. Major Stork, whose face had stiffened the moment he saw Fiona, practically lunged at a Sou Be-Il soldier who was standing on the platform. ¡°You there!¡± He called to the startled soldier. ¡°Is there a telephone capable of long-distance calls here?¡± ¡°P-pardon? Oh, er, no, sir. It can only call the nearest base. Although we do have radio.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Thank you.¡± The conductor seemed worried when Stork caught up with him. ¡°Is there a problem, sir?¡± Major Stork laughed and shook his head. ¡°No, not at all. I should be doing my work now.¡± Opening the door to the VIP room, they entered. The passengers on the platform stepped inside again, and the doors closed shut. The locomotive¡¯s whistle sounded loudly over the old battlefield. * * * ¡°What is that beard?! And your hair! I didn¡¯t recognize you for a second!¡± Fiona gasped in cabin 1 of car 10. ¡°As reunion greetings are done, why don¡¯t we slowly enjoy the views? Look, the Lutoni River. She¡ªer, it is beautiful.¡± Looking up at Fiona, who stood by the window, Benedict spoke in Roxchean as he let himself sink into the sofa. His pronunciation had improved a little from the previous year. He had taken off his jacket, and was wearing a light green shirt underneath. His sunglasses were hanging from his breast pocket. The train slowly left the facility and began crossing the western bridge, which in appearance was no different from the eastern one. ¡°That¡¯s not surprising. It looks pretty bad.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t recognize you, either. That was a shock.¡± Allison and Wil, sitting on the sofa, took Fiona¡¯s side. After their reunion on the platform, the four of them practically fled into the cabin. ¡°Me and you have both disguised perfectly. Thanks to that, I think everyone will stay in peace.¡± Benedict said nonchalantly. ¡°I don¡¯t believe this. I¡¯ll go get my things from car 12. I left my change of clothes there.¡± ¡°Oh, let me help you.¡± Benedict said, standing. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I can ask the cabin crew to carry my luggage.¡± Fiona quickly replied, leaving the room with Allison, who had the key to the cabin. Benedict mumbled, ¡°darn¡± in Bezelese. Wil spoke up in Bezelese as well. ¡°Excellent timing. There was something I wanted to talk to you about when Allison wasn¡¯t around.¡± ¡°What is it? I brought my razor, if that¡¯s what you were wondering. Though I¡¯d prefer to let it grow out a bit longer.¡± Wil shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s about something more important.¡± Still in the sofa, Benedict sat up. Wil, having finished speaking, was sitting in the chair by the window. Fiona and Allison had not yet returned. Benedict looked thrilled. ¡°So she¡¯s waiting for you at the capital? I¡¯m glad you managed to get in touch with her.¡± ¡°Yes. It was a big relief.¡± ¡°Thanks for telling me. But you might not want to say anything to Allison until we get to Sfrestus. It¡¯d be nice to surprise her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I plan to do. Although I¡¯m not very good at hiding things¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re doing something bad. Just enjoy the trip until then. This strategy meeting is finished.¡± Benedict said, clapping his hands. ¡°All right.¡± Wil nodded with a smile. At that moment, Fiona and Allison opened the door and entered. Major Stork and the conductor were standing at the front door of the galley. Stork had taken off his coat and was wearing a plain uniform. Because the train shook, his left hand was constantly on the handrail. Sturdy leather covers were wrapped over the couplings, and metal plates were underfoot. But it was still incredibly noisy when the train was moving. Ahead of the coupling was the VIP car. Separate from the hallway that went through the passenger car, there was a door into the cabin crew¡¯s room and the entrance to the VIP cabin. That was the only entrance to the cabin, and the only way further inside was to pass the bodyguard lounge. ¡°These are the passengers on board today. There are no changes until we return to Green Island.¡± The conductor, who never had to hold on to the handrail, handed a piece of paper to Major Stork. It was a passenger list written in both Roxchean and Bezelese, and contained the names and occupations of the passengers. ¡°Thank you.¡± Major Stork took the list with his right hand and read through it. Cabin 1 of car 9 was assigned to the president of the Roxche Capital District water company, Mr. Becker, and his wife. Cabin 2 was assigned to the president of a large clothing company, Mrs. Epstein, and her husband. Cabin 1 of car 10 was assigned to a ¡®Mr. Herman¡¯ and Fiona. There were no occupations listed. Major Stork gave a wry grin. Cabin 2 was assigned to the Minister of Transportation of a certain country in Roxche, Mr. Green, and his wife. Cabin 1 of car 11 was assigned to the president of a bank in Niasham City, Mr. Nathan, and his wife. Cabin 2 was assigned to the president of a textile company, Mr. Hinkley, and his wife. Finally, cabin 1 of car 12 was assigned to Allison Whittington and Wilhelm Schultz. There were no occupations listed. Cabin 2 was assigned to the chairman of Orres Studios, Mr. Orres, and his wife. Other than the four young people and the Epstein couple, who were in their forties, the passengers were all elderly¡ªranging in age from their fifties to their seventies. Completing his check, Major Stork looked up at the conductor. ¡°I¡¯ll be spending most of my time in the VIP cabin. I doubt anything will happen, but¡­ please inform me if something does.¡± ¡°Understood, sir.¡± At that moment, the cacophonous rattling suddenly came to a stop. They had passed the bridge. The world outside gave way to a vibrant green earth. ¡°Honestly, we still have about thirty kilometers before we reach her¡­ but let me say it early. Welcome to Sou Be-Il. I am honored to greet you three to this country. I hope you enjoy the trip.¡± Said Benedict. * * * The train was passing through the hills. Grass was beginning to grow, covering the rolling layers of slopes. There were barns scattered among the hills, and cows left to roam and graze. The rails ran straight to the west, as though they were lines drawn with a ruler. On either side of the two tracks were secure barbed-wire fences to keep cows away. The transcontinental continued between the hills, emerging and disappearing between the verdant slopes like a single white line. At the very end of the white line, on the balcony at the back of the glass-covered car, stood two people. ¡°Beautiful¡­ We¡¯re pretty far north, but in Sou Be-Il, the area¡¯s used for pasture. I assumed it would be a forest, like in Niasham. I never would have guessed.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Wil sounded honestly enthusiastic. Allison did not. They were both wearing coats and gloves. Allison had her hair tucked in her coat to keep it from getting in the way. ¡°This is incredible. We¡¯re actually in Sou Be-Il. We¡¯re heading west.¡± Wil¡¯s eyes gleamed with anticipation as he held on to the railings. He lost himself in the scenery passing around him, with the rails at the center of his sights. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Allison leaned against a support on the side, watching Wil with a pout. ¡°It¡¯s really beautiful.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it incredible?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± A little earlier. Immediately after entering Sou Be-Il. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure Benedict must be tired too. Let¡¯s go back to our cabin, Wil.¡± Allison said suddenly in Benedict and Fiona¡¯s cabin. ¡°C¡¯mon.¡± She pulled Wil to his feet as the latter curiously examined the Sou Be-Il currency Benedict had taken out. ¡°We¡¯re off. We¡¯ll see you two at dinner.¡± The moment they stepped into the hallway, Allison shut the door behind them. ¡°Wil, let¡¯s give Benedict and Fiona some room. They haven¡¯t seen each other in so long.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ you¡¯re right. It didn¡¯t occur to me.¡± ¡°Well, now you know.¡± They returned to their cabin in car 12. Allison took a seat on the sofa. ¡°Well, now that Benedict¡¯s joined us safely, we¡¯ll be able to rest a little easier. Why don¡¯t you take a load off too, Wil?¡± Wil, who had been staring out the window for some time, replied. ¡°I¡¯m going to the observation car.¡± ¡°What?¡± Allison was shocked. Wil was already holding his coat, hat, and gloves. ¡°I want to enjoy the view from the balcony. We¡¯re in Sou Be-Il, after all.¡± Allison finally recovered from her daze and managed to speak. ¡°But¡­ it¡¯ll be windy and cold.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m taking my coat. I¡¯ll bundle up. I even have my gloves.¡± ¡°Er¡­ you can watch the scenery any time, Wil.¡± ¡°True. But I¡¯d really like to see it now. I¡¯m really excited for this.¡± ¡°Well, you can watch from here? We have a big window.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see from the observation car. And unlike the cabin, the balcony¡¯s completely open.¡± ¡°Er¡­ well¡­ right! What if you fell? It¡¯s dangerous out there. Just think about how painful it¡¯d be to fall off a moving train.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll be careful.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wil made sure to be as considerate as possible as he warmly said, ¡°You can wait in the cabin if you¡¯d like, Allison.¡± The pastures gave way to a vast wetland. The rails drew a gentle curve along the grass on the edge of the swamp. ¡°Look, it¡¯s a marsh. There¡¯s waterfowl, too. I¡¯ve seen that bird in Raputoa.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°I barely see any houses around here. I suppose that must be because this is a military-use line? After all, Sou Be-Il also positions its railroads away from population centers so the routes won¡¯t be found.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Or maybe people in Sou Be-Il during their industrial revolution also opposed having railroads too close because of all the smoke. I think Grandma might have said something to that effect. But eventually, towns started popping up around stations, and everyone who opposed the railroads regretted it deeply.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°Oh, here you are. I¡¯ve been looking for you. Should we head to the dining cars now?¡± In the end, Allison and Wil spent their time on the empty balcony of the empty observation car until the sun had set and the world had grown nearly pitch-black, at which point Fiona came to get them for dinner. Wil, Allison, Benedict, and Fiona passed through the hallways, crossed the couplings, and headed for the dining cars. Three tables that seated four were in the car. The tables were lined up along the length of the car, and each table was as large as those in restaurants. In car 7, eight people had put two tables together and were enjoying dinner together. Wil and the others passed right by them. The four of them were still dressed as they were at lunchtime. On some luxury trains in Roxche, passengers were required to dress in formalwear to enjoy dinner. But as the tour to Sfrestus took multiple days, passengers were free to dress as they wished, with the exception of several occasions. But setting aside Wil, who wore his school uniform with a tie, Benedict in his comfortable shirt clashed so much with the train that some people on car 7 gave him dirty looks. But no one realized that Benedict was the man who had made the front page in the newspapers. ¡°They couldn¡¯t possibly imagine that I¡¯d be here, dressed like this.¡± In car 6, four passengers were seated at a table. The middle-aged woman who ordered Wil to get her a newspaper at the platform earlier and her husband. Across from them was a couple in their sixties. They were all in formalwear, and having finished dinner, were eating dessert. Wil and the others took the table nearest to the front, with the men facing one another and the women facing one another. The men sat at the aisle seats and the women sat at the window seats. The server who pulled out the chairs for them soon brought them menus. Wil¡¯s brow furrowed at the increased variety of meals offered at dinnertime. ¡°We have much time. Please decide slowly.¡± Benedict said to Fiona. ¡°Yes¡­¡± She replied. She scrutinized the menu from behind her non-prescription glasses. In the end, Wil and Fiona were lost until the end as to what they should have for dinner. The four of them each chose a different meal. Allison ordered anchovy pasta. Wil ordered lasagna with meat sauce. Benedict ordered venison steak with vegetables. Fiona ordered cheese risotto. For hors d''oeuvres they ordered two prawn cocktails, two plates of raw oysters¡ªrecommended by the server as fresh from Karen East Station¡ªand two plates of vegetable salad. As for beverages, everyone ordered tea¡ªwith the exception of Wil, who ordered lemon squash because he was not very good with hot drinks. As they waited for their food, the four people on the opposite side of the car finished and stood. The suit-clad man in his sixties approached the table at the front. With his face flushed bright red from alcohol, the man greeted the four and walked right up to the table. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse us elders. I¡¯m sure it must be a great experience for young people to experience such luxury.¡± His words were polite, but his tone was not. Benedict replied curtly. ¡°Yes. Of course.¡± As the old man got angry, a woman spoke up from behind. It was the female president who had ordered Wil around earlier. ¡°Mr. Becker. Let¡¯s not pester the young people. Why don¡¯t we ¡®elders¡¯ go for some drinks?¡± The drunk seemed to want to say something, but he turned around. He left the dining car alongside the middle-aged couple and his worried wife. ¡°Damned old man.¡± Allison grumbled in a decidedly non-ladylike tone. ¡°I think people like him are everywhere.¡± Benedict said. ¡°Do not worry about them. To be honest, you three people need a special exclusive car for yourselves.¡± With the dining car to themselves, the four of them took a very long time in finishing their mountain of food. Fiona, who ended up eating fruit and ice cream for dessert, asked Allison to tell her if she figured out a way to safely jog through the halls of the train. Leaving the dining car, they followed Wil¡¯s advice and passed through the lounge car, where elders with time on their hands were drinking and dancing. In front of cabin 1 of of car 10, Benedict said meaningfully, ¡°Rest comfortably, now. Fortune be with you.¡± Allison and Wil went to their cabin in car 12. Left there was a piece of paper that they were to hang outside the door with their orders for breakfast, some chocolate(presumably a midnight snack), and a bottle of water. The heating was on at a slightly high temperature. The train shook quietly as it ran through the darkness. There were no lights from villages anywhere. Closing the curtains on the window by the beds, she grabbed the curtains that divided the room. ¡°I¡¯m going to change. No peeking, okay?¡± With that, she shut the curtains. There was a faint sound of shuffling sleeves from across. Naturally, Wil did exactly as he was told. He turned on a small lamp and wrote in his journal. Allison pouted a little as she opened the curtains. Instead of pajamas, she was wearing Air Force-issue khaki work pants, and a white round-necked sweatshirt she wore for training. Tiny letters¡ªthe initials of the Roxcheanuk Confederation Air Force¡ªwere embroidered on the left sleeve. ¡°How long are you going to stay in your uniform, Wil?¡± At Allison¡¯s urging, Wil took off his uniform and changed into the checkered winter pajamas he wore at the dorms. He put his uniform shoes into the shoe cabinet and put on the slippers prepared for him in the cabin. Wil opened the curtain and returned to the sofa. He sank down next to Allison. ¡°Today was a long day¡­ a long, fun day.¡± He mumbled. Outside the window was pitch black. There was only Allison and Wil, reflected in the glass by lamplight. ¡°Say, Wil.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to showrrrrk.¡± Allison bit her tongue. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Whew. Anyway, aren¡¯t you going to shower?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Wil said, getting to his feet. He looked into the shower room that was further inside the bathroom and asked Allison how to use it. She told him that the shower head could be removed, and that he had to adjust the temperature beforehand. Because the train had to preserve water, pressing the water button would give him a short supply at a time. ¡°That is all! Take your time.¡± Wil took a towel from the cabin, which was embroidered with a crest, thanked Allison, and stepped inside the shower. Allison sat on the sofa. Sometimes she stood suddenly and sat back down again. Sometimes she poked at her reflection in the window as she sat and stood. And she checked to make sure that the cabin was locked. ¡°That was refreshing. I hadn¡¯t showered in over a day.¡± When Wil came outside in his pajamas, shaking water out of his hair, Allison was shooting a frightening glare at her own reflection. ¡°Oh, er¡­ r-really? Well¡­ I, er¡­ I showered this morning, but would you mind if I showered again?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Wil replied. Allison rushed between the sofa and her suitcase several times before going into the shower. Soon. Allison left the shower, her long hair done up. And Wil, ¡°Huh?¡± Wil was in his bed, covered snug in the blanket made specially for the train, with his eyes comfortably closed. ¡°It can¡¯t be!¡± Allison flung her towel aside and hurried to the bed, kneeling beside Wil. ¡°Wil!¡± Wil replied with his eyes still shut. ¡°I didn¡¯t get much sleep last night¡­ I¡¯m tired¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± For some time, Allison¡¯s lips trembled silently. ¡°Say, Wil? Er¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep first¡­¡± ¡°Wait! By yourself? N-no, that¡¯s not what I meant!¡± She grabbed him by the left shoulder. ¡°Hm?¡± Wil¡¯s sleepy eyes opened halfway. Allison spoke. ¡°I-I have something important and complicated and important to tell you¡­¡± This time, she said ¡®important¡¯ twice. Wil¡¯s answer was immediate. ¡°Then tell me tomorrow¡­ I can¡¯t listen to something important when I¡¯m tired.¡± With a soft sigh, Wil fell right asleep. Allison was frozen for some time. She finally staggered toward the sofa. She turned out the lamp beside the beds and closed the curtain dividing the beds from the living area. ¡°Man¡­¡± With a sigh she sat on the sofa and pulled out a hairpin. Her long hair cascaded down over her face. Allison glared at the room through her obscured vision. ¡°Wonder if I can break something in here?¡± A little before midnight. Major Stork quietly opened the door and stepped into the observation car, where nearly every light had been extinguished. He was in his uniform, but without a jacket and with his necktie stuffed into his breast pocket. In his hand was a flashlight that was turned off. He glanced at the small bar to the left of the entrance. The bartender had already turned in for the night. ¡°!¡± As he inspected the observation car, Major Stork was taken by surprise. A girl with long blond hair was sitting on a sofa in the middle of the darkened car. ¡°That gave me a fright¡­¡± He whispered in Bezelese. Allison looked up, displeased. ¡°Who¡¯re you? You¡¯re not Roxchean.¡± She asked in Bezelese. Major Stork first asked if he could turn on the lights, waited for permission, then hit the switch next to the bar. The lightbulbs by the ceiling began to glow a faint orange. The car was filled with a gentle glow. ¡°I¡¯m in charge of security for the VIP car. Stork from the Sou Be-Il armed forces. I¡¯m a major from the Royal Army. I was just inspecting this car¡ªI apologize if I bothered you.¡± Allison turned away at Stork¡¯s excuse and replied, ¡°I see. It¡¯s okay, take a seat.¡± Major Stork first walked over to the balcony and pointed his flashlight outside. He returned after checking that there was no one there. Allison¡¯s face, glaring out the window, was reflected on the glass. ¡°All clear.¡± Major Stork said mechanically, and leaned against the bar. He turned to Allison, his tone softer than before. ¡°I saw that you had a companion with you. Why all alone here in this car?¡± Allison gazed at her reflection in the window and answered curtly. ¡°Because it¡¯s time for good boys to go to bed.¡± Major Stork chuckled. ¡°Are the two of you siblings? You certainly don¡¯t look it.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Are you joking with me?¡± ¡°Well, I thought it might be rude to ask directly.¡± ¡°He¡¯s my childhood friend. The only family an orphan like me has. And the person I wish would become my family. Does that tell you enough?¡± ¡°I see¡­ I understand. But seeing as you¡¯re alone, I suppose you haven¡¯t told him yet.¡± ¡°Yet. What, are you trying to hit on me, mister?¡± Allison looked a little upset. Major Stork replied lightheartedly, ¡°It¡¯s good to be young.¡± ¡°Hmph. You sound like an old man.¡± Allison said, looking straight ahead. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯ve gone through many things in life. But you¡¯re still young. There¡¯s nothing to be so anxious of. You¡¯ll have many more chances in the future.¡± Allison laughed. Her grin was cast against the glass window. ¡°That would be nice. But I¡¯d prefer that he doesn¡¯t find out how I feel from my will.¡± ¡°Your will?¡± Major Stork repeated, his brow furrowing. Allison nodded. ¡°Yes. My will.¡± Surprised, Major Stork¡¯s eyes slowly widened. For several seconds he was silent, and all the while Allison kept her eyes on the window. ¡°Does this mean¡­ that you have a job that requires you to write a will¡­?¡± ¡°Guess you can¡¯t fool a fellow professional. You¡¯re quick to catch on. I¡¯m a pilot in the Confederation Air Force. Though I¡¯m still just a staff sergeant.¡± Allison said mockingly, looking up at Major Stork¡¯s bewildered face. She raised her right hand and lightly saluted him. ¡°A pilot¡­ in the Confederation Air Force¡­¡± ¡°What, never seen a child soldier before? They have those in Sou Be-Il, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Oh, yes¡­¡± Major Stork replied, ¡°I also know¡­¡± ¡°Hm? What?¡± Allison asked, her gaze on his face. ¡°¡­How cruel a will can be. I¡¯ve written one myself before, just before I went into the battlefield. It was¡­ terrible. I was disgusted. What use is there in my feelings reaching others only after my own death?¡± ¡°Looks like we have something in common, mister.¡± ¡°Thank you. Ah, my name is Stork Fren. I¡¯ll be on board until we arrive at Sfrestus. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. And you are¡­?¡± ¡°Allison Whittington. Staff sergeant.¡± With a half-hearted bow, Allison stood with her hair fluttering behind her. And she walked past Major Stork. ¡°Well, let¡¯s pray for each other¡¯s success or whatever.¡± ¡°Yes. I pray for success. For both your wish and my mission.¡± With a light wave, Allison passed him by and left the observation car. When Allison left his sight, Major Stork extinguished the lights in the car and headed for the balcony. He opened the door and stepped outside, and a cold breeze shook his short hair. When he looked up, the stars were lighting the gaps between the clouds. Major Stork tightly gripped the railings. ¡°Whittington¡¯s daughter¡­ of all people¡­¡± His murmur flowed from the back of the car along with the puffs of his breath. Cabin 1 of car 12. A boy was in one of the two beds. He lay face-up with his mouth slightly agape, his breathing consistent as he slept. The bed next to his was empty. And between his bed and the other crouched a girl with blond hair. Her chin rested on his bed as she glared at his carefree profile. The sound of three wheels passing over the grooves of the rails was accompanied by shaking, in a perfect triple-time rhythm. Soon, the girl slowly closed her eyes. Volume 3 4 — Reasons for the Murders Volume 3 Chapter 4: Reasons for the Murders ----- The first thing Wil heard as he awoke was the sound of the wheels passing over the grooves of the rails. Soon, he saw the white ceiling tinted blue by the faint light seeping from the window. ¡°¡­¡± He slowly sat up. His blanket slid off of him. The cabin was well-heated and warm. The curtain dividing the room was pulled open. The curtain on the window was also open. The dim light hit the sofa through the foggy glass. ¡°Hm. That was a good night¡¯s sleep.¡± Opening his eyes, as well-rested as any other morning, Wil mumbled to himself and turned to the bed next to his. There was no one there. The bed was messy, and the blanket was missing. When Wil glanced at the bathroom door, he saw that the door was in unlocked position. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Confused, Wil put his feet down over the left side of the bed. ¡°Urk!¡± And he stepped on Allison, who was rolled up in her blanket on the floor. ¡°Again, I¡¯m really sorry, Allison.¡± ¡°Never mind. Thanks to you, I feel wide awake.¡± Wil apologized to Allison again after she changed and stepped out from behind the curtains. Wil was wearing his uniform pants and a white shirt that was not part of his uniform. Over that he wore a light cotton jacket he usually wore outside. Allison was wearing, not a dress, but pants. Her pants were the same ones she wore to sleep, and her top was an Air Force-issue dark red turtleneck over a T-shirt. ¡°Anyway, what should we do, Wil? It¡¯s not even dawn yet.¡± ¡°Dunno¡­¡± There was still some time before the sun rose over the mountains. And there was even more time before the breakfast they ordered would arrive. Wil glanced outside the window. Allison spoke up. ¡°Going to the observation car? I¡¯ll go with you.¡± The train was racing through the mountains. They had left the plains, and were surrounded by slopes. Trees just beginning to bud with leaves covered the mountains, and patches of rocky surface were visible around the peaks. There was a valley about 50 meters wide, with a shallow, 30-meter-wide river running underneath. Unlike the Lutoni, the river was so clear that the rocks inside were visible. Along the southern shore of the river was a single set of rails that followed the river¡¯s edge. The tracks twisted and bent along the winding valley, climbing a gentle slope. The train squirmed uphill at half its speed from the plains. The sky was violet, only just greeting the sun. It was clear save for a thin layer of cirrus clouds. The white half-moon was still visible in the western sky. The train was about three hundred kilometers from the Lutoni River, in the area known as the Iltoa Mountain Range. Although it did not compare to the massive Central Mountain Range, which bisected the southern half of the continent, mountains as high as 2000 meters extended from north to south for about 700 kilometers. Unlike Roxche, which was mostly flat, there were several such mountain ranges in the West. The train was running down the tracks passing through the mountain range. The passage had been completed forty years ago¡ªit was painstaking work that, in the end, allowed people to cross straight through the mountains instead of going around them. The tracks continued down the river, before passing through several tunnels and stretching past a mountain pass. ¡°The view¡¯s going to be great all day today. I can tell. I¡¯ve never seen mountains during the spring before. And I¡¯ve never gone through tunnels while I was riding on a train. And when we cross the mountain range in the evening, we¡¯ll be able to see the sun set on the plains, too.¡± Wil said, excited. ¡°All right. Then I¡¯ll stick with you all day long.¡± Allison replied, opening the door to their cabin and stepping outside. They were both carrying their coats because it was still cold. Wil came out to the deserted hallway as well, and whispered so he wouldn¡¯t bother the other passengers. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the cabin crew and ask him to call us in time for breakfast. So he doesn¡¯t end up thinking we¡¯re sleeping in.¡± First, they walked in the opposite direction from the observation car and opened the door in the hallway. When they arrived at the door to the cabin crew¡¯s lounge, in front of the bathroom and the doors into the car, Wil stopped. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s still asleep¡­ maybe we shouldn¡¯t wake him?¡± ¡°Maybe. But this is part of his job.¡± Allison knocked on the cabin door without a second thought. There was no answer. Allison waited for a moment, then knocked again. There was still no answer. Allison pointed at the door with the glazed window and turned to Wil. ¡°You think he¡¯s still asleep?¡± She knocked again, but there was no sign of a reply. ¡°After all this knocking, I¡¯d be surprised if he was inside. Maybe he¡¯s getting breakfast ready at the galley, or maybe he¡¯s at a crew meeting?¡± Wil suggested. ¡°At this hour? Talk about dedicated.¡± ¡°It must be rough.¡± ¡°Never mind. We¡¯ll leave him a note and go.¡± ¡°All right.¡± There was a small blackboard beside the door, used to communicate when the crew was absent. Allison wrote, ¡®Cabin 1 passengers both in observation car¡¯. Allison and Wil left the door. From the perspective of the cabin, their fuzzy figures in the glass disappeared from view. The door was locked from the inside. The lock next to the handle, which was parallel to the floor, indicated that it was still locked. Inside the long, narrow cabin was a forty-something man in light green work wear¡ªthe cabin crew. He sat on a folding chair and was slumped over a rather small work desk. There was no one else inside. His eyes were wide open. There was a hole in the back of his head. Blood had spewed from the hole and onto his face, his uniform, and the desk, leaving a dark stain on the carpet. ¡°Should we ask them to bring our breakfast to the observation car? We could eat and enjoy the view on the balcony.¡± ¡°That sounds great. Maybe we should do that with lunch, too.¡± ¡°Sandwiches again?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± After exiting the hallway of car 12, they no longer had any need to worry about waking the other passengers. Allison and Wil passed through the coupling, chatting about food. Then, they passed by the doors into the observation car, opened the door on the right, and stepped inside. To their left was the bar, and ahead were the sofas and the balcony. ¡°Then maybe I¡¯ll try that too¡ª¡± Stepping inside first, Allison paused mid-sentence. She froze. Wil also saw what was happening inside. ¡°Ah¡­¡± There were two people on the balcony. The curtains in the observation car had all been closed, and it was very dark. That was why the balcony, which was outside and brighter, was all the more visible. Sitting against the railings on the balcony was a man in a black uniform. Welch, one of the conductors. Allison and Wil could see his face. His eyes were bulging, and his tongue lolled from his mouth. The other man was wearing a black suit. His back was turned, but it was clear that his face was covered. His hands, covered by black gloves, held the conductor by the collar and pulled him up. The conductor¡¯s body was hung limply over the railings, offering no resistance. His arms shook powerlessly. His head drooped. Behind him passed the mountains and valleys. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡ª¡± The moment Wil whispered, Allison flung aside her coat and scrambled through the observation car. There were twenty meters to the balcony. She cried loudly, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± The man in black turned. His jacket was neatly closed, and he was covered from head to toe in black. He wore a balaclava that concealed everything but his eyes and nose, and had a slightly tinted pair of goggles over his eyes. His face was completely hidden, but from his build he was clearly a man. The man spotted Allison and froze for a single second. ¡°No!¡± Then, he defied her. He gave the conductor¡¯s body a light push. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Welch¡¯s body slowly slid back, but sped up suddenly as his legs passed by where his upper body used to be. They heard nothing. Three seconds after the conductor¡¯s body disappeared past the railings, a twisted body, set of limbs, and limp neck clothed in a black uniform tumbled down the tracks. Allison arrived at the balcony entrance. ¡°Allison! Stop!¡± Wil cried, rushing after her. At the same time, Allison pulled on the doorknob. All it did was clatter, refusing to open. She tried fiddling with the lock under the knob, but did not get anywhere. The door was locked from the outside. ¡°Take this! And this!¡± As Allison attempted several times to get the door open, Wil made it to the door and grabbed her by the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous, Allison! Let¡¯s go get help.¡± Allison looked up. Three meters ahead of them, beyond the window, stood the man¡ªhe was looking at them. ¡°Murderer! We caught you in the act! I saw it all with my own eyes!¡± ¡°Allison. Let¡¯s push the sofa up to the door and call for help. That way, he¡¯ll be stuck there.¡± Wil said, and began pulling on a two-seater nearby. But it did not move. ¡°Huh?¡± Wil breathed, surprised. ¡°What?!¡± Allison roared. She was not talking to Wil. Wil looked at the man on the balcony, whom Allison was glaring at. With his right hand, the man in the balaclava pointed at the sofa. Then he lightly wagged his pointer finger. ¡°What?! What are you trying to say?!¡± Allison demanded. Wil quickly realized what the man was telling them. ¡°I see¡­ These sofas rotate, but you can¡¯t move them. They¡¯re fixed to the floor.¡± ¡°Argh!¡± The moment Allison angrily turned to the sofa, the man waved his right hand as though saying goodbye. He quickly took hold of a support on the balcony, climbed atop the railings, and hung from the car by his hands. Then, he pulled himself easily up to the roof. ¡°Hey! He¡¯s getting away! Stop right there!¡± Allison cried, and put all her weight into her right foot as she kicked the balcony door. The door creaked. ¡°Just a little more!¡± She continued to kick at the door mercilessly. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. At the fifth kick, the ornately decorated door bent as the little crossbar that served as a lock was flung aside in a flash of splinters. Wil watched, his expression a mix of shock and awe. Allison pulled on the door. It opened. She went out into the balcony, buffeted by cold gusts. Wil followed after her. Allison immediately put a foot on the railing to give chase. ¡°Allison! It¡¯s too dangerous!¡± Wil said. ¡°It is! So you stay right there, Wil! Don¡¯t climb after me!¡± Allison replied immediately. And she clambered onto the roof even faster than the man had. The first thing she saw on the roof was the view of the magnificent valley. To her right was the river, flowing with clear water. To her left was a steep green hill. And ahead were the white roofs of the cars. ¡°There!¡± And there stood the man in black. The roofs of the cars were flat at the middle, and there was a slip-proof walkway strip about fifty centimeters wide for the benefit of those who worked on the train. The man was hunched over as he walked one car ahead¡ªin other words, over car 12. On either side of the walkway were little grooves that he could hold. The man was continuing along the path. ¡°Hold it right there!¡± Allison ordered. The man, who had been moving slowly, looked up in shock. He quickly turned. ¡°Yeah, you! Murderer!¡± With her golden hair aflutter, Allison half-knelt on the roof as she pointed at the man with her right hand. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re off to?¡± She taunted, staring. The man twisted to his right and held up his right hand. His fingers were pointed like he was going to shoot a gun, but there was nothing in his hand. ¡°Wh-what? ¡­Yes?¡± In the midst of Allison¡¯s confusion, the man closed his right hand and held up his thumb. It was a gesture that meant ¡®good job¡¯ in both East and West. ¡°Wh-what¡­ what?¡± Though Allison understood the gesture, the man¡¯s intentions remained a mystery to her. Watching Allison attempt to puzzle out his actions, the man opened his fist and held his palm parallel to the ground, raising and lowering it several times. ¡°¡­?¡± Then, he pointed ahead. ¡°Whoa!¡± Allison understood immediately. It looked like the locomotive, about three hundred meters ahead, was inside the mountain. It was going into a tunnel. The dark hole quickly swallowed up the white roofs of the cars. Eventually, the car on which the man stood drew close to the tunnel. ¡°Look out¡ª¡± The man instantly fell flat on his stomach. He lay over the center path, grasping the grooves with both hands. ¡°Damn it!¡± Allison grumbled as she also fell flat on her stomach and held on tightly with both hands. When she looked ahead, the man had already disappeared into the darkness of the tunnel. The gaping hole approached. ¡°Ugh!¡± With a deafening roar, the tunnel engulfed Allison. Even when she looked around, there was nothing but darkness. The buzzing of the wind and the metallic noise of the wheels passing over the grooves in the rails assaulted her eardrums. Her hair flew into her face and into her mouth. She could smell the exhaust from the diesel engine. ¡°Damn it!¡± Lying flat against the roof, Allison waited for the tunnel to end. Ten seconds passed, twenty, then a hundred. ¡°Talk about a long tunnel¡­ How much longer¡­? Please hurry up and end already¡­ It better not be a tunnel all the way to Sfrestus¡­ Diesel engines kind of stink¡­ It¡¯s getting kinda cold¡­¡± At the end of Allison¡¯s lengthy complaints, the tunnel finally finished. Because she was facing the side, the valley and the river came back into view. And, ¡°He¡¯s gone¡­¡± The man was nowhere to be found. All she could see were the roofs of the cars, lined up straight along the tracks. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Thud. Allison swore, punching the roof. There was a dull noise. Making sure that there were no tunnels ahead, Allison got up again. ¡°Allison! Allison!¡± Suddenly, she heard a voice. When she turned, she saw Wil at the last car of the train, five meters away. His head was poking outside as he called to her. ¡°Allison, are you¡ªwhoa!¡± His head suddenly dipped out of sight. ¡°Eek!¡± Allison scrambled to the last car and looked under the sunshade, clinging to the roof. ¡°Wil!¡± He was lying on the balcony. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± With a sigh of relief, Allison twisted herself down. Then, she used the railings as a foothold as she landed precariously on the balcony. Wil sat up. ¡°Are you all right, Wil?¡± ¡°I slipped¡­ I thought I was going to fall onto the tracks¡­ That gave me a scare.¡± ¡°How could you do something so dangerous?!¡± Allison said in a scolding tone. ¡°I won¡¯t do it again. Ever.¡± Wil replied, nodding. ¡°What about you, Allison? You probably haven¡¯t hit your head, but you weren¡¯t hurt at all?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡± Allison answered immediately. Then she asked, ¡°Hm? How¡¯re you so sure I didn¡¯t hit my head?¡± Wil slowly got to his feet. ¡°Since these tracks are used by the military, the tunnels are made to be very large so that even tall armored trains can pass through. The tops of the tunnels are high enough that you could stand on the roof. I read about it in a railroad reference book before. I checked the height when we were getting close, and I was pretty sure you¡¯d be all right in that one.¡± ¡°What?! Then I could have just gone through it sitting down?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I was lying flat on the roof for dear life!¡± ¡°Well¡­ you probably didn¡¯t have to do that.¡± ¡°Right before we got to the tunnel, the man gestured to me to get down. And he got down, too! So I was so sure I had to duck! I was on my stomach the whole time!¡± ¡°Er¡­¡± ¡°I looked around after we got out of the tunnel, but I couldn¡¯t see him anywhere!¡± ¡°He got you, Allison. He must¡¯ve known that you didn¡¯t have to duck. He probably escaped while you were distracted.¡± ¡°¡­Damn it!¡± Allison swore, kicking the door. It swung loudly into the observation car. The glass shattered. Wil winced. ¡°So what happened to him? Don¡¯t tell me he jumped into the tunnel?¡± ¡°Probably not. It¡¯s not impossible, but it¡¯s really dangerous to jump out of a train moving at this speed.¡± ¡°Then did he get inside through a window?¡± ¡°Probably, but¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No, nothing. He probably came inside.¡± ¡°In other words, there¡¯s a murderer on this train.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go find him!¡± ¡°That¡¯s too dangerous¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying we should arrest him or anything. All we have to do is hunt him down and say, ¡®we found him!¡¯. Then he¡¯ll have nowhere to run.¡± ¡°Before that, I think we should call the other cabin crew.¡± ¡°Right¡­ let¡¯s go!¡± Allison began to run down the observation car. Wil followed after her and wondered, ¡°About Mr. Welch¡­ I think he was already dead when he was thrown off.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah. I thought so too.¡± ¡°Then why did the killer go through the trouble to push the body off the train? I just don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll ask the man himself.¡± Allison replied, picking up her coat from the carpeted floor. From the observation car, Allison and Wil headed to car 12. Allison was holding her coat in her hands. She said that, if they ran into the killer, she would throw it to prevent him from escaping. They ran into no one as they passed their own room and arrived at the cabin crew lounge. Allison banged loudly on the door, but there was still no answer. They went through the hall and to car 11¡¯s cabin crew lounge. They knocked again, but there was no response there either. ¡°There¡¯s no one around. What¡¯s going on here?¡± They then went to car 10. As they made their way down the hallway, Wil wondered, ¡°What about Benedict?¡± ¡°He might be asleep, but we can¡¯t wait for him to wake up.¡± ¡°Right.¡± They opened the hallway door and ran for the cabin crew¡¯s lounge. They knocked, but no one came outside. As Allison turned to head straight for car 9, Wil stopped her. ¡°Hold on.¡± Allison froze, and asked what was wrong. Wil slowly reached for the doorknob. ¡°¡­¡± It was locked. The knob did not so much as budge. ¡°Let¡¯s check car 9, just in case.¡± Car 9 was the frontmost car of the regular passenger cars. They loudly ran down the hallway and arrived at the cabin crew¡¯s lounge. They knocked, but again there was no answer. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Wil checked the doorknob. It was also locked, refusing to budge. ¡°Let¡¯s check the next car.¡± Car 8. There was no one in the lounge car, either. They knocked on the conductor¡¯s lounge in car 8, but there was no answer. The doorknob did not budge, either. ¡°D¡¯you think they all decided to get off the train?¡± Allison joked. ¡°Or maybe they¡¯ve all been murdered.¡± Wil replied gravely. Car 7. Welch¡¯s cabin was in this dining car, but Allison and Wil passed by it without knocking. They also passed by car 6, where there were only tables and a bathroom. Car 5. Allison opened the door and peered into the kitchen. There was no one at work yet. All she saw was a large, neat, and orderly workstation. ¡°Excuse us.¡± She took a bottle of water from the crate next to a counter. She slammed it against the corner of a table to take care of the cap. She put her mouth to the bottle and took several sips, then handed it to Wil. Having been panting from the constant running, Wil gladly took it and quenched his thirst. ¡°What do we do with this? Put it back in the crate?¡± Wil wondered, looking at the small amount of water left in the bottle. Allison advised him to stop joking and took the bottle, pouring out the rest into the sink. She then held it up upside-down. ¡°Weapon acquired. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to hit him with that?¡± ¡°If I have to.¡± With that, Allison led the way out of the galley. They began running through the halls once more. At times, the train shook violently. Each time, Allison caught herself with ease; Wil had to cling to the handrails. They crossed the coupling and entered car 4. Wil knocked on the VIP cabin crew¡¯s lounge. There was no answer. ¡°This is strange. I can¡¯t believe even this one would be empty¡­¡± ¡°Should we beat the VIP guy awake or something? I heard he has a bodyguard.¡± Allison wondered, holding her coat in her left hand and a bottle in her right. Wil thought for a few seconds. ¡°Let¡¯s not. I think we should head to the crew¡¯s sleeping car before that.¡± Allison and Wil ran through a total of ten cars¡ªin other words, over 250 meters¡ªand arrived at car 2. Car 2 alone was like ordinary sleeping cars, with small cabins equipped with bunk beds on the right side of the car. Allison knocked on the first cabin. Just as she began to think that even that cabin was empty, something happened. ¡°Yes¡­? The door opened, and a middle-aged man in pajamas stepped outside. He was short and chubby. It was clear that, at least, he was not the man in black. There was sleep in his eyes still as he looked at Wil and Allison, who was holding up her bottle. ¡°Wh-what¡­? Who¡­? What? Passengers? Oh! Good morning!¡± He seemed to have snapped himself awake. Allison lowered the bottle. ¡°Good morning. Who are you?¡± ¡°Er¡­ I¡¯m a cook.¡± Allison looked at Wil. ¡°We finally found one.¡± The cook was suddenly struck by realization. He looked at Allison. ¡°Excuse me, Miss. But what time is it?¡± Allison glanced at her watch and told him the time. The cook paled visibly. ¡°Oh no¡­ this is bad¡­¡± Taking a deep breath, the cook mumbled to himself as he turned. Then, he bellowed at the top of his lungs to his sleeping co-workers. ¡°We¡¯ve got trouble, everybody! Wake up now! We won¡¯t have time to bake the bread for breakfast at this rate! Get up! Up!¡± ¡°Calm down. That¡¯s not the problem right now.¡± Allison said for the moment, even though there was nothing to be calm about. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± The cook retorted, incensed. ¡°Mr. Welch, one of the conductors, has been murdered.¡± Wil said calmly. The cook snorted incredulously. ¡°That¡¯s not the best joke to start off the morning.¡± ¡°It¡¯d be great if that was a joke.¡± Said Allison. ¡°Mr. Welch was in charge of waking you up this morning, wasn¡¯t he?¡± Wil commented. The cook¡¯s expression changed. ¡°What to do¡­ we¡¯re not sure ourselves. The only people on this car are the cooks, servers, and the bartenders¡­ people who have nothing to do with running the train itself.¡± After Allison and Wil briefly explained about the conductor and the man who killed him, the cook replied anxiously. The train was continuing down the tracks. ¡°In other words, there are no conductors or cabin crew in this car.¡± ¡°No. And they don¡¯t have morning crew meetings, either. What should we do?¡± Wil and Allison exchanged glances. Allison thought for a moment. ¡°Do you know where we are?¡± The cook shook his head. ¡°Miss, we have nothing to do with running the train itself. Absolutely nothing. This is my second time aboard this train, but things to do with the Sou Be-Il railroad¡ªin fact, the entire train¡ªare under the management of conductors Welch and Clay. All we do is make delicious meals.¡± As the cook desperately argued on his own behalf, his co-workers, who had gotten up, stood around anxiously. One of them had gone knocking on the other crew¡¯s doors. ¡°Wh-what can we do?¡± The cook asked. Allison answered. ¡°First, we need someone to take charge over everyone. I know just the man, so we¡¯ll go beat him awake.¡± ¡°All right. We¡¯re counting on you. But what should we do?¡± ¡°Please wake up the other crew. Have them change and gather in the first dining car.¡± Wil replied. The cook nodded. ¡°And please, don¡¯t ever move alone. Make sure you¡¯re in pairs or groups. It¡¯s best to move with company if possible.¡± Wil added. The cook nodded again and asked, ¡°Er¡­ so no bread for breakfast today, I suppose?¡± ¡°What¡¯s taking him? Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s probably just getting dressed.¡± Cabin 1 of car 10. After knocking loudly on Benedict and Fiona¡¯s door, Wil and Allison talked as they waited for the two to come outside. Again, they ran into no one as they came down from car 2. Allison banged on the door again. ¡°Yes, who is there?¡± Benedict¡¯s half-asleep voice came from inside the cabin. He was speaking in Roxchean. Allison answered loudly, ¡°It¡¯s us. Open up!¡± ¡°What¡­? It¡¯s way too early for breakfast¡­¡± Benedict mumbled, annoyed, and opened the door a crack. He was wearing the dressing gown provided in the cabin. His full beard had been shaved off entirely. ¡°Do you mind keeping it down? Fi¡¯s still asleep.¡± Benedict whispered, looking at Allison and Wil. ¡°Allison¡­ you shouldn¡¯t bother us at the crack of dawn just because your plan went down in flames. Let¡¯s solve this like gen-¡± ¡°This no time for that nonsense!¡± Allison burst out. In front of cabin 1 of car 10. Allison and Wil stood in the hall, and Benedict in the half-open doorway. Allison and Wil waited for Fiona to change and finish getting ready. Benedict, who changed first, was keeping watch just in case. Wil looked outside through the window in the hallway. All he could see were green slopes, but it was quite a bit brighter outside. Benedict was wearing the same clothes as the previous day, this time with a jacket. But the missing beard and the neat hair made him seem like a different person entirely. ¡°Why in the world would anyone kill Mr. Welch? I¡¯d expect any potential killer to come for me first.¡± Benedict commented. Allison asked what he meant. ¡°I didn¡¯t really want to tell you guys, but after the discovery, I received some threats in the mail.¡± ¡°!¡± Wil turned, shocked. ¡°What? That¡¯s news. What did they say?¡± Allison asked. Benedict glanced at Fiona, who was changing in front of the beds, and answered. ¡°I¡¯ve told Fi about this, but¡­ it doesn¡¯t really need explaining, huh? ¡®What were you thinking, announcing such a foolish discovery to both sides at once?¡¯. Others said things like ¡®go to hell¡¯, or ¡®you¡¯re a disgrace to Sou Be-Il¡¯, or ¡®you call yourself a soldier?¡¯. It made a bit of news in Sou Be-Il, and even more people joined the bandwagon after that. But anyway, it died down after three months or so, and no one actually made an attempt on my life. But¡­¡± The lower left side of Benedict¡¯s jacket was bulging slightly. He had fished out his military-issue revolver from his luggage, loaded it, and holstered it under his jacket. ¡°Sorry to make you wait.¡± Fiona said, walking up to the door. Unlike the previous day, she was not wearing her silver-rimmed glasses or a long wig. She looked just as she did the past winter. As Benedict instructed, she was wearing a pair of navy pants instead of a skirt¡ªbut otherwise she was dressed similarly to the previous day. From the belt around her waist hung the pouch containing her miniature camera. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Benedict asked, concerned. Fiona met his gaze and nodded firmly. ¡°I understand. Now, we must go face this problem. Do not fall away from my side.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± They gazed into one another¡¯s eyes. Allison shot them an icy glare. When she turned, she saw Wil staring at the forest out the window. ¡°Damn it. He got them all.¡± Benedict swore in Bezelese. ¡°This is unbelievable.¡± Allison remarked bitterly. Wil said nothing. Fiona closed her eyes and recited silent prayers. Car 12. Car 11. Car 10, where Benedict was. Car 9, just ahead. The four cabin crew who were in charge of the four cars had all been killed in their cabins, each shot once in the head. Conductor Clay¡¯s cabin in car 8. Like the others, they broke the glass to unlock the door and enter. His body lay facedown on the floor, also with a bullet in the back of the head. His short brown hair was dyed crimson with blood, and lying around next to him was a pillow with a hole in the middle. The hole was singed black. ¡°He threatened them into lying on the floor and shot them¡­¡± Benedict seethed. The body lay neatly on the long, narrow floor. The cabin was otherwise untouched, and the blood was only on the floor. ¡°What about shell casings?¡± Allison asked. ¡°I took a quick look, but I can¡¯t find them. He might¡¯ve used a revolver. The pillow he must have used in place of a silencer.¡± Benedict said, shaking his head. ¡°Mr. Clay, we will avenge you¡­¡± With that, he covered the body with a blanket embroidered with the emblem of the train and observed a moment of silence. ¡°What now?¡± Allison wondered. Benedict answered in Roxchean so Fiona could also understand. ¡°First let us go to a dining car to speak with the related personnel.¡± ¡°All right. We¡¯ll leave the commanding to you.¡± ¡°What about the other passengers?¡± Wil asked. ¡°Whatever the case, it is best to not wake them. Let us leave them to just sleep. The possibility that they are also killed does exist, but I do not want to even punch them awake to investigate them.¡± Benedict said. ¡°Ah, but there is one person we must wake. We will ask him for help as well.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Asked Allison. ¡°On this train is a Sou Be-Il soldier.¡± ¡°Oh, him.¡± Allison nodded briefly. ¡°Oh? Do you also know him, Allison?¡± ¡°I met him when I was all alone in the observation car last night.¡± Allison replied, emphatically stressing the word ¡®alone¡¯. Wil did not react. ¡°He seems a little frail. D¡¯you think he can help?¡± Benedict thought for a moment before answering. ¡°Better than not being here.¡± The four of them headed for the dining car together. They instructed the crew there to remain on standby, and went to the VIP car. The cabin crew¡¯s lounge was still locked, and no one responded to knocking. When Allison asked if they would break the door there as well, Benedict decided to knock on the door of the VIP cabin first. ¡°What might be the matter? The master is still asleep.¡± A white-haired man about sixty years of age soon stepped into the hallway. The scalp at the top of his head was fully exposed, and the rest of his hair was quite thin. He was a little shorter than Benedict. ¡°Apologies for bothering you. This is an emergency situation. You are?¡± The man sounded somewhat offended. ¡°I am Thomas Ien, the secretary and bodyguard of the VIP passenger. I will take no questions about my master. And you are?¡± ¡°We are passengers. This is an emergency situation. Is your master safe?¡± Ien¡¯s face darkened. ¡°What are you implying?¡± ¡°The conductors and the cabin crews are murdered. We knocked the door of this car¡¯s cabin crew, but there was no response. He is probably also murdered.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As Ien¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Major Stork poked his head out the door. He was in his uniform shirt without the tie, and his hair was a mess. His eyes were still sleepy. ¡°The master is well. He is still asleep.¡± Ien, who had closed the door and gone inside to check, came back outside. During that time, Major Stork put on a tie, his uniform jacket, and his kit belt, and came out into the hallway. Holstered on his belt was an automatic handgun. Ien stood at the cabin entrance, his face set. ¡°So long as he remains in his room, the master will be safe. This is the only entrance, and the windows and walls are bulletproof. Nothing short of an explosion will harm him.¡± ¡°Are you all right? If an enemy invades through this door?¡± At Benedict¡¯s question, Ien reached into the little closet in the wall. Inside hung several suits. There was a large automatic handgun in the hand he slowly withdrew. Underneath the grip was a large fixed magazine, and there was a wooden stock that allowed the user to securely place the gun on their shoulder. Benedict backed away slightly at the sight. ¡°No one can enter this room now. Not a soul.¡± Ien uttered mechanically. ¡°Mr. Stork.¡± He added in fluent Bezelese. ¡°You are no exception. You may no longer enter this cabin.¡± ¡°Pardon? Please, wait. I am on an official mission. My duties include providing security for¡ª¡± ¡°Your mission does not matter to me. I will make no exceptions. If you try to enter, I will shoot you.¡± With that, Ien entered the room and brought out Major Stork¡¯s suitcase and coat. He haphazardly dropped them in front of the door. ¡°Then what am I to do¡­? Where am I supposed to sleep?¡± ¡°The dead have left many empty cabins.¡± Ien said icily. ¡°I hope you will clear up this situation in all haste, Mr. Hero.¡± He added in Roxchean to Benedict, closing the door. ¡°I suppose Mr. Ien truly despises me. Although that isn¡¯t very surprising.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± They were in the galley hallway. Major Stork, who was in the lead, mumbled to himself and Benedict asked for clarification. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Mr. Ien was a major in the Roxchean military. He took part in the Great War. Apparently, he had even been taken prisoner.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why he is so fluent in Bezelese. And now that I think about it, that gun he had was military-issue¡ªcapable of automatic fire. If he pulls the trigger on that gun inside the train, there will be an uproar.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a capable bodyguard, if nothing else¡­ but in any case, what do you plan to do now? I¡¯m not much of a fighter myself.¡± Behind Benedict walked Fiona, and behind her were Allison and Wil. Allison whispered to Wil in Roxchean. ¡°Say, between that frail major and that bodyguard¡­ if one of them is the culprit, who would you say was the one, Wil?¡± ¡°What d¡¯you mean?¡± Wil whispered back, astonished. ¡°They have similar physiques. And they¡¯re both carrying guns. One of them must be the murderer.¡± ¡°But¡­ we don¡¯t have any proof.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to catch him when he slips up.¡± ¡°Allison¡­ I think you should give up on trying to catch him on the train.¡± ¡°Why? What are we supposed to do then?¡± Allison asked. ¡°This is Sou Be-Il. We¡¯re not from here. So we should leave things to Benedict and¡ª¡­just Benedict.¡± Wil replied. When they returned to the dining car, the crew there looked up in unison. Just as advertised, the crew was experienced¡ªall older people. The they were all in uniform. Eight cooks, two men and one woman in bartender uniforms, two musicians, four dining car servers wearing white standing-collar uniforms, and one short, elderly doctor in a black suit. Everyone from car 2 was safe. The crew were gathered at the back of the car¡ªbecause there were not enough seats, about half of them were leaning against the curtained windows. Benedict and the others stopped at the middle of the car. Benedict spoke first. ¡°I am sorry to make you wait.¡± Someone asked him who he was. Benedict answered that he was a passenger, then glanced at Major Stork and Allison. ¡°Tell them who you are. That¡¯s why we called them here.¡± Allison said. Benedict shrugged and revealed his identity to the wary crew. He told them that he had shaved after the previous evening, among other things. The woman in the bartender suit made a show of being thrilled. Benedict began by suggesting that he take command. No one opposed him. ¡°What will you do now?¡± Asked the cook whom Allison had shaken awake. At Major Stork¡¯s request, Wil interpreted for him in Roxchean. ¡°This is a murder case. We¡¯ll have to contact the police, but we have no way of doing so at the moment.¡± Benedict told them to open the curtains. The people by the windows drew back the thick curtains. It was just before dawn¡ªa bright morning. They could see the river, much narrower than before. ¡°Until we pass through the mountains, there will be no villages or train stations. The nearest station with police officers¡­ we will arrive at in evening. It will take a similar time if we go backwards.¡± A heavy silence fell over the crew. ¡°Then we¡¯ll just search for the culprit.¡± Allison said, her enthusiasm clear. Benedict shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, if the killer is still in the train. But even if he is still in the train, I think it is the best that you quit searching for the killer.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Allison retorted to the same answer Wil had given her before. Benedict answered. ¡°We are not detectives. But that is not the biggest reason. The biggest reason is that we are not detectives, so I do not wish to think twice about the people on this train. For an example, if we search corner by corner the cars, but no one is hiding. If the killer hasn¡¯t jumped off the train, preparing to be badly hurt¡­¡± ¡°Then someone on the train must be the killer.¡± ¡°Yes. The man you say you saw had middle height and middle build. There are some men like that in the passengers and the crew. Then first we must think twice about them all. And I do not wish to say this, but if we do that, we must also think twice about you and Wil, who saw the killing. Because our only proofs are the corpses. Further, even I could be the killer. I am similar in height and build, and I have a gun. Of course, I am not the killer. And if we ask questions to everyone and check all the cargo¡­ we will arrive at the station before we are finished. Rather, I think it is important for everyone to safely go to the station.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Allison said tersely, and said no more. She did not, however, look entirely convinced. When she glanced at Wil, who finished interpreting for Major Stork, he nodded solemnly as though saying that Benedict had said what he wanted to say. Benedict continued. ¡°First, now wake up all the passengers and tell them to come to this dining car without explaining anything. It will be the best to stay gathered in this dining car, I think. And if everyone is security for the front and back doors, we will be able to react even if the killer is outside or inside.¡± ¡°All day? That might be difficult¡­¡± One of the crew said. Benedict nodded, but replied that they had no other choice. ¡°We only must wait until we cross the mountains and go to a village. We will not sleep here overnight, so please be happy about this.¡± At that point, everyone was mostly convinced. Major Stork, who was listening to Wil¡¯s interpretation, suddenly spoke up. ¡°Please, hold on. I agree that we should not search for the culprit, but there is a place nearby where we can stop. We do not need to wait for the train to cross the mountains¡ªand I¡¯m certain we will be able to secure everyone¡¯s well-being at the place I¡¯m thinking of.¡± Of course, the only people who understood what he said were the Bezelese speakers¡ªBenedict, Allison, and Wil. Allison and Wil looked a little surprised. Benedict¡¯s expression changed. As Wil wondered if he should interpret the major¡¯s words into Roxchean, Benedict sternly responded in Bezelese. ¡°Wait a moment, Major Stork!¡± Major Stork replied indifferently. ¡°There is a depot along this very line¡­¡± ¡°Do you understand what you¡¯re saying, Major? Please¡ª¡± ¡°Stop fighting!¡± Allison scolded them. Having been interrupted, Benedict grumbled to himself and shook his head. Major Stork looked confused. ¡°Please explain.¡± Fiona said, quietly but with an undeniable firmness in her tone. Somewhat bitter, Benedict looked at Wil and asked him to interpret. As the crew listened, Wil explained the conversation. ¡°And?¡± Allison asked Benedict. ¡°Please ask the major¡­¡± Benedict replied weakly. Allison did as he said. ¡°Just one thing. What is a depot?¡± ¡°It is a word from an ancient language, used now as military jargon. It refers to a base where supplies are stored. There are several such bases along this line, which crosses the Iltoa Mountain Range. There¡¯s one quite close by, in fact. It¡¯s large enough to house a train, and there is a defense force on standby from which we can request protection. Though it¡¯s too deep in the mountains for radio, there¡¯s nothing to worry about¡ªthere is a phone line there that connects with the nearest base.¡± When Wil interpreted for the major, the crew bombarded him with questions. ¡°Wait a second. I¡¯ve been on this route several times now, but I¡¯ve never seen anything like what you described. The only thing up ahead is a continuous climb, and even after we cross the rugged mountains, there¡¯s nothing but a valley and a lake.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because we put down new sets of tracks for this train so that the depots would not be discovered.¡± As Major Stork answered the questions without holding back a thing, Benedict leaned against the window and sighed. ¡°Let us move as quickly as we can and stop the train there. If we hurry, we will arrive within the hour. Then we can decide on what to do. What do you say, everyone?¡± When Wil interpreted the major¡¯s suggestion, everyone agreed. Benedict lightly shook his head and mumbled to himself. ¡°Heh¡­¡± The crew shot him chilling glares. But no one went so far as to criticize him. ¡°I can understand what you wish to tell. You wish to ask me why I said to go to a far village, even though I know about the depots. I am embarrassed at myself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because the supply bases are a military secret, right?¡± Wil chimed in, defending Benedict. Benedict gave him a thumbs-up. ¡°That¡¯s right. In the Great War, this area was a defense frontline that should be protected if the enemy crossed over the Lutoni River no matter what. And it is even now. To protect from being hit with railroad guns by the enemy, every mountain base is an important secret. More than everyone¡¯s safety, I put first the military¡¯s rules and secrets. I am sorry.¡± Benedict apologized. But it was clear from the looks in the crew¡¯s eyes that their opinions of him had taken a nosedive. Fiona, who stood beside him, gently put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°You have a gun too, don¡¯t you? Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± One of the crew began. ¡°Stop it. Weren¡¯t you listening to what we said before?¡± Fiona sharply cut him off. The crew was silenced by her tone. ¡°It is all right. And¡­¡± Benedict unzipped his jacket and took off his belt. Then, he undid the holster on his left side and handed it, gun and all, to Wil. ¡°Take my gun. There are six bullets inside.¡± ¡°What? Me?¡± ¡°You are a Roxchean person. And you are my friend. In other words, I think you are a suitable person to entrust my gun. Please be careful not to use it wrongly.¡± Just as Wil was about to reply, Fiona nodded lightly. Seeing that, Wil quietly reached out and received the gun. Benedict looked at Major Stork and said in Roxchean, ¡°I agree with your suggestion.¡± Wil interpreted for him. ¡°Then that¡¯s what we¡¯ll do. I will explain the situation to the defense force. Please don¡¯t worry¡ªI may look like this, but I am a major.¡± Major Stork said, lighthearted in spite of the heavy air in the car. He went on to make several suggestions, before conferring with the crew and deciding on what to do. First, they would use the train¡¯s radio in the conductor¡¯s cabin to contact the engineers and ask if they could increase the speed so they could arrive earlier. If possible, they would not wake the passengers until they arrived at the base. And even if they did, they would instruct the passengers to keep their curtains closed and remain in their cabins. They would not set out to search for the culprit. They would never act alone, and would move around in groups of three or more. ¡°Er¡­ about breakfast¡­¡± A cook said hesitantly. ¡°Breakfast! That sounds wonderful. People get hungry, no matter the situation. We¡¯ll be counting on you, everyone.¡± Major Stork replied. The train running through the mountains gained speed. ¡°We are in the mountains, so we won¡¯t be as fast as we could be on the plains. But the engineers will do their best. Although they seemed extremely displeased about heading to the depot.¡± Major Stork said. They had broken the glass to open the locked door and entered the conductor¡¯s cabin, at which point Major Stork spoke with the locomotive. The engineers were only informed of Major Stork¡¯s orders¡ªthe topic of Benedict was left out entirely. In the meantime, the cooks moved in groups as they went about their usual duties, and the others searched the train together. The doctor checked the corpses in all of the cabin crew¡¯s lounges. ¡°Estimated time of death is overnight. They were all killed with single shots to the head. From the wounds, I can only conclude that the weapon was a handgun. I could check the size and type of the rounds if I performed an autopsy, but that¡¯s not possible here.¡± The doctor said. Afterwards, they searched the crew¡¯s luggage¡ªbut their keys were all still there. Allison and Wil searched all the bathrooms and rooms in the cars. They found no one. Afterwards, they split off into groups of three or four and watched to see if any of the passengers left their cabins. Benedict, Fiona, and Major Stork said little as they silently passed the time in car 9. Allison and Wil were in car 12¡ªwhere their own cabin was¡ªwith two of the servers. They leaned against the wall in the shaking car, waiting only for the train to arrive at the supply base. Wil had the holster at his left side. ¡°How did this happen¡­? They were all such good people.¡± One of the servers mumbled. He was the one who had brought Allison and the others their incredible meal the previous evening. ¡°It¡¯s highly unlikely that the conductors were murdered because of a grudge.¡± Wil said. The server asked what the motive was. ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet.¡± Wil replied honestly. No one questioned him further. For some time, Wil leaned against the wall, lost in thought. Allison, gazing at his face, thought of speaking up¡ªbut she quickly stopped herself. Soon, Wil leaned in close to Allison, who was next to him, and asked quietly. ¡°Why are we still alive?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t the culprit kill us then, too? He could have done it easily.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it¡­¡± ¡°Of course, I doubt he expected us to come to the observation car so early in the morning. But why didn¡¯t he kill us then? That way, it would have taken more time for people to discover the murders, and no one would have witnessed him¡­ that¡¯s been bugging me for a while.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. We¡¯ll ask the guy once we catch him.¡± The train screamed at each curve as it continued down the mountain tracks. They left the side of the narrow river visible through the trees, and again entered a long tunnel. The train began to slow in the middle of the darkness. It slowly emerged outside and soon came to a stop. Wil looked out the window. The sun was already up and it was bright outside, but all they could see were thin trees and plants covering the ground, and tall stone peaks standing several kilometers ahead. Wil entered their cabin and looked through the window on the other side. Yet more stone peaks. There was still quite a bit of snow left on the northern side. ¡°I get it¡­ this must be a large hollow. The perfect place for hiding a base.¡± At the point, the train began to move again. The hollow was oval-shaped and was several kilometers long. It was surrounded by mountains on all sides. The entire area was sunken, sequestered from its surroundings without a single pass connecting outside. At the eastern and western ends of the hollow were tunnels that led outside. As soon as the train emerged, the rails forked into two tracks. One of them led straight across the lowest part of the hollow on the north, and into the tunnel on the opposite side. In the center of the hollow was an ¡®invisible base¡¯¡ªone of the Sou Be-Il Royal Army¡¯s mountain depots. The fork in the tracks led there in a nearly-straight line. The rails split off into branches, much like at a station, and four sets of rails ran parallel to one another for several hundred meters. There were no platforms, but the ground was paved with concrete. The tracks were nearly empty. All there were were a box-shaped tender, a small diesel locomotive for switching out tenders, and several small trucks that had been affixed with appropriate wheels so they could run down the tracks. Clustered on the southern side of the tracks were several buildings. Fuel tanks painted green for camouflage and half-buried concrete ammunition depots were most numerous, about twenty of each lined up in rows. There were also semicircular residences for the dozens of soldiers serving on the base. There were also facilities where steam locomotives could be restocked with water and coal. Several layers of protective fences surrounded the base to keep it safe from avalanches from the surrounding mountains. The white-roofed luxury train slowly approached the supply base as one long line. Never rung outside of drills, the base¡¯s alarm wailed loudly for the first time in years. Volume 3 5 — Reasons for Company Volume 3 Chapter 5: Reasons for Company ----- Amidst the wailing alarm, the transcontinental express followed the northernmost of the four parallel tracks as it slowly pulled into the supply base. Soldiers in brown uniforms rushed outside and watched in bafflement. When an engineer at the locomotive waved a red flag, the men seemed to realize that something was wrong¡ªvoices here and there began calling for superior officers. Watching from behind the window, Benedict asked, ¡°Could I leave things to you?¡± Major Stork, next to him, nodded. ¡°Of course. Please wake the passengers and have them gather in the dining car. No one must leave the train until then.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Benedict and Fiona, along with Allison and Wil and the other crew, divided into groups as they went around waking up all the passengers, Thankfully, none of them had opened their eyes and left their cabins before arriving at the base, and none of them remained silent after several loud bangs on their doors. As the passengers came out into the hallways, wondering if it was already time for breakfast, the crew only told them that it was an emergency and that they were to gather in the dining car. ¡°What¡¯s the situation, sir?¡± When Major Stork stepped out of the train first, her was greeted by an officer in his late thirties. He was a rank lower at captain. ¡°An emergency. An unforeseen incident occurred aboard, so I had the train brought here under my authority. I¡¯d like to request some body bags.¡± Saluting and stating his rank, Major Stork explained briefly about the murders. The captain, while surprised, also looked incredulous. Major Stork asked, ¡°Who is the commanding officer here?¡± ¡°He went down the mountain two days ago for an officers¡¯ meeting and his vacation. I¡¯m currently the acting commander.¡± ¡°I see. Thank you for your assistance. I assume that the telephone is available?¡± Major Stork pointed at a concrete building that stood across three railroad tracks. It was a single-story building with a camouflaging green net over the roof¡ªthe base¡¯s command center. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, sir. It¡¯s been out since yesterday¡ªthe wires must be broken.¡± The captain replied grimly. Major Stork turned. ¡°What did you say, Captain?¡± ¡°The telephones are out of service, sir. It happens sometimes. The wires by the rails must¡¯ve been cut by falling rocks.¡± ¡°Have you sent a dispatch rider?¡± ¡°No, sir. We¡¯re not able to do so at the moment. Usually, we¡¯d send in a truck to check, but¡­¡± The captain trailed off, his gaze sliding to the long train before him. Major Stork understood. ¡°I see. This train came first.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. All use of the railroad, including this one, has been prohibited for the day. The soldiers have been given the day to rest.¡± ¡°I understand. First, I would like you to order every soldier on the base: That they are not to enter the train under any circumstances. And that they are to conduct themselves as gentlemen, on the honor of the Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa. I will give more orders at the command center. Please wait there with the engineers.¡± Loudly acknowledging Major Stork, the captain gathered the soldiers. Major Stork looked back at the fourteen-car train and mumbled to himself. ¡°Really, such a long train.¡± ¡°What in the world is going on here? At least let us relax in the morning.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s an emergency, don¡¯t we at least deserve an explanation? What are the conductors doing? They should be apologizing to us before anything. It¡¯s not something you people are qualified for.¡± Complaining to the servers who walked in front of and behind them, a couple in their sixties entered the dining car. All the passengers were now gathered in car 6. There were a total of sixteen passengers and a total of eighteen crew members(including the cooks who were called back from the galley). The passengers, including Allison, Wil, and Fiona, set aside the tables and sat down on the chairs they brought from the next car. ¡°Everyone is here now? Without the two people in the VIP car.¡± Asked Benedict. The server answered that he was correct. When Benedict stepped up to explain, the crew, who had earlier shot him icy looks, nodded compliantly. Benedict introduced himself again. And as the passengers reeled in shock, he explained the situation. The passengers, finally informed of what had happened, were nervous¡ªbut they quietly lent their ears to Benedict. Major Stork entered the dining car partway through. Benedict introduced him to the passengers and continued the explanation. ¡°So, I followed Major Stork¡¯s judgement and we stopped this train at this supply base. It is not sure yet what we will do after, but if we are here, we will first secure our safety. In half the day, the village base will send the security force.¡± Everyone breathed a sigh of relief at Benedict¡¯s assurance. At that moment, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but we can¡¯t make contact with the village.¡± Major Stork said gravely. Those who knew Bezelese frowned. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®we can¡¯t make contact with the village¡¯? Wil, please interpret us.¡± Benedict said in Roxchean. Wil interpreted Benedict¡¯s words, then interpreted Major Stork¡¯s explanation about the telephone into Roxchean. The air in the dining car changed. Passenger and crew alike began to question what they should do. Someone commented that they did not wish to remain at the base with the others, when any one of them could be the culprit. Everyone agreed. ¡°But is that any different from heading to the village by train as a group, when the killer might be among us? We can¡¯t get into contact with the village, and it will be evening by the time we get there. I think it will be a better idea to stay here.¡± Said the president in her forties in an authoritative voice. Everyone went silent as though convinced. ¡°At this point, we have no idea why this has happened. Who are the culprit¡¯s targets? Was he only planning to murder the conductors and the cabin crew? Or was he after the entire train?¡± It was just as Wil finished interpreting for the major. ¡°The culprit¡­ is after me.¡± Someone spoke. Everyone looked around, searching for the owner of the voice. ¡°He is targeting me. There¡¯s no mistaking it.¡± The voice came from behind Benedict and Major Stork¡ªin other words, from the door leading to the previous car. When Benedict and Stork stood aside, a man by the door came into view. He was about fifty years of age, and was short and rotund. He had thinning brown hair and a mustache that stood at the ends, and wore a black suit. The moment they saw Ien standing behind him, Benedict and the others realized who he must be. The man grimaced as he solemnly walked toward the middle of the dining car. Ien followed expressionlessly, his hand in the large sack he had slung over his shoulder. It obviously contained the handgun. He was likely prepared to open fire at the slightest hint of trouble. As everyone watched, the man stopped between Benedict and Major Stork. Benedict asked, ¡°I guess that you are the VIP car¡¯s passenger, but what in the world is happening?¡± ¡°It seems that some have already realized, but¡­¡± The man paused before he revealed his identity. ¡°I am Gauthier Terreur, the head of the Terreur Steel Foundation. I am the passenger on the VIP car.¡± Allison, Wil, and the others who did not know him by face were shocked. Only Benedict, Fiona, and Major Stork¡ªwho knew about Terreur from earlier¡ªwere unsurprised. ¡°And I am the target of the killer. Look here.¡± With that, Terreur took out a folded piece of paper from inside his jacket. He thought for a moment about who to hand it to, before holding it out to Benedict. Scrawled in rough handwriting on the note were the words, [Terreur: Do not even think about returning to Roxche alive. I will kill those around you, one after another. First, I¡¯ve taken care of the conductors and the cabin crew. If you doubt me, see for yourself. You are next.] After reading the note out loud, Benedict said, ¡°I see¡­ this is most certainly a threatening letter.¡± ¡°I discovered this a short while ago in the newspaper tray by my door. The killer must have left it overnight.¡± Said Terreur. There was a moment of silence. ¡°So which one of you was it¡­? You¡¯re in here, aren¡¯t you? Or are you all conspiring together?¡± No one could tell of Terreur was being mocking or serious. The silence grew heavier. Dozens of seconds passed. Major Stork finally broke the silence, sounding irritated. ¡°You should have told me this from the start.¡± Benedict followed in Roxchean. ¡°To say, the killer¡¯s target is only you, and the other people who are still possibly the killer at least have no worry of being killed. The killer killed the crews to show you, and Allison and Wil by coincidence watched. That is one step forward.¡± Major Stork tapped Wil on the shoulder. Wil quickly interpreted for him. Ien spoke resolutely. ¡°We have a request. We do not wish to be with you, and I am sure you do not wish to be with us. After all, no one wants to be suspected of murder.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Said Benedict. And once Wil finished interpreting, Major Stork also voiced agreement. ¡°Yes. You¡¯re right.¡± Allison, who was unable to join the conversation for quite some time, put a hand to her mouth and yawned. Then she looked at the people who were glaring at her. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°Then what shall we do?¡± ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Asked Major Stork in Bezelese, and Benedict in Roxchean. In place of the silent Terreur, Ien replied, ¡°Allow us to remain apart from the other people by any means possible. Staying together here changes nothing¡ªthis plan is for everyone¡¯s benefit.¡± Then, Ien repeated himself in Bezelese. And finally, he turned to Major Stork and said stiffly, ¡°After all, is it not your ¡®mission¡¯ to solve this predicament?¡± Major Stork shrugged and mumbled about how Ien was contradicting his earlier comment. Then, he thought for a moment. ¡°Then shall we go on ahead? The others can wait here.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± When Wil interpreted Major Stork¡¯s suggestion, Terreur spoke up. Stork answered. ¡°We will separate the train and flee by ourselves to the village at the foot of the mountains.¡± Major Stork explained his reasoning. Wil put all his efforts into interpreting for him: If the culprit was after Terreur, and if one of the crew or passengers was the culprit, they could not be left in the same space¡ªnot even on the same train. That was why, in order to evacuate Terreur to the village at the foot of the mountains, they would separate the train at the dining car or the lounge car. The front of the train, which included the VIP car, would head for the village at full speed. The other passengers¡¯ cabins were further back on the train, so they could simply return to their rooms. The base could provide them with electricity and water, so their only problem would be boredom. The crew, whose quarters were near the front of the train, would be less comfortable¡ªbut they should consider it a part of their work and bear the inconvenience for the moment. If things went well, someone would come for them by morning. Though it was impossible to predict the future, their once-in-a-lifetime trip could, unfortunately, be cancelled. He was very apologetic on behalf of Sou Be-Il, said Major Stork. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that. If it¡¯s proven that you have nothing to do with the killings, I will take responsibility and ensure that you will be able to take this trip again.¡± At Terreur¡¯s offer, Major Stork turned to the passengers and crew. ¡°That is what he says. What do you say, everyone?¡± No one opposed the proposal. ¡°Then it is decided,¡± said Major Stork as he made note of several details. He suggested that the passengers bring out any of their cargo if they were worried about them. Saying that he would order for carts, he instructed the crew to carry out materials and ingredients, including food. ¡°Finally, Major Carr.¡± Benedict waited for Wil to finish interpreting before he responded to his name. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I would like for you to join me.¡± Benedict looked a little surprised. Major Stork continued in a mechanical tone. ¡°I have two reasons. First, I simply need more manpower. Without even crew members to help, it will be difficult to fight off a potential emergency even with the three of us. Second, I cannot leave the Hero of the Mural here to be suspected of murder. This is a matter of national pride. I do not believe that you are the killer.¡± Wil did not interpret Major Stork¡¯s explanation. Benedict replied in Bezelese. ¡°I understand. I will join you until we reach the village.¡± ¡°Thank you. But about your friends¡­ what will they do? I don¡¯t really mind if they choose to come or stay.¡± ¡°I will speak to them later.¡± Once Benedict and Major Stork were finished, Wil briefly explained that Benedict would accompany Major Stork to the village. Fiona stared in shock. Benedict smiled lightly and winked. ¡°I have a question. What about us?¡± Allison asked, suddenly raising her hand. Major Stork nodded. ¡°I was just about to ask. I¡¯d like for the two of you to join us.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Wil asked. Major Stork replied, ¡°I have three reasons.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one more than Benedict.¡± chuckled Allison. ¡°First, I do not at all suspect the two of you, who were the first to discover the murders. After all, the two of you alone could not have killed so many. Second, you two are witnesses. That means that you may also be in danger. Third, you are friends of Major Carr. I thought that you might want to remain at his side. I will leave the decision to you. In addition, you two are capable of speaking Bezelese. Though your interpreting skills would be an asset here, it would also help me greatly during the journey to the village. So I suppose that makes four reasons, not three.¡± Wil looked at Allison. She met his gaze and answered immediately. ¡°All right. Then we¡¯re coming with you. Is that all right with you, Wil?¡± Wil nodded. ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll follow Benedict.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. Is this to your satisfaction? Have I been faithful to my mission?¡± Major Stork asked, turning around. Terreur, who had been silently listening to Ien¡¯s interpretation, answered in a haughty tone. ¡°Excellent. Once we safely reach the village, I will reward you handsomely.¡± * * * The sun slowly rose into the air, its blinding light shining on the supply base in the hollow. The crew focused their efforts into transporting cargo from car 2 to the passenger cars. There were over two hundred meters between them¡ªcarts laden with the passengers¡¯ luggage went to and fro on the concrete pavement by the rails. The cooks moved food and ingredients that were stored in the galley. Allison and Wil took their things and moved them from their cabin to the freight car. The door to the cargo hold was left wide open, and there were several shelves inside. Allison and Wil put their luggage on the shelves and secured them with the built-in elastic straps At the center of the cargo hold was a metal enclosure secured with a lock. Inside was a mountain of cargo covered in cloth. ¡°So this is all Mr. Terreur¡¯s¡­¡± Wil mumbled. ¡°Props if he could actually carry all that on his own. Maybe he¡¯s thinking of setting up shop in Sou Be-Il.¡± Allison said, astonished. It was just as they returned to the door of the freight car. ¡°You there. Boy.¡± Someone called to Wil. When he turned, there stood the female president who had ordered him around the previous day. The man who seemed to be her husband instructed one of the crew to take a cart full of luggage and left ahead for the passenger cars. Allison made a face. Wil answered. ¡°Yes, madam?¡± ¡°There wasn¡¯t enough room on the cart for this one suitcase. Could you help me carry it back to the passenger cars? Let¡¯s talk for a while on the way.¡± The woman was pointing at a small leather suitcase on the concrete. She was carrying nothing. ¡°Hey! Wil¡¯s not your servant! You can carry that puny thing on your own.¡± Allison protested. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Allison. If she needs help, I should help her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re way too nice, Wil.¡± ¡°Not really¡­¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll come with you.¡± ¡°Just wait here, Allison. You have to watch our things.¡± With that, Wil left Allison and jumped out of the car. He picked up the woman¡¯s suitcase and gave Allison a light wave. ¡°Shall we?¡± Said the woman as she began to walk. Wil followed after her, suitcase in hand. Allison watched and mumbled to herself. ¡°Talk about being a doormat. ¡­Though I guess I really like that about him.¡± About twenty meters later. ¡°May I assist you with anything else, madam?¡± Wil asked, catching up to the woman and walking at her side. The woman snickered and looked up at the sky. ¡°Please, that¡¯s enough, Wil. Hearing ¡®madam¡¯ from you is almost giving me goosebumps.¡± Wil chuckled and nodded. ¡°All right, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Very good. Now, I have a lot of questions I¡¯d like to ask you, but let¡¯s set that aside for now. We¡¯ll talk about it later. There¡¯s something I simply have to tell you now.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better for you and that girl to remain behind here? I¡¯d prefer to keep you out of the dirty business that fills the world of us grownups, but Mr. Terreur is a man with many enemies. It¡¯s not surprising in the least that someone is after his life. To be perfectly frank, it wouldn¡¯t be very strange for there to be a hitman lurking among the passengers or the crew. On the surface, he¡¯s the president of Roxche¡¯s largest steel company. But he¡¯s involved in all sorts of shady business¡ªcoerced transactions, countless illegal actions, and a very close relationship with the military, where he sells cannons.¡± ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯d heard the rumors.¡± ¡°Mr. Terreur actually has no business being on a tour like this.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s soon going to be arrested. The government turned a blind eye to his actions in case of another Great War, but the Hero of the Mural brought peace to the world. So it¡¯s only a matter of time before Mr. Terreur is captured. Even the politicians who covered for him from the shadows seem to have abandoned him. Three generations of Terreur Steel, now on the verge of collapse. That¡¯s why you don¡¯t have to get involved, Wil. Say something¡ªanything¡ªto convince the girl and remain here.¡± For some time, Wil did not answer. But once they had walked the length of half a car, he spoke. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to confirm. I¡¯m not doing this for Mr. Terreur.¡± ¡°Is this something important to you as well, Wil?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± This time, his answer was immediate. The woman nodded lightly. ¡°I understand. Then I won¡¯t try to stop you. But if you feel like you¡¯re in danger, run away and don¡¯t turn back. Don¡¯t die, Wil. Come back and help my son with his studies again.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°And¡ª¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Your blond friend seems to be quite angry, so be sure to apologize to her later. I can see that she cares for you very much; she¡¯s a good girl, Wil. Treasure her as much as she treasures you.¡± Watching Wil depart for the freight car again, Madam Epstein whispered, ¡°Euphemia¡¯s going to be in tears, isn¡¯t she?¡± Her husband agreed. ¡°We¡¯ll have to bring back a very big present for her.¡± * * * The supply base command center. In the room furnished with chairs and a table, the acting commander asked, ¡°Separating the train and heading for a village, without even permission¡­ Are you certain?¡± ¡°I have no time to be playing games, Captain.¡± Major Stork replied firmly. Next to them stood the two engineers who worked the diesel locomotive, both about forty years old. They quietly listened to the conversation. ¡°Let me repeat myself. We will separate the train between cars 8 and 9, and head for the village with the VIP near the front. Everyone else will wait here to be picked up.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°We have discussed the matter and agreed to this conclusion as a group. As the people in charge of the tour are dead, no one may veto the decision. And as for myself, my mission comes before all else. Please take care of the rest.¡± ¡°But we¡¯ve never received such tr-¡± ¡°Please take care that you do not trigger a second Great War.¡± The captain did not answer. Major Stork turned to the engineers, who stood blankly. ¡°You know what to do. Get the train through the mountains at maximum speed and head for the village.¡± ¡°B-but¡­¡± One of the engineers tried to speak, but Major Stork cut him off and added calmly, ¡°This is an order.¡± The engineers were silenced. In the midst of the tension, a young soldier about twenty years of age entered with a kettle and teacups on a platter. ¡°Er¡­ I¡¯ve brought some tea.¡± Major Stork looked at the soldier and replied, sounding strangely glad. ¡°Ah, thank you. But by any chance, do you have any apricot jam?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± The soldier placed the platter on a desk nearby and looked back, confused. ¡°Apricot jam. There¡¯s nothing like tea with apricot jam in the morning. You don¡¯t have a single bottle?¡± Major Stork asked. The captain and the engineers pretended to not be a part of the conversation, quietly pouring themselves tea. The soldier stared blankly for a moment before finally replying. ¡°¡­There¡¯s no apricot jam on this base, sir. Not a single bottle.¡± ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s unfortunate.¡± ¡°Oh, but we might have some blueberry jam in the fridge. We got some at breakfast this morning.¡± The soldier suggested. Major Stork shook his head. ¡°Blueberry¡¯s better for lunch and dinner. I don¡¯t need any at the moment.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, right¡­¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t worry about it. Now, it might be a bit of a hassle, but please get me a bottle of jam in a paper bag.¡± Then, Major Stork stopped the soldier as he turned. ¡°By the way, where might I find the restroom? Please take me to one.¡± Major Stork was led by the soldier to the officers¡¯ restroom inside the building. It was a narrow room, with three toilets and urinals lined up next to each other. Making sure that no one was inside, Major Stork opened the door and called in the soldier. The soldier discreetly entered, as only officers were allowed in that restroom. ¡°Let me be brief. The situation is ¡®Apricot Jam¡¯.¡± The soldier nodded grimly and whispered, ¡°Yes, sir. Do you need reinforcements?¡± ¡°No. But prepare me two or so of boxes of 50 9-millimeter rounds. The ones marked at the military supplies factory in East Iltoa. And a spare barrel, in case I need to do some cover-up work. That is all.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll have them ready shortly.¡± ¡°We are leaving the passengers behind. Should, by any chance, something happen to this base, make sure you escape even if no one else does. That is all.¡± ¡°Understood. Fortune be with you, Colonel.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ¡®major¡¯.¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡± The soldier nodded and left the restroom. Major Stork loudly thanked him for bringing toilet paper. ¡°Honestly, I wish for you to stay here. I am pondering if I should order you to stay here.¡± Benedict and Fiona¡¯s cabin in car 10. Benedict had packed up first, and turned to Fiona. Fiona did not turn to him as she folded her clothes beside the beds. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you say¡ªI¡¯m coming with you. I¡¯m staying at your side, whether it¡¯s safe or not.¡± ¡°I am a soldier. I am somewhat adjusted to danger. Allison as well. Wil has reliable shooting skills. And he is calculating.¡± ¡°Are you trying to say that I won¡¯t be of help? You¡¯re right.¡± Fiona said, putting her clothes in her suitcase and shutting it. Then, she put her right hand over her chest and stared, her dark eyes meeting Benedict¡¯s. ¡°But I¡¯ll never abandon my family, no matter the reason.¡± Benedict was silenced. With that, Fiona struggled to hold up her suitcase and walked up to him. ¡°Sorry to make you wait. Shall we?¡± * * * The train was separated as the soldiers watched. First, the engineers opened the cover over the coupling, plugged the brake hose, and separated the braking mechanism. They then cut the electric cables, put a cover over the ends, and secured them to the car so they would not dangle. They unlocked the coupling and unhooked the chain connecting the cars. The engineer who crawled out from under the buffers turned to Major Stork. ¡°I¡¯ve finished separating them.¡± ¡°Understood. Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to repeat myself again, but¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I understand. I will take full responsibility. Please head to the locomotive and begin the preparations. I will send you instructions later by radio. Please keep an ear out constantly.¡± Once the engineers went back to the locomotive, Major Stork turned around and instructed the four people to board. Benedict first climbed up to the lounge car, which was now at the very tail of the train. Wil followed after Fiona, but glanced back at the passenger cars. From by the windows and the cars, people watched them¡ªsome with concern and others as though urging them to leave. Wil lightly waved at the Epsteins and entered through the door. Allison lightly hopped on after him. Major Stork excused himself to the captain standing beside him. He sounded as lighthearted as if he were going shopping for groceries. ¡°Take care, sir. I¡¯d like to request that you inform the village about the broken telephone line. Thank you.¡± ¡°Understood. Please take care of the rest.¡± The moment Major Stork made to board, a young soldier ran over with a twenty-centimeter by twenty-centimeter paper bag in his arms. ¡°The blueberry jam you asked for, sir.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d really bring it. I¡¯ll have this at lunch.¡± Smiling, Major Stork took the bag and disappeared inside. There was a whistle as the diesel locomotive began spewing smoke. The transcontinental express, now only eight cars long, slowly began to move. The soldiers, the passengers, and the crew watched the tracks until the train disappeared. * * * ¡°Hahahaha! Excellent work!¡± Terreur roared in laughter as he watched the scenery begin to pass outside his window. The interior of the VIP cabin was luxury incarnate. Terreur leaned all the way back on a large sofa. On the table next to him was a bottle of expensive liquor and a glass. Ien stood beside the table. Major Stork was holding the handrail by the window. ¡°Ien. Tell the man ¡®good work¡¯.¡± Terreur said in Roxchean. His face was flushed with alcohol. ¡°The master has praised your actions.¡± Ien said tersely, indifferent. Major Stork¡¯s tranquil smile did not budge as he replied. ¡°Thank you. I caused you a moment of worry, but things are going well. I¡¯ve informed the other allies at the supply base that things are proceeding as planned.¡± Terreur looked very pleased as he spoke with Major Stork through Ien. ¡°After having to put on that ridiculous show, I was almost worried.¡± ¡°The Hero remains on the train to protect a wealthy man from the threats of a killer. And at his side is a future queen. Their untimely deaths will shock the world.¡± Major Stork said dramatically. ¡°That aside, what use was there in bringing the boy and the girl?¡± ¡°I was actually trying to be considerate, sir.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Terreur wondered. ¡°The girl¡ªis she not quite lovely? I¡¯m giving her to you as a gift. Once things are finished, do with her as you wish. The boy happened to follow along, but it will simple to kill him when we get the chance. Or if you would prefer the boy, I¡¯ll give you him instead.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Of course! Hahaha!¡± Hearing Ien¡¯s interpretation, Terreur chortled. ¡°Excellent! Stupendous! You know how customer service works!¡± Major Stork smiled slightly at Terreur¡¯s unpleasant grin. ¡°But until then, you must not lay a hand on them. Please continue to play the role of a poor, victimized VIP.¡± ¡°Of course. Ah, for your information, I have no need for the boy. Throw him off the train when you get the chance.¡± Nodding, Major Stork put on an unusually stiff face. ¡°And I have one personal request.¡± Terreur frowned. ¡°What is it?¡± Major Stork bowed slightly, as though looking into Terreur and Ien¡¯s faces. ¡°Please allow me to kill Major Carr personally. His thoughtless actions concerning that accursed mural are unforgivable. And give me the woman. I will make her suffer as he watches before killing him. I will take both their lives with my own two hands.¡± After hearing Ien¡¯s interpretation, Terreur looked taken aback. ¡°Do as you wish.¡± When Ien interpreted the answer, Major Stork nodded with a word of thanks. Terreur hissed quietly to his bodyguard, annoyed. ¡°What a disgusting man, so easily showing off his personal grudges.¡± ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯ll go and speak with Major Carr. As with before, we will deal with any unforeseen trouble. Of course, nothing will happen¡ªbut I would prefer that the two of you remain inside if at all possible.¡± With that, Major Stork turned¡ªwith Ien¡¯s instructions to make up excuses to the Hero behind him¡ªand left the bodyguard lounge, going into the hallway. He was carrying his suitcase. The edge of an envelope stuck out from a slight opening. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Major Stork closed his eyes and sighed. Then, he opened them again with a renewed look as he left for the dining cars. Soon, he passed the coupling and arrived at the galley hallway. ¡°Oscar Whittington¡­ did you place a curse on me as you died? A curse where everything that could possibly go wrong goes wrong? Is this your revenge?¡± The man in the Royal Army uniform whispered under his breath as he walked down the long hallway. ¡°Very well. I will fight your revenge. I will pay back your vengeance double.¡± * * * The supply base. Once the front of the transcontinental express had departed, the luxurious cars left behind created a rather odd atmosphere amidst its surroundings. The soldiers were hesitant to approach the cars, and the passengers remained holed up in their rooms with the curtains closed. Out of nowhere, the roar of an engine echoed from the sky. A small observation aircraft with the mark of the Royal Army, not the Air Force, circled the hollow as it descended. The craft was like an aquarium, with the front made of glass. Three people sat there in a line. As the soldiers watched, the craft used the concrete pavement parallel to the tracks as a runway as it easily landed. Leaving the pilot in the plane, two officers from the Royal Army disembarked, taking off their thick coats. They were both young officers¡ªfirst lieutenants in their twenties. And both wore armbands with the words ¡®Military Police¡¯. The military police was a police force within the military that dealt with internal crimes and exposed breaches of conduct. That was why their presence was never welcomed. To be more accurate, they were outright hated by the rest of the military. ¡°It¡¯s just one guest after another today¡­¡± The acting commander sighed, but he quickly composed himself and greeted the visitors. He then led them to the command center. The two officers remained stoic even after exchanging greetings. Once inside, they declined the offer of chairs and demanded an explanation about the passenger cars. The captain clarified the situation, mentioning Major Stork by name. The officers exchanged glances. They asked several times if the major really was named ¡®Stork¡¯. The captain said that he was. ¡°If only you had come a little earlier. In any case, what business do you have here?¡± The two officers mechanically replied that their duties were confidential. They stood and picked up the coats they had hung over the backs of the chairs. ¡°If nothing else, could you contact the village and tell them that our telephone is out?¡± The officers replied that they could not do so due to their duties, and began heading for the door. ¡°O-one moment, please!¡± A soldier about twenty years of age, who was holding a platter, loudly called to the officers. They turned. ¡°I¡¯ve brought some tea¡­¡± The soldier trailed off. The officers looked annoyed by the mere fact that they had to respond. ¡°No thank you.¡± In the little kitchen in a corner of the command center, the young soldier threw out the tea and began washing the cups. Suddenly, he heard the sound of an engine. Outside the window, the observation craft took easily to the air. ¡°The military police¡­¡± The soldier stopped and looked at them, irritated. ¡°Never thought we¡¯d get military police all the way out here. This isn¡¯t good.¡± The craft soon disappeared out of the frame. In the sky over the base. Inside the observation craft, one of the first lieutenants turned to his friend behind him, and whispered so the pilot could not hear. ¡°What in the world is he planning? They weren¡¯t scheduled to stop by the depot.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The other officer replied, bitterly shaking his head. ¡°Not only did they separate the train, but they¡¯re also traveling ahead of schedule. What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°Who knows? We¡¯ll just have to ask the man himself later¡­ but it¡¯s a good thing there¡¯s fewer people on board now. Now we¡¯ll be able to take over much more easily. After all, we have to make certain the target ¡®dies¡¯.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll be late if we don¡¯t wake everyone up now. If the train makes it down the mountain, all our efforts are going to have been a waste.¡± The observation craft ascended as it headed west. Volume 3 Prologue 2 Volume 3 Prologue 2 ¡°Grandma, Grandma.¡± ¡°What is it, Wil?¡± ¡°That girl¡¯s a fairy, isn¡¯t she? He eyes and hair are so shiny. She must be a fairy.¡± ¡°Oh my. How romantic of you, Wil. You should tell her yourself. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be very happy to hear that.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°Oh? Why might that be?¡± ¡°If she really is a fairy, she¡¯ll take me away to Fairy Land. Don¡¯t pretty fairies steal kids away?¡± ¡°Dear me, that does sound very scary, Wil. I don¡¯t want to have you stolen away. Then why don¡¯t you tell her once you¡¯ve grown up?¡± ¡°Well¡­ okay. But¡ª¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°What if she still wants to steal me away then?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ll be an adult, you¡¯ll be able to decide for yourself, Wil.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to introduce her to everyone, so go wait in the auditorium. Sit at the very front, like you always do.¡± ¡°Okay, Grandma.¡± ¡°Allison.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam Mut?¡± ¡°Please, call me ¡®Grandma¡¯. That¡¯s what everyone calls me here.¡± ¡°Yes, Grandma.¡± ¡°I need to tell you something very important. When I introduce you to everyone today, there¡¯s going to be a brown-haired boy in a green shirt sitting in the front row.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°Remember, that boy will definitely be your friend. You should go and talk to him¡ªthere¡¯s no need to be shy.¡± ¡°Yes, Grandma.¡± Volume 3 6 — Fire and Explosions Volume 3 Chapter 6: Fire and Explosions ----- ¡°I bet Wil and Mom and Dad are enjoying their trips right about now. So why do I have to be stuck here, fishing with my stupid brother?¡± Eumie grumbled. Wil¡¯s friend and Euphemia were sitting on a bridge. They were both wearing brown corduroy pants and hunting jackets. The sky was a clear blue. Underneath the classic Raputoa weather lay a large lake. Brother and sister sat side-by-side at the edge of a long bridge, fishing poles lowered into the water. The soles of their shoes were reflected on the calm surface. The lures did not so much as twitch. ¡°There¡¯s days like this in life, y¡¯know.¡± Her brother said, relaxed. There was nothing but water in their bucket. Next to it was a small bottle of water and a paper bag filled with raisins. Eumie pulled up her rod; the bait was still there. She lowered it again. ¡°I hope he comes back soon.¡± Her brother glanced at her. ¡°Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t told you yet, have I?¡± Some time passed. As her brother explained the situation, Eumie took to her feet in shock. ¡°He¡¯s with a girl he grew up at the orphanage with?! You¡¯re supposed to tell me these things before he leaves!¡± She fumed. ¡°If I said anything, you might¡¯ve ended up beating him half to death so he wouldn¡¯t go.¡± ¡°What¡¯s she like?!¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s see¡­¡± He gave his sister his opinion. Eumie was, for a moment, at a loss for words. ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°At least, that¡¯s what I think. Although Wil didn¡¯t say that himself. But think about it. This is Wil¡ªthe honor student who never misses a class and even cleans out his room every day. He wrote two essays reflecting on his actions in one year. And both times, it had to do with her. In other words, Wil either can¡¯t or won¡¯t go against her.¡± Eumie was silent. ¡°If she asks him to move in with her, he probably would.¡± ¡°I had no idea¡­ How could there be someone like that?¡± Eumie whispered, her fists trembling. Her brother, sitting next to her, remained as relaxed as ever as he checked his bait. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the gist of it. Thought you should know.¡± He cast the line again. The tip of the lure shook as it dipped into the water, then went still. ¡°Big brother¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°So does that mean¡­ I¡¯m in unrequited love?¡± He did not answer. He turned and looked up at Eumie, who was on the verge of tears. ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s the most appropriate answer.¡± He did not lie or sugarcoat things to avoid upsetting his sister. Eumie closed her eyes at his honest answer and slowly hung her head. ¡°I see¡­¡± She whispered. Her brother turned his gaze back to his lure. Then he added, ¡°Don¡¯t get too down. I¡¯ll do whatever I can ¡®til you get back on your feet. In other words, I won¡¯t do anything that I can¡¯t.¡± She gave a short word of thanks. He felt her hand on his shoulder. And her forehead on his back. ¡°Oh¡­ Wil¡­¡± He could her her murmuring. ¡°Stupid Wil!¡± With a cry, Eumie kicked her brother in the back. With a loud splash, he fell headfirst into the lake. Waves formed on the water and the lures shook violently. He raised his head out of the water and spat water from his mouth, complaining, ¡°I have faith in you, Wil. If you fail again, that¡¯s strike three. Not gonna help you anymore after this one.¡± * * * The transcontinental express train, reduced to eight cars, continued through the mountain range. Stone mountains had been chiseled to create room for the tracks, which led in a sharp incline. The diesel locomotive at the very front spewed black smoke. To the left of the rails was the stony mountain, and to the right was a gentle downward slope. Wil and the others were in the now-second-to-last car¡ªcar 7, the second dining car. To be specific, they were sitting on the dining chairs lined up against the left wall near the middle of the car. From the front, it was Benedict, then Fiona, then Allison, then Wil. Wil had not returned Benedict¡¯s gun, and Benedict did not ask for it back. It had been over an hour since they left the supply base. On the table were the remnants of their makeshift brunch, which they had brought from the galley. An empty breadbasket, bottles of butter and jam, a string for tying ham, and several empty bottles of water. ¡°Things will be all right as long as nothing happens. There are many troops and people in the village.¡± Benedict said. ¡°Of course, until then we must fill our meals with sandwiches. When we come to the village around dinnertime, I will serve you food from the local land. I heard that the village¡¯s area is famous for meat pies stuffed with tomatoes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. But before that, I¡¯m going to give the culprit a good kick in the pants. For destroying this awesome trip.¡± Allison grumbled, staring out the window. ¡°So was the culprit really one of them? That means we¡¯re safe now, but¡­ it¡¯s a little sad.¡± Fiona said stiffly. Wil was silent, his eyes on the window. But his gaze was fixed near the frames, unmoving. He was not looking at anything in particular¡ªinstead, he was thinking about something. Many seconds of silence passed. ¡°What if¡ª¡± Wil suddenly spoke. Allison, Fiona, and Benedict turned at once. Wil met their eyes. ¡°What if that¡¯s not the case? What if the culprit isn¡¯t after Mr. Terreur?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Allison asked, astonished. Wil shrugged lightly. ¡°It¡¯s just a hypothesis. I was trying to see if there were any other possibilities.¡± ¡°And did you find one?¡± Asked Allison. Wil shook his head. ¡°No. So I¡¯m still trying to figure something out.¡± ¡°Man.¡± Allison sighed. ¡°If you think of something, let us know. We¡¯ll listen.¡± Yet again, silence fell over them. The train continued undeterred down the tracks. Great valleys and snow-capped peaks passed by the windows. ¡°I¡¯m bored.¡± Said Allison. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°I am too.¡± Fiona and Benedict replied at once. But the conversation did not continue. It was after passing several tunnels, when Benedict mumbled that it was about time for them to reach the ridge of the mountain. ¡°It¡¯s me. May I come in?¡± The dining car door opened quietly and Major Stork entered. Four sets of eyes turned to him. ¡°I sincerely apologize for getting you involved in this situation. I¡¯m afraid I didn¡¯t have much of a choice. It would be too difficult for me alone to act in case of an emergency, since the VIP trusts me so little.¡± He said, putting down his suitcase next to the table. Because he spoke in Bezelese, Fiona could not understand. ¡°He is sorry that we are pulled into an annoying work, but he asks us to help for now.¡± Benedict summarized. ¡°Don¡¯t you have to be in Mr. Terreur¡¯s cabin?¡± Asked Wil. ¡°It looks like I¡¯d be better off out here than in there.¡± Major Stork shrugged. ¡°I had a look around the train on the way, and I didn¡¯t spot any problems in particular. I spoke with the engineers as well¡ªthey say that the locomotive is running smoothly.¡± With that, he glanced at the wristwatch on his left arm. Then, he looked out the window and said exactly what Benedict had said. ¡°What a peaceful sight. Things will be all right as long as nothing happens.¡± An observation craft was flying over the mountains. It maintained altitude to avoid crashing into the mountaintops. A view straight out of a map slowly passed under the little craft. The mountains, covered in earth and rock, were mostly brown. The peaks and the northern slopes were shining white, still covered in snow. From the valleys and below were patches of green. In the long, thin cockpit were three seats lined up in a row. The first lieutenant at the back, who was using a pair of binoculars to look downward out of the jutting window, spoke. ¡°There! I see it!¡± He tapped the man in front of him on the back. ¡°First Lieutenant Klein, look. The lower right. Just underneath. It really was in the area. Just as expected.¡± ¡°Where? Ah, I see them. Confirmed.¡± The other first lieutenant¡ªKlein¡ªreplied, looking down with his own binoculars where the man in the back had indicated. Beyond the round lenses he could see a thin white line moving along the south side of a wide valley. First Lieutenant Klein tapped the pilot on the shoulder. The pilot handed him a radio and a headset. Klein put on the headset, pressed the call button, and spoke. ¡°This is Klein. I¡¯ve confirmed the train¡¯s location. It will pass a tunnel in approximately ten kilometers. Are preparations complete? Will you make it in time?¡± Several seconds later, the pilot gave him a reply. Klein turned to the other first lieutenant and gave him a thumbs-up. He praised the pilot via radio. ¡°Excellent work. The transcontinental has been reduced to eight cars. The last car is the lounge car. Our first priority is to secure the target. Do not let your guard down.¡± He stopped, but then added, ¡°Contact Squad 2 just in case. Have them step in with Plan B if we miss our chance. Ensure that the diversion is effective. Over.¡± Then, he handed the radio back to the pilot and ordered, ¡°Make landing at Squad 2¡¯s standby location. I¡¯m stepping in as well.¡± The pilot nodded firmly. The craft slowly veered to the right. * * * The tracks ran across stony slopes that had been carved flat. They followed a winding path along the bald, rocky mountain, making one turn after another. At points along the way, there were short stretches where the tracks split off into two. When the slope was gentle and there was a large, flat area, the rails forked and ran parallel to one another for hundreds of meters. They were turn-outs that prevented trains from running into one another, allowing them to bypass other trains. Some of the jutting turn-outs were in tunnels about 200 meters long. There was one tunnel entrance per set of tracks, and the interiors were also separate. It was impossible to see the other set of tracks while inside. The transcontinental express arrived at a turn-out. The diesel locomotive whistled as it entered the main tunnel on the right. Dozens of seconds later, the locomotive emerged from the other side. The eight cars followed safely after. The train loudly passed the turn-out, going down a gentle slope toward the foot of the mountains in the west. About twenty seconds later. A round light shone from inside the darkness of the tunnel on the right side from the main one¡ªin other words, the entrance of the turn-out tunnel. Soon, the rumbling of the engine steadily grew louder. There was a loud whistle. A diesel locomotive with its headlights turned on slowly emerged. It was about half the size of the one that towed the transcontinental express, but was nearly identical in appearance. It was, typical of military gear, painted khaki. Over the place where the vehicle number should be was a wood veneer. Equipped on either side of the wide doors at the head were machine guns. Large magazines were atop the guns, and the barrels were encased in large cylinders. Soon after the locomotive emerged, the cars it towed showed themselves. One khaki-colored car for carrying soldiers, and two roofed freight cars. Over a dozen soldiers were on the first car. They all wore green woolen green combat gear and were armed with submachine guns. They were also in balaclavas. One of the uniformed men opened the door to the driver¡¯s cabin on the locomotive, passed the car, and stepped out of the door. The four-section train emerged fully from its hiding place. The headlight was extinguished. The train continued for about a hundred meters, then came to a stop. The soldier who hopped off the locomotive adjusted the rails at the junction, connecting the main tracks. Then, he signaled the train and returned to the locomotive. The train slowly shifted onto the tracks used by the transcontinental express. And little by little, it gained speed. ¡°Huh?¡± Allison mumbled. She was sitting on the windowsill on the left side of the dining car, watching Wil¡ªwho was in the chair in front of her¡ªand the scenery, one after another. When the train met a gentle left curve in the tracks, she spotted the scenery behind the train. For a split second, she saw a small green dot on the rails. But it quickly disappeared behind the stone mountain next to the tracks. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wil asked in Roxchean, raising his head. Allison replied in Roxchean. ¡°Nothing. I just thought I saw something.¡± ¡°What? Where?¡± ¡°Behind the train. But it¡¯s not like anything¡¯s going to be on the same track, anyway. I was probably just seeing things.¡± Allison concluded with a shrug. Wil frowned. Unbeknownst to him, Major Stork¡ªsitting a slight distance away¡ªwas watching them. ¡°Allison, with your eyesight, I doubt you¡¯d¡ª¡± The moment Wil spoke, ¡°What is the matter?¡± Major Stork suddenly spoke up loudly. Of course, in Bezelese. Benedict, who was dozing off in his chair, looked up. Fiona, asleep as she leaned against him, twitched her eyes slightly but did not wake. Allison shot Stork a glare and replied icily, in Bezelese. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°How can you be so certain?!¡± Major Stork roared, sounding unusually angry. Instead of Allison, who made a point of flaring up in response, Wil answered. ¡°She said that she thought she saw something behind us, but that she was probably seeing things.¡± ¡°!¡± At that point, Major Stork¡¯s expression changed as he rose quickly from his seat. The chair fell loudly to the floor. Fiona twitched as she opened her eyes. ¡°What is the matter?¡± Ignoring Benedict¡¯s question, Major Stork began running down the dining car. He passed Wil and Allison, opened the door, and disappeared into the lounge car. Wil glanced at Allison and stood. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Something¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°Man¡­¡± When Allison and Wil left the dining car, ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­?¡± Fiona, who had finally awakened, asked Benedict. ¡°I do not know for sure yet¡­ but I do not think we will arrive at the village without something happening.¡± At the end of the lounge car, Major Stork was sitting in the hall in front of the doors as he examined the coupling. ¡°What¡¯re you up to?¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Allison and Wil opened the door into the hallway. ¡°Please don¡¯t step any further toward the coupling.¡± Major Stork warned, holding out an arm to stop them. Major Stork sat in front of the door on the right, and Allison and Wil across from him as they poked their heads out the coupling in the middle. Beyond the shaking coupling was not even a set of railings. The noise from the wheels and the wind buzzed in their ears. The tracks flowed past behind the train. ¡°You said you saw something?¡± Asked Major Stork. Allison replied loudly so as to not lose out to the noise. ¡°I thought saw a green dot. But I might¡¯ve been seeing things.¡± ¡°You said you were a pilot. You must have very good eyesight, then.¡± ¡°I guess.¡± Benedict and Fiona came following, and asked Wil to explain the situation. Wil replied honestly that he wasn¡¯t sure yet. ¡°Sh*t¡­ they¡¯re too early.¡± Major Stork cursed under his breath, glancing at his wristwatch as he stared at the tracks behind them. At that moment, the locomotive of the pursuing train turned the corner and came into view. ¡°Should¡¯ve trusted my eyes.¡± Allison said indifferently. ¡°There really is something¡ª¡± Wil began, but Benedict cut him off. ¡°Yes. Confirmed. A train. I see a locomotive car.¡± Fiona and Wil also peeked out, switching with Benedict and Allison. They could see the train moving right up to them as it turned the corner. ¡°That is a military train. Maybe they heard the story and came to defend us.¡± Benedict speculated, watching the train approach. Allison and the others took turns taking peeks at the locomotive. ¡°¡­¡± Meanwhile, Major Stork had his head bowed with his hand against the left wall. A soldier on the locomotive, now about a hundred meters away, came into view. The train disappeared behind a corner for a moment and emerged again¡ªand at that very moment, the soldier set off a flare. A green ball of light flew off diagonally, leaving a trail of white smoke. ¡°That looks like a signal flare. What does it mean?¡± Allison asked. ¡°Hm. I¡¯m not sure.¡± Benedict replied, completely honest. ¡°Do you know?¡± Allison asked, turning to the major across the hall. Four sets of eyes were fixed on him. Major Stork slowly raised his head. ¡°It¡¯s probably an order to stop.¡± He replied quietly, reaching for the holster on his right side. He drew a polished black handgun¡ªan automatic model issued by the military. It was already loaded and cocked. All he had to do was disarm the safety, and it could be fired. ¡°Wh-what¡ª¡± ¡°It looks like we have no choice.¡± Cutting Benedict off, Major Stork raised his gun. He avoided the four people ahead of him as he pointed the barrel overhead, slowly walking to the coupling and taking aim at the locomotive. ¡°Everyone, back into the cars!¡± He cried, pulling the trigger. The crisp ring of gunfire disappeared into the roar of the train. The shell casing hit the cover over the coupling and fell onto the tracks. Major Stork, holding on to a handrail with his left hand, pulled the trigger twice every second. ¡°What the heck¡¯s going on here?!¡± Allison yelled, covering an ear with one hand and pulling Wil to his feet with the other, and taking a step back. Fiona screamed softly. Benedict pulled her into his arms. Several of the bullets hit the head of the locomotive¡ªwhich was a scant fifty meters away¡ªand sent sparks flying. The soldiers on standby at the doors rushed to duck for cover. Had their engineer hit the brakes? The gap between the trains widened. After four or five seconds of unexpected gunfire, the slide of the gun came down fully and stopped. Major Stork took shelter in the coupling, quickly pulling out the empty magazine and taking out a spare one from his holster. Then, he quickly loaded it into the gun and pulled the slide with his fingers. Now loaded, the slide returned to ready position. ¡°All of you, inside!¡± With that, Major Stork ordered Benedict to open to door and go inside. Still holding Fiona, Benedict kicked the door open and ran into the room that was furnished with rows of sofas. Allison and Wil followed. Major Stork leapt over the center area in one bound as he entered the car. All five of them had just returned to the center of the lounge. ¡°What is going on here, Major?!¡± Benedict demanded. Major Stork swore bitterly. ¡°Sh*t. It looks like the intel was correct.¡± ¡°What intel?¡± Repeated Benedict. Major Stork replied, having regained some semblance of calm. ¡°It¡¯s about the people who are out to assassinate Mr. Terreur. ¡­They¡¯re from our end. Although I do suppose it¡¯s very vague information. There are countless people in Sou Be-Il who despise Mr. Terreur for his leading role in supplying the Roxchean military. And they have countless reasons to do so.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us earlier¡ª¡± Major Stork cut off Benedict¡¯s incensed question. ¡°The situation did not call for it. My superior only mentioned it briefly just before I left the capital.¡± ¡°But you could have stopped the tour!¡± ¡°Major Carr. If you are threatened, do you stop going out altogether?¡± ¡°If you¡¯d at least mentioned it at the supply base¡ª¡± ¡°How? Should I have said, ¡®Someone from Sou Be-Il may attempt something foolish, so let us all stay together. Although there may be a murderer in our midst.¡¯?¡± Benedict did not respond. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Allison cried. At that point, there was a splintering noise at the back of the car, like several tree trunks snapping at once. ¡°What was that?¡± She asked. ¡°It¡¯s them. They must¡¯ve manned their machine guns. Let¡¯s all get a little further ahead.¡± Major Stork said, gesturing as though pushing everyone toward the dining car. Benedict and Fiona passed by the piano. Hiding Fiona behind the bar, Benedict waited for the others. ¡°What will you do now, Major?¡± ¡°What¡¯re you going to do?¡± Benedict and Allison asked in unison. Major Stork holstered his gun. ¡°They¡¯re planning to deploy men to take over this train.¡± ¡°As if I couldn¡¯t tell!¡± Allison cried. ¡°If we¡¯re attacked by armed men, our only option will be to surrender.¡± Benedict said, holding back his emotions. He pressed his face against the window to survey the situation behind them. ¡°They will launch another assault. What are you going to do?¡± Major Stork did not answer. Instead, he turned and went over to the counter. He stood against it and leaned toward the shelf. ¡°I suppose not even my retirement savings will be enough to pay off the the damages.¡± With a smile, he picked up a bottle of liquor and turned around. The bottle contained a drink that was extremely high in alcohol, often drunk in colder countries. Under the label was a warning in red letters: ¡®Do not drink next to a lit candle¡¯. Major Stork opened the bottle and began to pour out the contents all around the car. The smell of alcohol filled the lounge. ¡°I-is this all right?¡± Benedict stammered, realizing what he intended. ¡°Whatever it takes to survive!¡± Allison said, joining the major. She easily leapt over the counter and picked up two of the same bottles. She threw them toward Wil and Benedict, who began to pour out the liquor over the sofas and the windowsills. Meanwhile, Allison opened another bottle and stuffed a handkerchief that was lying on the counter into the mouth. When she turned the bottle upside-down, the liquor slowly began to soak the handkerchief. ¡°They¡¯re getting closer again! There are soldiers at the front!¡± Fiona yelled, watching with her face against the window. ¡°Understood. Go.¡± Benedict said tersely in Bezelese, giving Wil a light push on the back. ¡°You too, Major Stork.¡± Benedict led Fiona away to the dining car. ¡°Understood.¡± Upon pouring out a bottle over the grand piano, Major Stork threw aside the empty bottle and turned. ¡°Here.¡± Allison said, holding out a gift. It was the makeshift petrol bomb she had made earlier. Major Stork took it with a smile. ¡°A charming gift, Miss.¡± ¡°This is no time to be impressed. Just hurry up!¡± No sooner had she spoken did Allison turn and disappear into the dining car, giving Wil¡ªwho had been waiting for her¡ªa push on the back. ¡°Hah hah!¡± Watching them depart, Major Stork burst into laughter as he stood alone in the lounge car. He reached toward the counter with his right hand and took out a single matchstick from a clearly expensive silver case. He struck it against the case and held it next to the handkerchief that stuck out of the bottle. The silent flame began to burn the cloth. Major Stork held out the bottle and set the piano on fire. It quickly burst into flames. Ripples of blue flame cascaded along the surfaces slick with alcohol. Without a word, he threw the bottle against the floor. There was a clatter as the carpet caught fire. The flames soon spread to the sofas and the curtains. ¡°¡­¡± Major Stork smiled at the flames, satisfied. He turned and headed to the exit to get to the coupling. With his left hand, he held the doorknob, and with his right hand, he drew his gun, took aim at the window, and pulled the trigger several times. ¡°This is payment!¡± The glass shattered to pieces. Fresh air rushed inside, providing oxygen to the car. Finally, he shot the makeshift petrol bomb lying on the floor. As Major Stork holstered his gun and left out the door, flames scattered behind him and lit up the pools of alcohol, trembling in a dizzying dance. The flames dyed red the frosted-glass pane on the door. The transcontinental express continued down the tracks, grey smoke spewing from the very last car. The flames quickly swallowed everything in its path. The grand piano was already engulfed, looking much like a sculpture of fire. The military train, which was hot on the transcontinental¡¯s tail, was overwhelmed by smoke the moment it reached a straight stretch of rails. The soldier manning one of the machine guns by the locomotive began to cough violently. The soldier next to him, who supplied ammunition, ducked and yelled loudly. ¡°Hey, where the hell¡¯d you shoot?¡± The soldier manning the machine gun also ducked as he answered. ¡°I just shot the roof! Orders were just to intimidate them!¡± ¡°Sh*t! They must¡¯ve set it on fire from the inside.¡± The other soldier swore, and added, ¡°Hasn¡¯t he taken over the train yet? What¡¯s the major doing?¡± Major Stork was walking. He was heading toward the four people standing at the door into the back of the dining car¡ªin other words, near the coupling. Because the train was moving, the smoke did not reach them. ¡°It¡¯s burning quite nicely. Train fires really are terrifying. In any case, they won¡¯t be able to board so easily now.¡± Major Stork reported in a relaxed tone. ¡°The fire won¡¯t spread to this car?¡± Asked Benedict. ¡°It might, if we do nothing. Wooden cars are quite flammable.¡± Benedict frowned, but did not respond. Major Stork continued. ¡°But we won¡¯t let that happen.¡± ¡°Then what will we do, Major? They¡¯re going to catch up to us eventually.¡± ¡°They¡¯re running along the same tracks as we are. So all we have to do is create an obstacle. That will solve two problems at once.¡± Major Stork replied immediately. ¡°How?¡± Asked Wil. ¡°It¡¯s simple¡ª¡± Before he could even finish, Allison cut in. ¡°We just separate the burning car.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± Major Stork gave Allison a smile and a thumbs-up. ¡°Separate the cars? That¡¯s easy to say, but¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like you drink, Wil. And besides, the car¡¯s all burned anyway, so we don¡¯t need it anymore.¡± ¡°No, I mean¡­ what if that train crashes into the lounge car? They¡¯re going to¡ª¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Who cares if they get derailed or something? Serves ¡®em right for cutting my trip short.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really angry right now, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Of course I am! Those SOBs keep butting in on our tour!¡± ¡°¡®Allison, let¡¯s remember to use nice words¡¯.¡± ¡°Sorry, Grandma¡­ Anyway, they keep interrupting our tour!¡± The four of them had left Fiona in the dining car and come to the coupling between the dining car and the lounge. There was a thin layer of smoke there as well. Major Stork was carrying his suitcase, which he had quickly brought back from the car just earlier. ¡°Ahem. Miss Allison? Wilhelm? May I begin?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Wil and Allison replied. ¡°Then allow me to explain. We must separate the cars at the coupling here. First, let¡¯s pull off this cover.¡± Major Stork said, pointing at a fastener on the coupling. Benedict undid it as instructed. ¡°There. Pull.¡± Wil and Benedict pulled on the cover as they folded it in toward the dining car. The wind howled as cold air rushed in and diluted the smoke. All that was left in the coupling were the heavy metal plates jutting out of either car. ¡°Next, we must pull up these plates. Please take care not to drop them or get your fingers stuck.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Holding back Wil, who tried to step in, Benedict lifted the weighty plate with both hands. He dragged the plate on the lounge side toward the dining car, and the one on the dining car side toward himself. There was a gap of several dozen centimeters between the cars. Metal rails and wooden railroad ties passed underneath. ¡°Major Stork¡­ can we unclasp these connectors?¡± Benedict asked, raising his head. Allison and Wil took turns looking down. The connectors were equipped with sturdy metal rings, and were firmly affixed to the rings on either car. There were also screws driven between the rings so the connectors would not move. ¡°Not while we¡¯re moving, I¡¯m afraid.¡± ¡°Then how¡ª¡± ¡°Do you see the hose on the right side? That hose carries air for the brakes. Turn the red knob on the side of the dining car to cut off the air supply. We just need to cut it off on this side. Watch out that you don¡¯t get your arm jammed between the buffers.¡± Giving instructions, Major Stork reached into his suitcase. Benedict asked Allison and Wil to hold his legs, and lay on his stomach in front of the connectors. Then, he cautiously reached down and turned the valve 90 degrees. ¡°Whew¡­ Thank you.¡± Thanking his friends, Benedict sat up. The sleeves of his sweater and his chest were stained with grease. ¡°What now? We can¡¯t separate the cars unless we uncouple the connectors.¡± ¡°The fire¡¯s spread out a lot.¡± Allison commented. Wil looked up. The lounge car they could see through the tiny window was filled with nothing but red. Even the edges of the door were ominously tinted black. ¡°It¡¯s my turn.¡± Said Major Stork, who had put his suitcase on the carpet as he fished through it. He slowly drew out his hand. In his grasp was a thick grey paper box, about three centimeters high and ten centimeters long. It looked much like a box of butter one might find at a store, but there was nothing written on it. Major Stork placed the box onto the carpet. ¡°Hm? Don¡¯t tell me¡ª¡± Benedict was in shock. Major Stork removed a cylinder shaped like a large fountain pen, and gingerly removed something that resembled a metal pen from within. He scrutinized the object as he rotated the lid several times. ¡°What is that?¡± Asked Allison. Benedict replied. ¡°The box is for the latest in military-use explosives. That thing that looks like a pen in a miniature timed fuse.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Please give me a minute. I can¡¯t take my eyes off this at the moment.¡± Said Major Stork as he adjusted the pen and held it tightly in his right hand. He then reached with his left hand into his suitcase. ¡°What is it this time?¡± Allison asked, amused. ¡°This.¡± What Major Stork produced with a smile was a cloth tape sold at general stores to pack cargo. ¡°Aww, that¡¯s not cool.¡± ¡°But it is quite useful.¡± Major Stork said, tossing the tape to Benedict. ¡°Put a strip horizontally on the lounge car¡¯s connector. But leave room to insert the fuse.¡± Then came the explosive. Benedict took it in his left hand, with the tape in his right. ¡°Will it be all right?¡± ¡°There might be a bit of an impact, but it won¡¯t cause too much damage. At least, we won¡¯t be derailed. If my calculations and memory are correct.¡± Benedict shook his head, dumbfounded, and put some tape over the explosive. Then he turned to Allison and Wil. ¡°Both of you, stand back. Just in case.¡± ¡°Nah. This looks pretty interesting.¡± Wil did not answer. As he and the enthusiastic Allison watched, Benedict fixed the explosive to the connector and wrapped tape over it. ¡°Done. If you¡¯ll excuse me, we¡¯ll be fleeing first.¡± Benedict said, pushing Allison and Wil into the car. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll follow shortly.¡± Major Stork squatted in front of the explosive and held onto the train with his left hand. He leaned forward with his right hand outstretched and carefully stuck the pen into the explosive. ¡°Please don¡¯t let this be defective.¡± He whispered, lightly tapping the end of the pen. ¡°Fi! It¡¯s risk¡ªer, dangerous, so go to the front! He¡¯s going to explode the coupling!¡± Benedict cried. Fi gasped and began to run. Benedict quickly caught up to her. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°I had a small idea, but that major is too unbelievable!¡± ¡°You think so? He looks pretty fun to me.¡± Allison commented, following behind. Soon, the four of them arrived at the very front of the dining car. When they turned, Major Stork emerged from the opposite end with his suitcase in hand. He looked very much like a middle-aged soldier returning home from work. He calmly reached behind himself to close the door and walked inside. As the four watched, Major Stork stretched his right arm to the side and folded his thumb. A second later, his pointer finger. Then, his middle finger. Benedict squatted to the floor with Fiona in his embrace, and took hold of the handrail by the windowsill. Wil and Allison quickly ducked as well. The moment Major Stork folded his pinky finger, he turned and landed lightly on his backside. Boom. With a dull impact, the dining car shook as though having been rammed. There was only one noise and one impact, however. Soon, the car was once more enveloped in the sounds and shaking of the wheels. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that things would be all right?¡± Major Stork quickly stood. He opened the window on the right side fully and stuck out his head to check behind them. Allison quickly did the same. Wil, Benedict, and Fiona ran up to the windows as well. ¡°Success.¡± Behind them along the gentle curve was a familiar car, quickly growing distant as it continued to spew smoke. It almost looked like it was moving backwards. ¡°When we separated the cars, the hose for the braking system was separated from the train. That triggered the emergency brakes on the lounge car.¡± Major Stork explained, looking out the window. Beyond the burning car they could see the military train, running down the same tracks. ¡°So long!¡± Allison cheered, waving her arm. The military train quickly braked. But the burning car approached it as though drawn by gravity and finally crashed. There was no noise. For a short time, the military train pushed the lounge car forward. Neither of them were derailed, but they slowed down greatly. In the blink of an eye, they were dots in the distance across the valley, only visible by the smoke rising into the air. The five heads sticking out of the dining car withdrew one after another. ¡°Now they¡¯ll be immobilized for some time. We¡¯ll be in the clear.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pretty good, mister.¡± Allison said, grinning. ¡°Thank you, Miss.¡± Major Stork placed a hand over his chest and bowed. ¡°Sh*t! Get that car out of the way. Can¡¯t we at least push it to the next turn-out?¡± ¡°No, sir. We can¡¯t disarm the emergency brake.¡± ¡°In any case, extinguish that fire! Then blow it up and off the tracks!¡± ¡°But we don¡¯t have any explosives, sir¡­¡± ¡°Then use manpower and push it off!¡± ¡°Please be reasonable, sir¡­¡± The train was stopped at a slight distance from the burning lounge car. The soldiers in balaclavas watched the roaring flames and the unending smoke enveloping the car. The little fire extinguishers in their hands could not possibly put out the fire, and the heat was so intense that they could not even get close. The man who had been barking orders swore again. ¡°Damn it! What the hell is going on here? It¡¯s odd that we¡¯d face this much resistance to taking him into custody¡­ if they manage to reach the village, we¡¯re finished.¡± The man¡¯s unfortunate subordinate spoke up hesitantly. ¡°What do we do now, sir?¡± ¡°Where are the MPs in charge of cleanup? Where¡¯s First Lieutenant Klein?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve¡¯ just received word that they would land and join Squad 2. If things work out, they¡¯ll manage to catch them.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s all up to them¡­ Sh*t!¡± The fire on the lounge car crackled at times as it grew more and more intense. * * * ¡°Yes. They¡¯ve begun attempts to sabotage us. I¡¯m sad to say that there are criminals hiding in our military. We¡¯ve managed to drive them back, so I believe things will be all right now.¡± In the conductor¡¯s cabin at the end of the dining car, Major Stork was sitting in a chair with a headset over his ears, speaking with an engineer via radio. The others stood silently and watched. ¡°As I said earlier, we must reach the village at all costs. Do not slow down. Run down any obstacles you may face. That includes people.¡± They were cruel words to be said in such a mechanical tone. ¡°Fortune be with you.¡± With that, Major Stork ended communications. He turned off the switch, took off the headset, and turned. Benedict was shooting him a vicious glare. Major Stork followed the others back to the dining car. First, everyone got seated. Four in a row, and one across from them. Benedict gave a pronounced frown as he addressed Major Stork. ¡°Major. I have a few questions.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Does your hometown make a tradition of traveling with explosives in suitcases?¡± Major Stork did not so much as twitch at the obvious provocation. Instead, he smiled. ¡°I told you before. My mission is to act as security detail. I only brought it along to use in an emergency.¡± ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll actually believe that?¡± ¡°I hope you will.¡± ¡°That is not an answer!¡± Benedict raised his voice. Allison warned him for the third time that day. ¡°Stop fighting!¡± Benedict sighed. Hearing Wil¡¯s interpretation, Fiona spoke up slowly. ¡°Benedict. We¡¯ll solve this problem once we reach the village.¡± ¡°I understand. Yes.¡± Benedict raised his right hand and gave Major Stork a light salute. Then, he sighed again and turned his gaze to the thick carpet. Fiona placed a hand on his shoulder. Major Stork slowly stood and went to the window. He opened the curtains and glanced at the valley on the right side of the car, then down at his watch. ¡°Things will be all right now as long as nothing happens.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you said earlier?¡± Allison chuckled. Wil was silently watching the major. ¡°Did I?¡± Major Stork gave an embarrassed grin and leaned partly out the window. The jagged stone peaks across the valley were still covered in snow swirling in geometric patterns. ¡°What a beautiful sight. It¡¯s one of our country¡¯s valuable treasures.¡± Allison got up and tugged on Wil¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s watch the scenery together.¡± Wil smiled and followed. They stepped around the table and went to the window. Major Stork watched them without a word. Allison tied the curtain open and watched the world pass by alongside Wil. ¡°What do you think?¡± She asked in Roxchean. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. I¡¯m so glad I came on this trip.¡± ¡°Even after what happened?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Fiona watched Allison and Wil standing side-by-side by the window and smiled. Suddenly, her gaze was drawn to Major Stork¡¯s face. He was silent; with his mouth shut and his gaze averted, he watched the two of them with a rather lonely look. Though they stood in the same car, it looked for all the world as though an iron wall were between Major Stork and the two. Fiona watched them for a time. The world outside the window was clear and beautiful, but she forgot even to watch the landscape. Soon, having thought of something, Fiona reached for the camera bag on her belt. ¡°¡­¡± But in the end, she did not take out her camera, letting her hand drop without a sound. ¡°Are you cold? Can I open the window?¡± Allison asked Wil. Wil soon pulled down the top half of the window himself. There was a gust of wind, and Allison¡¯s hair went aflutter. Her golden hair smothered Wil¡¯s face. ¡°Whoa.¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. Let¡¯s switch spots.¡± Allison pulled Wil over and stepped back, trading positions. ¡°You two,¡± Major Stork began. Wil and Allison turned. ¡°Well¡­ you¡¯re very close, I see.¡± Allison was slightly surprised, but she grinned. ¡°Where¡¯d that come from?¡± ¡°Nothing, Miss. It just occurred to me, that¡¯s all. Please don¡¯t mind me. Enjoy the view.¡± Major Stork pointed at the opposite side of the valley, about three hundred meters away. The slopes were still as steep as ever, but they seemed to be closer to sea level than before; trees and plants dotted the area. Under the valley full of boulders flowed a small river. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± Allison commented. ¡°The tracks follow the path of the river for some time. And in a short while, we¡¯ll be passing a long, narrow lake in the valley. It¡¯s a natural dam that was created by a massive avalanche in the distant past. It¡¯s renowned for its calm, blue water.¡± Major Stork explained, playing the tour guide. ¡°About three hundred years ago, rumors that gold dust could be found there began to spread, drawing countless people to the area. The gold was quickly depleted, and the people¡¯s dreams of golden paradise were dashed. But some still believe that a massive quantity of gold lies in wait at the bottom of the lake.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Allison watched the scenery as she played along. ¡°Can I ask you something, Mr. Tour Guide?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Are there tracks on the other side of the valley?¡± ¡°Hm? Oh, yes. There are tracks everywhere in this area. But the other side is very steep¡ªmuch of the tracks are inside tunnels to prevent damage from avalanches.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Why did you ask?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Allison replied, ¡°I just saw some holes on the other side.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Those holes provide air to the tunnels. Relics from times when all locomotives ran on steam. But I must say, your eyesight is quite incredible.¡± ¡°Can I ask one more thing?¡± ¡°By all means.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no roads there, right?¡± ¡°No.¡± Major Stork replied, looking at Allison with a smile. Allison met his gaze. ¡°Then what¡¯s that thing that just came out of the tunnel? It looks like a tank.¡± ----- Volume 3 7 — Across the Valley Volume 3 Chapter 7: Across the Valley ----- ¡°¡ªIt looks like a tank.¡± The moment the words hit his ears, Major Stork fell to the floor and reached both hands into his suitcase. Benedict and Fiona¡ªwho had raised their heads at the major¡¯s actions¡ªand Allison and Wil watched as Stork withdrew a small pair of binoculars. He knelt on the carpet as he raised his glasses onto his forehead and looked out the window with his eyes pressed to the binoculars. Three seconds later. Major Stork turned with a vexed scowl. Benedict glared at him. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°First Lieutenant Klein. We¡¯ve found the transcontinental express. It¡¯s currently running down the main tracks across the valley.¡± ¡°Confirmed. Squad 1 is missing, just as noted. What could have happened? ¡­Can we catch up at that speed?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. We¡¯re faster than they are, and they¡¯ll also have to slow to a crawl at the turn before the bridge crossing.¡± ¡°Things will be difficult for us if they make it past the bridge. We must stop them before it, if at all possible. Prepare the flares and radios.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. And what if the train refuses to comply with orders?¡± ¡°Then we can only assume that the major has failed. We will, unfortunately, have to abort the mission.¡± ¡°Specifically¡­¡± ¡°We ignore the well-being of the target and kill all those aboard the train. We will pass them and install a derailing mechanism to the tracks, toppling the train over. Drop all injured into the valley. If we are fortunate enough to find the target alive, we bring the target back with us. That is all. We have no reason to dirty our hands.¡± ¡°¡­Understood, sir.¡± ¡°If looks like we¡¯ll have to take the ¡®discovery¡¯ into our own hands. What a joke.¡± Visible through a set of round lenses was a single vehicle moving along the northern side of the valley. It resembled a tank. The vehicle was about six meters long and was about three meters tall and wide. The chassis was wedge-shaped and covered in metal plates, which were painted in camouflaging greens and browns. On top was a cylindrical gun turret. The barrel of a machine gun was sticking out of it. On either side of the bottom of the vehicle were caterpillar tracks used by tanks and tractors. The caterpillars were still, as though the vehicle was parked. But the tank was moving. Underneath the vehicle was not a road, but a set of tracks. Instead of the caterpillar tracks, the tank was running down them on the railway-use wheels equipped to its underside. Like an independent locomotive, the train moved down the rails. In both the front and the back, sets of buffers and connectors jutted out like horns. ¡°What is that?¡± Wil asked Major Stork, lowering the binoculars. ¡°It¡¯s a tank, isn¡¯t it?¡± Replied Allison from beside him. ¡°But it¡¯s running down train tracks.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a specialized tank.¡± From the back of the train, Wil, Allison, Fiona, Benedict, and Major Stork knelt in a line beside the dining car¡¯s right-side windows with their heads poking out of the closed curtains. Wil, who was last to look through the binoculars, handed them to Allison. It was passed from Allison to Fiona to Benedict. As Benedict handed it back to Major Stork, he said firmly, ¡°Please answer the question.¡± ¡°All right. As the young lady noticed, that vehicle is a sort of tank¡ªto be specific, an armored railcar.¡± Major Stork replied, defeated. ¡°An armored railcar?¡± Allison repeated. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a special armored vehicle that can move on land with caterpillar tracks and run along the rails with the wheels equipped on its underside. They finally succeeded in creating this vehicle quite recently. It¡¯s an excellent and useful vehicle that can be used for scouting and security anywhere, whether roads or rails.¡± Major Stork explained. ¡°Enough with the bragging. What is a vehicle like that doing here?¡± ¡°At this point, I¡¯m not certain.¡± The moment Major Stork answered, the hatch on the armored railcar opened and a flare was lit. The same green light as before flew into the valley in a trail of white smoke. At the same time, a dull impact rocked the car. Everyone held onto the handrails, trying to avoid a fall. The train began screeching to a slow. ¡°I told them not to do this!¡± Major Stork leapt to his feet and headed for the conductor¡¯s cabin with his suitcase dragging behind. ¡°In whatever case, I cannot believe that person.¡± Benedict grumbled in Roxchean. He and the others followed after Stork. He was sitting on the chair in the cabin, hanging onto the radio. ¡°I believe I told you not to slow down.¡± Benedict reached over and flicked a switch. The panicked voice of an engineer left the speaker. ¡¸B-but sir, we¡¯ve received orders to slow down via radio from the armored vehicle. Please switch channels and ask them yourself.¡¹ ¡¸Understood.¡¹ Major Stork said briefly, then turned the dial and changed frequencies. A male voice escaped the speaker. ¡¸This is the armored railcar. Whoever is in charge of the transcontinental express, respond. I repeat¡ª¡¹ As four people watched, Major Stork sighed and took hold of the microphone switch. ¡°This is Major Stork of the Royal Army, currently aboard the transcontinental express. Who am I speaking to?¡± Several seconds later, a reply came from the speaker. ¡¸This is First Lieutenant Klein from the military police.¡¹ ¡°What¡¯s an MP doing here?¡± Benedict mumbled, frowning. ¡°So¡­ he¡¯s a police officer for the military?¡± Fiona asked when Wil interpreted for her. Wil nodded. ¡°First Lieutenant. Due to urgent reasons, this train has been split and many of its passengers left behind. We are trying to reach the village at the base of the mountains as fast as we can. Currently, there are two passengers in the VIP car and four behind me. The four are listening to this conversation.¡± Major Stork explained. Several seconds later came a response. ¡¸Understood. We are acting according to recent intel that a rogue faction of the military is planning an attempt on the VIP passenger¡¯s life. We are attempting to protect the VIP. Are the passengers unharmed?¡¹ Major Stork glanced at the others and raised a thumb as though asking them what they wanted him to do. ¡°They are. In fact, I¡¯d like to request cover from your end.¡± ¡¸Understood. About thirty kilometers ahead is a lake and a bridge. We¡¯ll connect your tracks to ours at the bridge, so come to a stop just before you reach it. We¡¯ll join you there.¡¹ ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll proceed slowly until that point, so please watch our route¡ªboth ahead and behind. Set off a red flare if anything should come up.¡± ¡¸Understood.¡¹ ¡°Thank you. Perhaps we should all go for tea at the village once you¡¯ve finished your duties. On me, of course.¡± ¡¸That sounds excellent. If you¡¯ll excuse us, then.¡¹ ¡°It¡¯s done. The major seems to be mostly on track. But what in the world is Squad 1 doing?¡± ¡°Maybe their locomotive had a breakdown, sir.¡± ¡°You might be right. Anyway, that doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯ll proceed with the plan without them. Continue down the tracks alongside the train until we reach the bridge. Watch their route ahead and behind¡ªbut don¡¯t get too serious. No one is coming, anyway.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After speaking to the soldiers, Major Stork switched back to the engineers and ordered them to continue slowly until the bridge. When the engineers accepted the orders, the major turned off the radio and stood. ¡°Shall we return to the dining car?¡± Unlike before, the train was moving down the tracks at a relaxed pace. The shaking and the noise were much quieter. The five of them returned to the dining car and the chairs they had practically claimed for themselves. Major Stork opened the curtains slightly and looked at the vehicle on the other side of the valley. ¡°Are we going to be okay now?¡± Fiona wondered. ¡°Maybe we are. If the military police is in this case, this suspicious major might be telling the truth really.¡± Benedict replied in Roxchean. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask of all of you now.¡± Major Stork said as he watched Benedict and Fiona, getting out of his seat. He was as calm as though he were asking for help redecorating the car. Four sets of eyes turned to him. Benedict spoke first. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I just need your assistance with something. I would like to request your unified efforts.¡± ¡°What are you planning¡­?¡± ¡°We are going to take down that armored vehicle.¡± Major Stork replied. There were five seconds of stunned silence. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Benedict asked. ¡°Major Stork¡¯s just asked us to help destroy the armored vehicle¡­¡± Wil told Fiona, interpreting. ¡°Are you out of your mind, Major? We¡¯ve just been offered protection¡ªnot by just anyone, but the military police!¡± ¡°I am still sane, Major Carr. And before you ask, I am not drunk.¡± Major Stork replied, reaching for his belt and pulling out his gun. He slowly raised it toward Benedict. ¡°I am still quite sane.¡± His hand stopped in midair. The gun was pointed at the ceiling. If he were to lower his arm even a little, he would be able to shoot Benedict with ease. ¡°A surprising claim.¡± Benedict pulled Fiona close and glared at Major Stork. Wil and Allison watched them from the side. Major Stork glanced at them¡ªhis eyes were cold and determined. ¡°Major Carr. Future Queen Francesca. And Wilhelm and Miss Allison. If you don¡¯t wish to die, you must believe me. You must do as I say.¡± ¡°Is this a threat?¡± Asked Benedict. ¡°No. No, it is not. Think of it more as a warning, closer to a word of caution. I do not wish to see you dead.¡± ¡°To be honest, I have no idea what you are doing.¡± Benedict said, slowly reaching for his side. But his hand found nothing. ¡°You gave your gun to that boy earlier.¡± ¡°Right¡­ I¡¯d forgotten completely.¡± Benedict and Major Stork¡¯s gazes turned to Wil. ¡°Right. Wil, you¡¯re the one with the gun. So go ahead and do something with it.¡± Allison advised. Her tone defied the tension in the air. ¡°I can¡¯t point a gun at someone without a good reason.¡± Wil replied. Major Stork nodded. ¡°You are absolutely correct.¡± ¡°You have no right to be saying that.¡± Benedict argued the moment Major Stork replied. The major replied with his gun still pointed overhead. ¡°I ask that you trust me, if only for today. If you do not wish to die on this train, I need everyone¡¯s support.¡± ¡°What do you want us to do?¡± Wil asked. Benedict hissed in Roxchean. ¡°Wil. This man is certainly hiding some things.¡± Wil¡¯s answer was immediate. ¡°I agree. But that¡¯s true of us as well. Ever since that day.¡± Benedict was silent. ¡°We¡¯ll hear him out for the moment. Fiona, could you wait for a bit? We¡¯ll explain everything later.¡± Wil then turned to Major Stork and asked in Bezelese. ¡°Major Stork. What do you want us to do?¡± Stork nodded. ¡°Let me explain. We must render that armored railcar impotent before we cross the bridge. If they get in our way as we merge onto one track, we are finished. We will be helpless to resist.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say at the moment. But if we don¡¯t do as I say, our lives are forfeit.¡± Benedict was skeptical. ¡°You want us to believe that? To be frank, I¡¯d like to hand you over to the MPs before I end up accomplice to a conspiracy.¡± ¡°Feel free to do so¡ªafter we¡¯ve reached the village.¡± Major Stork replied firmly. Benedict scowled. ¡°In other words,¡± Wil continued, ¡°you can¡¯t tell us your reasons, but you want us to trust you?¡± ¡°Yes. And there is no time to waste.¡± As though scrutinizing a keyhole, Wil silently gazed into Major Stork¡¯s blue eyes. Major Stork did not look away, looking back at Wil¡¯s brown eyes. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll trust you. Tell us what we should do.¡± Wil answered. Benedict sighed and shook his hands in disbelief. Major Stork¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Thank you. Then from now on, we will attempt to destroy or at least render powerless the armored railcar across the valley.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy to say, but how¡¯re we going to do it?¡± Asked Allison. ¡°We will shoot it down.¡± ¡°With that gun?¡± Major Stork shook his head and holstered his gun. ¡°No. We will go get our weapon now.¡± ¡°Huh. Going to get it.¡± Allison mumbled, then added, ¡°where?¡± The five people were walking down the galley corridor, headed for the front of the train. At the head of the line was Major Stork. He had left his suitcase in the conductor¡¯s office and was empty-handed. Behind him were Allison and Wil, and behind them were Fiona and Benedict. They passed the galley and the VIP room and entered the freight car. In the hallway, which was on the left side of the car, were two doors leading into the holds. The one nearby led into the passenger cargo hold, and the one closer to the front led into the VIP passenger cargo hold. The sturdy metal doors were chained shut and secured with large locks. ¡°In here.¡± ¡°You have a key, right?¡± Allison asked. ¡°For security purposes, yes.¡± Major Stork replied. He took out a key from inside his jacket, opened the lock, and threw the chain to the floor. Then he began pushing at the door. ¡°This is quite heavy. If someone could lend me a hand¡ªah, thank you.¡± Benedict reached out without saying a word. The heavy door creaked open and was locked into open position so the shaking of the train would not close it. Just like the other hold had been in the morning, the VIP hold was filled with mounds of cargo covered in cloth. Major Stork began to pull off the cloth, revealing many wooden crates. They were of various sizes, secured with ropes and piled neatly one on top of another. There was nothing to signify the contents, save for tiny numbers printed on the corners. ¡°The smaller crates may fall if the train shakes. Please take care.¡± With that, Major Stork began to haphazardly unknot the ropes. Benedict joined in. When the major asked for a dolly, Allison and Wil detached a cart that was fixed beside the hold. It was a small cart with two wheels, made to transport objects positioned to lean toward the handles. ¡°We¡¯ll have to lift this, Major Carr. Lend me a hand.¡± Major Stork was pointing at a large wooden crate about two meters long and fifty centimeters wide and tall. Benedict, lifting it with the major¡¯s help, grimaced at the weight. ¡°Is this, by any chance, a giant¡¯s coffin? It must weigh well over eighty kilograms.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no coffin. And please take care not to drop it.¡± They brought the box down from the pile and loaded it onto the cart that Wil and Allison had brought. Benedict, who was holding the lower part, had to use much more strength than Major Stork. Major Stork expertly secured the crate to the cart. Then, he left Benedict the laborious task of pushing the cart to the dining car while giving Fiona a crowbar for opening the crate and instructions to go ahead and open the doors for them. ¡°You two, please take those crates.¡± Wil and Allison were assigned smaller crates, about a meter long and thirty centimeters wide and tall. However, they were much heavier than they looked. They each took one end and followed after Fiona and Benedict. Major Stork followed after them empty-handed. ¡°Look who¡¯s got a lot of room on their hands.¡± Allison said snidely, glancing at him. ¡°It¡¯s because I have to go to the VIP cabin and warn our incredibly valuable patron to remain inside. Please, go on without me. And start by opening up the smaller crate.¡± Splitting from the others at the VIP car, Major Stork waited for them to disappear from view before banging loudly on the door to the bodyguard lounge. ¡°It¡¯s me. Open up, please.¡± Soon came the sound of the lock being unlocked as the door opened. Major Stork pushed aside Ien¡ªwho was armed with a gun¡ªas he stepped inside, closing the door and locking it. He turned to the stoic Ien with a piercing glare. ¡°Where is Mr. Terreur?¡± ¡°The Master is inside.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I must tell him now. Please let me inside immediately.¡± Ien said nothing, but finally opened the door into the cabin and led Major Stork inside. Terreur, who was drinking on his sofa, grumbled as he looked up. ¡°I don¡¯t know where they caught our trail, but the military police is here to arrest us.¡± Stork said, irritated. ¡°There is a tank driving parallel to us across the valley. Ien, interpretation!¡± Slightly cowed by Stork¡¯s tone, Ien quickly interpreted his words into Roxchean. Terreur¡¯s expression faltered. ¡°What?¡± Before Ien could even interpret, Major Stork replied sharply with his voice half-raised. ¡°We¡¯ve just received radio contact from them. I¡¯ve managed to come up with excuses and buy us time, but at this rate we will all be taken into custody. Sh*t! Just where was this information leak?¡± He swore, shooting a sidelong glare at Ien. It was clear he suspected him. Ien said nothing. He interpreted Major Stork¡¯s words for Terreur. ¡°Wh-what are we to do, then?¡± Terreur stuttered, unable to hide his anxiety. ¡°We have no choice but to take them down. Even if it means killing them all.¡± ¡°What? But¡­ they are military police, are they not?¡± ¡°That is of little concern to me. Our organization is capable of covering it all up.¡± ¡°Is that so? A relief to hear. But how will you stop the military police?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be borrowing some of your cargo, Mr. Terreur. In fact, I¡¯ve already begun preparations. I¡¯ve managed to deceive Major Carr and his companions somehow, so I must go back and continue to lead them now.¡± ¡°By ¡®cargo¡¯¡­ are you thinking what I am thinking? Are you quite sane, my man?¡± ¡°Quite. If we are caught here, we will be put on trial by both Roxche and Sou Be-Il. Do you want for that to happen? You and I both will become enemies of the world.¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡± Terreur replied. Major Stork smiled. His grin was suave, like that of a skilled salesman visiting his client. ¡°There is nothing to worry about, Mr. Terreur. We are almost in the clear. We will forcibly remove all obstacles in our path, no matter how many lives are lost on the way.¡± ¡°Though unlikely, we must prepare for the possibility of snipers being deployed. Do not leave your cabin. Keep your curtains shut. And do not open the door for anyone other than myself. If you¡¯ll excuse me, I have some lives to take.¡± With that, Major Stork left the cabin. ¡°That man is insane.¡± Terreur muttered. Ien was silent, his stony gaze fixed on the closed door. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting.¡± When Major Stork arrived at the dining car at the end of the train, Benedict was just opening up the smaller crate with the crowbar, grumbling under his breath. ¡°Damn it. I came here for a relaxing vacation.¡± The tables had been cleared; boxes small and large littered the empty floor. ¡°Thank you for your efforts.¡± Said Major Stork. Benedict did not even turn as he curtly gave a word of thanks. Major Stork peered out through the curtains toward the other side of the valley. The armored railcar was moving slowly, keeping pace with the train. Soon, Benedict removed all the nails from the crate and tossed the lid aside. The crate was filled with balled-up newspapers. When Wil and Benedict cleared them away, a gun emerged. ¡°Incredible¡­¡± Benedict gasped, taking up the gun. It was about a meter in length. It was a pump-action shotgun with a tube-shaped magazine fixed under the barrel. Mounted atop the shotgun¡¯s characteristically thick barrel was a heatshield ridden with holes. Benedict pulled on the fore grip to check that the gun was not loaded. ¡°It¡¯s certainly no toy.¡± ¡°The slugs are here. Please load them later.¡± Said Major Stork, handing him a safe-shaped box with handles that was next to the crate. Benedict placed it on the floor and opened the lid. It was filled with cylindrical slugs. Major Stork began to open up the other large box. He expertly pulled out the nails one after another and opened the three-section lid. ¡°Wake up, now. It¡¯s time for some action.¡± He said cheerfully, removing the balls of newspaper and boards that supported the contents. Wil and Benedict quickly joined in. When the box was cleared, both Wil and Benedict gasped. Like the other box, this one was also occupied by a gun that took up most of its space. Allison peered inside from next to Wil. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°As you can see, it is a gun. A rifle.¡± With that, Major Stork instructed Benedict to lift one end of the rifle. The two of them lifted the gun together, each holding up one end. ¡°Sh*t. Talk about heavy.¡± ¡°It weighs about fifty kilograms. Please try not to hurt your back.¡± From the case they pulled a gigantic gun that was a whopping two meters long. Like any other gun, the barrel and the firing mechanism were attached to the chassis. It had a grip, a trigger, a large sniping scope, and a stock for securing the gun to the shoulder and cheek when firing. However, in terms of size the gun was so enormous that it could have been used by a giant. The barrel alone¡ªabout as thick as a factory pipe¡ªwas twice the length of longer guns. The end of the barrel, riddled with holes that expelled gas, looked much like a harmonica. Underneath the body was equipped a large frame. It was composed of two metal legs attached to gigantic sled-shaped movable slides that a person could probably wear on their feet. Further ahead was another frame that secured the gun when it was fired. With a dull thud the gun was placed onto the carpet. The grip and two slides balanced it upright. ¡°Phew¡­ what in the world is this? I¡¯ve never seen a gun so enormous.¡± Benedict said, astonished. Major Stork said nothing, but took out a metal box from the wooden crate. It was about thirty centimeters long and wide, and had the appearance of a lunchbox big enough for several people. ¡°The magazines. We just have to equip them on top of the gun.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter right now, Major. Answer the question. What in the world is this gun?¡± Major Stork finally answered. ¡°It¡¯s the Roxchean military¡¯s latest anti-tank rifle.¡± ¡°An anti-tank rifle? This?¡± ¡°Yes. Although it¡¯s not quite enough for the latest and largest tank models, it¡¯s sufficient for taking care of light tanks and armored vehicles. If we snipe covertly with this weapon, I¡¯m quite certain we¡¯ll see results.¡± ¡°I feel almost foolish for asking, but¡­ what caliber?¡± ¡°20 millimeters.¡± With that answer, Major Stork opened the magazine case, took out a round, and showed it to Benedict. It was twenty millimeters in diameter¡ªa gigantic round that looked rather like a half bottle of wine with copper leaf. ¡°Is it all right for a person to fire one of these?¡± Benedict wondered, his astonished gaze on the round so large that it would not fit in his hands. Twenty millimeters was the size of rounds used for aeroplane-mounted machine guns. ¡°That is how it¡¯s designed, at least. Although I can¡¯t be sure, as I haven¡¯t tried using it myself.¡± Major Stork replied firmly. ¡°But this gun is our only hope of resolving this situation. If we can use it to render the enemy powerless, we will emerge victorious,¡± ¡°Twenty millimeters¡­ I suppose it will be enough, provided that it hits. But who will be the shooter? You, since you brought it up?¡± Asked Benedict. Major Stork shook his head. ¡°I must observe the impact through the binoculars, I¡¯m afraid. You¡¯ll have to take the gun.¡± ¡°It feels quite silly to say this, but I¡¯m not very confident in my rifle skills.¡± ¡°Then is there anyone else who could take this role?¡± Major Stork said sarcastically. At that moment, Benedict glanced at the boy standing next to Allison. Allison did the same. ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± Wil asked. A second later, ¡°It¡¯s decided, then.¡± ¡°It sure is.¡± At the back of the dining car, which had been cleared of tables and chairs. ¡°Shoot the portions I indicated with the tape. There¡¯s no need to be gentle.¡± Major Stork had marked out several areas in square frames of duct tape under the window. ¡°Talk about violent. Everyone, stand back.¡± Benedict said, stepping up to the wall with the loaded shotgun. Allison and Fiona had fled to the center of the dining car, and Major Stork was standing in front of them. Wil was beside them, desperately reading through the simplified manual for the anti-tank rifle. Benedict checked once more to see that no one was around, and pulled the fore grip. There was a dry, metallic click as the first round was loaded. ¡°A wall this time, huh. Don¡¯t think I can pay it off, either.¡± He placed the shotgun on his shoulder and pulled the trigger. The lead round, which contained nine pellets, blew a large hole in the wooden wall. Splinters flew everywhere. Little by little, Benedict continued to destroy the train. He pulled on the pump to empty the cartridges, loaded again, and pulled the trigger. After five consecutive shots, he took out more rounds from the box underfoot and loaded them into the gun. ¡°For your information, that is one of the Roxchean Army¡¯s trench guns.¡± Benedict paused in the middle of loading his shotgun, but quickly resumed. ¡°I have no idea why you would say something like that in the middle of this chaos, but for your information, I am completely unaffected.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Upon loading the gun, Benedict returned to shooting at the wall. This time, he fired even at the windows. Shards of glass scattered everywhere. ¡°Take this!¡± Finally, he kicked at the ragged walls. The window frame dropped away from the car, and the last remaining pieces of wood fell to the floor. Finally, there was a hole in the wall large enough for one person to pass through at a stoop. A cold breeze pushed into the dining car. Past the gaping hole passed the other side of the valley and the clear blue surface of the long, narrow lake. ¡°Excellent work, Major Carr. If you could reload and protect the women. Wilhelm, take this.¡± Major Stork handed something to Wil. It was a cloth headgear. Other than the green-and-brown camouflage colors, it was much like a helmet used by rugby players. At the neck, where the straps were tied, was a microphone. A headphone covered the ears, and a long cable connected it through a battery to another piece of headgear. ¡°Put this on your head. There will be a great deal of recoil when you fire. It not only protects your ears, but it also allows you to communicate with the observer.¡± Wil put on the headgear and silently glanced down at the two-meter long rifle on the floor. The gun reflected in his brown eyes was much too immense. As Major Stork put on his headgear, Benedict went up to Wil and whispered in Roxchean. ¡°It is the final decision. It is not that you must trust that man¡¯s words. There is also a way of sticking to the military police.¡± Wil met his gaze and replied tersely. ¡°I¡¯m going to do this.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Benedict gave Wil a light punch on the shoulder and said in Bezelese. ¡°¡®Just take it easy. I know you can do it¡¯, or ¡®You have no room for error. There is a heavy burden resting on your shoulders¡¯. Take your pick.¡± Wil grinned. Benedict smiled back, stepping away with a wave and holding the shotgun in his hand. Major Stork finished putting on his headgear and glanced at his watch. ¡°Well, shall we begin? could you take that end?¡± Major Stork and Wil dragged the anti-tank rifle to the hole in the wall. Sticking the thick barrel outside, they pushed the gun further outside. If they didn¡¯t, Wil¡¯s feet would touch the opposite wall when he lay beside the gun. After deciding on a sniping location, Major Stork lowered the stand in front of the slides with his feet and set up the gun firmly on the carpet. The slides were raised several centimeters into the air. Wil was on his stomach on the floor. He held the grip with his right hand and placed the stock against his face and his shoulder, positioning himself. It looked less like he was aiming and more like he was clinging to a giant piece of machinery. ¡°The basics are identical to those of a smaller rifle. You just take aim and pull the trigger. There will be a great deal of recoil, but you will be fine as long as the stock remains secure against your shoulder.¡± With that, Major Stork pressed the call button and asked Wil if he could hear his voice. Wil answered. ¡¸I can hear you.¡¹ Major Stork nodded satisfactorily. Benedict spoke up from behind. ¡°Er¡­ do you mean to have Wil shoot while both trains are still in motion?¡± Stork shook his head. ¡°Of course not. If someone could connect in these conditions, his sharpshooting skills may as well be a piece of art. If you¡¯ll excuse me for a moment, I have to go tell an incredible lie.¡± Stork went to the conductor¡¯s cabin and contacted the first lieutenant on the armored railcar. He claimed that they heard strange sounds and felt unusual vibrations from the engine, and that something might be wrong with the locomotive. That the train would be slowing down, and that they would stop the train to inspect the locomotive if its condition did not improve. That the armored railcar should continue to keep watch on the train. Then, Stork gave strict orders to the engineers of the transcontinental. That they should slow down for the next three kilometers. That they should stop the train and trigger the whistle at a point when the tracks were as straight as possible and when the opposite side of the valley was clearly visible. That they were not to move until he ordered otherwise. The train began to slow. ¡°Well, now. I suppose I should go see what Wilhelm is made of.¡± He mumbled cheerfully to himself, going back to the dining car. Benedict, who had followed after him along with Allison, glanced at the radio and fell into thought. After a moment of silence, he shook his head in denial and went back to the dining car. Volume 3 8 — A Train Named Conspiracy Volume 3 Chapter 8: A Train Named Conspiracy ----- The 300-meter-wide valley that lay between the stone mountains was filled with blue water. There was no wind. The surface, a darker blue than the sky, was without a single ripple. It was as though a blue gemstone had been cut and fitted into the valley. On either side of the lake, only a meter from the water¡¯s edge, were train tracks. On the northern track was a camouflaged armored railcar. On the opposite side was a transcontinental express train, moving at walking pace. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful!¡± Allison cried, peering out at the lake through the dining car curtains. Wil, who lay on his stomach next to the anti-tank rifle with protective headgear on his head, watched the same scenery through the hole in the wall and mumbled to himself, ¡°It¡¯s beautiful¡­¡± At that moment, Major Stork excused himself and stepped into Wil¡¯s line of sight. He fixed a magazine loaded with ten shells into the slot ahead of Wil. ¡°First lieutenant.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I think about this every time I pass here, but this lake is really something.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s one of Sou Be-Il¡¯s greatest treasures.¡± ¡°Who was it that nagged us to not mess up this place again? Was it Major Stork?¡± ¡°Yes. He gets stubborn about the strangest things. Although I do agree with him on that one.¡± ¡°But you know, sir. When I look at beautiful scenery like this¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°¡­I sometimes hate my job, just a little.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no helping that. This is our mission.¡± Wil pulled the dreadfully heavy lever to load the gun. He pulled it all the way toward himself and then pushed it back to original position. ¡¸Are you ready?¡¹ Major Stork¡¯s voice came through the headphones. Wil slowly peered into the scope. There was a lone armored railcar slowly making its way over the blue lake. It was reflected upside-down in the water¡¯s surface. As Major Stork instructed, Wil aimed the scope at the engine, which was at the back of the railcar. The chassis shook so much that he could not aim properly. With the left hand that had been holding the scope, Wil pressed the call button. ¡¸I¡¯m ready. But it¡¯s still too shaky for me to take aim.¡¹ Major Stork nodded, then gave orders to Benedict, Fiona, and Allison. ¡°The three of you, get to the conductor¡¯s cabin and keep your heads as close to the floor as possible.¡± Allison retorted, annoyed. ¡°I want to watch from here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous. What if they happen to return fire?¡± ¡°Then what about Wil? And you?¡± Allison asked back immediately. Major Stork did not reply. Instead he gave her a silent stare. ¡°What?¡± Allison asked. Major Stork finally shook his head. ¡°War is the dominion of men, Miss Allison.¡± ¡°Hey that¡¯s not an answer what the hell I¡¯m in the Roxche Air Force are you trying to make fun of¡ª¡± Benedict and Fiona dragged Allison away. Once the three of them were gone, Major Stork, who had been sitting with his elbows on the window frame and his eyes on his binoculars, turned to Wil, who was peering through the scope. ¡¸Both this train and the railcar will soon stop. If at all possible, try to make the shot in one try. Once they realize that we¡¯re shooting, they will return fire.¡¹ ¡¸Understood.¡¹ There was a moment of silence. The train continued slowly. Soon, Major Stork spoke up lightheartedly. ¡¸It seems we still have a bit of time. Don¡¯t pressure yourself.¡¹ ¡¸Right.¡¹ ¡¸I heard you made the rankings at a famous shooting competition. I suppose one should never judge a book by its cover. That was a compliment, for your information.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you. And Thank you for sending Allison away, as well.¡¹ ¡¸Ah¡­ you¡¯re welcome. What is your relationship with her? ¡­Er, was that an awkward question?¡¹ ¡¸Not at all. We¡¯re childhood friends. We¡¯ve grown up together since we were eight years old. Although we don¡¯t see each other very much these days.¡¹ ¡¸Ah. Madame Coraz¨°n¡¯s famous ¡®Future House¡¯.¡¹ ¡¸Oh. Did Allison tell you?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. She was so fluent in Bezelese that I asked her about it. She answered my question.¡¹ ¡¸¡­Allison¡¯s father died in battle at Green Island when she was eight years old. That¡¯s why she came to the Future House. At first, she cried every day, just like the other kids. She had a hard time adjusting.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s unfortunate, but not surprising. I¡¯m sure both you and Miss Allison, frankly, despise us Sou Be-Il soldiers. After all, no matter our current situation, we were once enemies. I cannot pretend otherwise.¡¹ ¡¸Setting myself aside, I don¡¯t think Allison feels that way.¡¹ ¡¸Why is that?¡¹ ¡¸Her father, Major Oscar Whittington, was murdered by an ally.¡¹ ¡¸¡­What do you¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Major Whittington fled the battlefield alongside his subordinate, who ended up taking his life. The subordinate betrayed him to save himself. The notice of death said that the two men deserted, and that it was likely that the subordinate killed the major and surrendered himself to the Western forces. Major Whittington¡¯s corpse was found several months later, but he had been shot in the head with a shotgun at very close range, and his skull was impossible to retrieve.¡¹ ¡¸How gruesome.¡¹ ¡¸Yes. It really is. I¡¯d just like to ask you one last thing, Major Stork. What is your true mission?¡¹ Wil asked, taking aim at the railcar. ¡¸You wish to know?¡¹ Major Stork replied, his eyes still pressed to the binoculars. ¡¸Yes. Very much. I¡¯d like to at least know the reason behind what I¡¯m about to do.¡¹ ¡¸Then let me tell you, in exchange for believing in me. My mission is to arrest Mr. Terreur.¡¹ ¡¸¡®Arrest¡¯? Did you just say that you would arrest Mr. Terreur?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s correct. I came undercover as a contact in order to prevent him from escaping the train, so that we could place him under arrest. That is my true mission.¡¹ ¡¸On what charges?¡¹ ¡¸There are two. One is weapons smuggling. Which is, frankly, a minor issue.¡¹ ¡¸If smuggling the latest in military technology is considered a minor issue, what is the second charge?¡¹ ¡¸Crimes against humanity. I suppose you could call it ¡®fanning the flames of war¡¯, if you will. Not only did he commit crimes for the sake of his individual well-being, he is also attempting to personally restart the war that finally came to an end. This is an unforgivable crime. Has he no fear of the heavens?¡¹ ¡¸¡­So Mr. Terreur was planning to sell out Roxche. I¡¯d heard rumors that the Roxchean government was about to place him under arrest. Mr. Terreur must be planning to defect¡ªno, escape¡ªto Sou Be-Il, bringing a gift of all the military and weapons information he has, correct? In that case, Sou Be-Il would naturally be at an advantage, and certain groups could use that as a stepping stone to stir up another war.¡¹ Major Stork, still looking through the binoculars, smiled. ¡¸Correct. You¡¯re quite quick to grasp everything. But to be honest, this ¡®gift¡¯ of Mr. Terreur¡¯s in the cargo hold is nothing. Terreur plans to hand over his entire nation. And, foolishly enough, some in the Sou Be-Il military pounced on the gift like starving dogs. For our convenience, why don¡¯t we call these people ¡®them¡¯? ¡®They¡¯ do not welcome this era of peace. ¡®Millions have died trying to destroy our hated enemy in the East, and what did their sacrifice amount to?¡¯, they ask. They also likely fear losing their livelihoods in the inevitable downsizing of the military. The military exists to protect the people. The people finally have a chance at a life of peace and stability, but ¡®they¡¯ could not accept that. They are hounds that have forgotten their masters¡¯ happiness¡ªno, who their masters are.¡¹ ¡¸¡­In other words, they refused to lie down and be killed alongside the rabbit.¡¹ ¡¸Indeed. ¡®They¡¯ believe that, with the information from Roxche that Mr. Terreur can provide, that they can successfully launch an invasion on the East. And they are convinced that, once such a thing happens, the other soldiers will join their cause. Although I pray that such fools do not exist in our military, if the situation should come to pass, many innocent lives will be lost. We cannot allow the greed of masterless hounds to restart this war. It will take us some time to locate and arrest ¡®them¡¯. That is why, no matter what happens, we cannot hand Mr. Terreur over to them. We will place him and his bodyguard under arrest and wring a confession out of them. To find out who exactly ¡®they¡¯ are so we may root them out. We must.¡¹ ¡¸But how in the world were they planning to sneak Mr. Terreur into Sou Be-Il? If he didn¡¯t return on this train, it would be clear that he had fled. An investigation would be launched.¡¹ ¡¸Correct. That is why, to get around that problem, ¡®they¡¯ hatched a terrifying plan. Here is a little riddle for you, Wilhelm. What is the best way to remove a man from existence, that no one may find him ever again?¡¹ ¡¸Killing him.¡¹ Wil replied immediately. Major Stork nodded. ¡¸Yes. They decided to fake Mr. Terreur¡¯s death. If it seemed that he was murdered, it might cause some problems down the line¡ªso they had to make it seem as though he simply died. Then what are their options? Mr. Terreur must die in an accident. A train accident, for instance.¡¹ ¡¸It can¡¯t be! You mean this entire train¡­?¡¹ Wil glanced at Major Stork out of the corner of his eye. The older man spoke, his eyes never leaving the binoculars. ¡¸Precisely. According to the intel we received, ¡®they¡¯ will deploy armed soldiers to the mountains to bring the train under their control. They will remove Mr. Terreur¡¯s illegal cargo and Mr. Terreur himself, then push the train and all its passengers into the valley. It would be an unfortunate derailment that left none alive. No one would be suspicious about one or two missing corpses. And naturally, the list of deaths would include many rich and powerful people.¡¹ ¡¸¡­They were planning to murder over forty people for just one man.¡¹ ¡¸Yes. It is my mission to arrest Mr. Terreur and thwart that plot.¡¹ ¡¸So is that why you murdered the conductors and the cabin crew, Major Stork?¡¹ Several seconds passed in the wake of Wil¡¯s question. ¡¸The whistle hasn¡¯t sounded yet¡­ I admit I didn¡¯t expect our conversation to go on so long.¡¹ Wil could hear Major Stork¡¯s voice in his ears. Out of the corner of his left eye, he could see the man still leaning against the window, observing the other side of the valley through his binoculars. ¡¸You are correct. I killed them all. There was no murderer on the Roxchean side. In order to outrun ¡®their¡¯ assault, I had to speed up the train¡¯s progress by any means necessary. We had to make it through the mountain range before their preparations were complete. But on the rails, the conductor holds absolute authority. No amount of groveling would convince him to listen to me.¡¹ ¡¸Of course. And it wasn¡¯t as though you could tell him the truth.¡¹ ¡¸That is why, in order to make the passengers easily accept the splitting of the train, I created something. A killer who was after Mr. Terreur. I boarded this train with that intention. You may think me heartless if you wish. I am myself a hound of my nation.¡¹ ¡¸I have no intention of making arguments at this point. All I want to do is keep us safe.¡¹ ¡¸Even I had no idea that ¡®they¡¯ would attack earlier than expected. I am very glad that you and your friends are here.¡¹ At that moment, there was a piercing whistle as the sound of the brakes screeched in their ears. The long train slowly decelerated. ¡¸It¡¯s time.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m ready. But there¡¯s just one more thing I have to ask. Did Mr. Terreur¡­ always have connections to Sou Be-Il? Were there always people in Roxche who sided with the West? Have they always been smuggling weapons in secret, betraying Roxche in the process?¡¹ ¡¸No. When threats of a second Great War disappeared thanks to the Hero on this very train, Mr. Terreur must have done everything in his power to protect himself. But Roxche abandoned him. That was why he decided to find a new base. Through certain methods, he got in contact with ¡®them¡¯. And so came about this incident.¡¹ ¡¸I see. He¡¯s rotten to the core.¡¹ ¡¸But that doesn¡¯t mean you can shoot him. We still have a lot of confessions to get.¡¹ Major Stork said jokingly, and finally took his eyes off his binoculars and looked at Wil. Wil also pulled his face away from the scope and met Major Stork¡¯s blue eyes. ¡¸This crisis is all due to my incompetent planning. I am truly sorry. So let us make sure that this shot lands. Our lives are in your hands now. I do not wish for you and the others to die.¡¹ Wil did not answer, but nodded and looked into the scope again. Beyond the crosshairs, the movement and the vibrations slowly stopped. ¡¸Once I give the order, fire. But first, load the gun.¡¹ Wil tightened his hold on the grip and pulled the lever. The gigantic bolt moved forward. There was a loud, metallic noise as the gun swallowed the enormous round. The anti-tank rifle was ready to fire at any time. Wil took a deep breath and muttered, ¡°Just one shot.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll soon be stopping.¡± In the hallway by the conductor¡¯s cabin, Benedict, who was sitting against the wall with his head ducked and his feet stretched out, suddenly spoke. Next to him were Fiona and Allison, also in similar positions. ¡°What can I say. As the inviter for this trip, I feel responsibility. To think a case like this could happen.¡± Benedict said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. As long as I can share a room with Wil tonight, I won¡¯t have any complaints.¡± Allison replied. ¡°First lieutenant Klein, the train should be coming to a stop soon. We¡¯ll follow suit.¡± ¡°Mm. Good. The reflection of the train in the lake is something to look at.¡± ¡°It certainly is. It would have been really amazing if the train were longer. Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Sir. That train¡­ they said they left five cars behind at the supply base, so they should have eight left, right?¡± ¡°Yes. What is the problem?¡± ¡°This is strange¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I only count seven there¡­¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure of it.¡± ¡°Five, six, seven¡­ It¡¯s missing a car. ¡­Sh*t! Get the railcar moving! Squad 1 didn¡¯t run into technical difficulties¡ªthey were attacked!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You heard me! Move it! We must outrun their locomotive! Move, move, move!¡± The moment the train came to a full stop. ¡¸Now.¡¹ Major Stork said quietly. Wil pulled the trigger. The massive gun spewed fire. Gas escaped the muzzle and rattled every window in the car. The pieces of wood left around the hole in the wall loudly rose into the air. The barrel was thrown upward and the stand tore through the carpet and lodged itself into the floor. Wil was pushed back by the impact. For a single second, his expression shook. The shell casing fell to the floor. The projectile, which was two centimeters in diameter and weighed 152 grams, spun furiously as it zoomed across the blue lake. It took a mere 0.4 seconds for it to cover over three hundred meters of distance. ¡°What?¡± The projectile passed the space where the armored railcar had been a moment ago, and landed directly on the rocky cliff beyond it. A large boulder fell to pieces, leaving a cloud of dust. ¡°What? What was that sound?¡± ¡°It sounds like a hit¡­ are they sniping at us?¡± ¡°Sh*t! That¡¯s why he told us to stop! He got us! Speed up. We will cut them off.¡± ¡¸You missed! They¡¯ve begun to move.¡¹ Major Stork¡¯s voice filled Wil¡¯s ears. Wil replied immediately. ¡¸I can see as well. Could we also start moving? I can¡¯t take aim like this.¡¹ ¡¸But¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Quickly!¡¹ Major Stork pulled out the cable connecting his radio to Wil¡¯s and ran from the dining car and into the hallway. Along the way, he nearly kicked Benedict before quickly leaping over and into the conductor¡¯s cabin. He grabbed the radio set and hollered at the engineers. ¡¸Start this train now, or we all die!¡¹ The transcontinental express began grinding to life at a maddeningly slow pace. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Asked Benedict. ¡°They noticed our attack at the last second. That¡¯s why we¡¯ve started moving as well.¡± ¡°You mean we¡¯ll snipe them while we¡¯re moving? That¡¯s too rash!¡± ¡°Then do you have any other suggestions? The three of you, stay here! And Allison!¡± Major Stork cried sharply. Allison glared at his omission of a title. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You must stay put, do you understand? All we can do now is trust in Wilhelm.¡± Said Major Stork, his eyes fixed on her. Allison grinned and shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about that. I always trust Wil.¡± After Major Stork opened the door and disappeared into the dining car again, Benedict suddenly took up the shotgun and stood. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Asked Fiona. ¡°I do not know if I can do it or if I cannot, but I will attempt to do a distraction strategy.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Benedict pointed at his shotgun. ¡°With this, I will shoot the armored railcar. If I control the angles well, I will hit him¡ªer, it. After all, they are slugs.¡± Allison cut in. ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯ll do about as much good as a peashooter.¡± ¡°Yes. But their nerves will lean, not to Wil, but to this side.¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡± Benedict turned to Fiona. ¡°Then, I will shortly do dramatics. Please wait here.¡± ¡°All right. Come back soon.¡± Fiona replied with a smile. Benedict slowly leaned forward and tilted his face toward hers. Watching their quiet kiss, Allison silently grumbled to herself. ¡°Not fair.¡± ¡°Can you take aim?¡± Major Stork asked Wil as he returned to the dining car, re-connecting the radio. ¡°Not yet.¡± Wil replied quickly. The anti-tank rifle was pointing as far to the left as possible, almost touching the left edge of the hole. The more the train accelerated, the worse the noise and vibrations became. The image through the scope shook violently. Wil finally spoke. ¡¸Almost.¡¹ ¡¸At this point, we have no choice but to shoot in motion. Have you ever fired a gun while moving?¡¹ Asked Major Stork. ¡¸Just once.¡¹ Wil replied. ¡°The train¡¯s begun to move, sir.¡± ¡°I see as well. Load the machine gun with ten armor-piercing shells. All personnel, prepare to open fire.¡± ¡°Are we really going to shoot the train, sir?¡± ¡°We¡¯re just going to figure out where that shot came from, and drive about ten shells into that area. Make sure you do not disable any critical parts of the¡ªwhat was that noise? There! Again!¡± ¡°They seem to be firing at us, sir. There¡¯s no doubt. Is that a rifle? I hear bullets ricocheting off the railcar. They might as well be knocking with their fists.¡± ¡°But as long as we¡¯re being attacked, we must retaliate. Where are the shots coming from?¡± At the very first window of the first dining car. Of all the windows, there was only one where the curtains were wide open. ¡°Take this!¡± Benedict had lowered the window and was shooting in a half-squat position. Across the valley he could see the armored railcar, moving just ahead of the train. ¡°That should do it.¡± He slightly raised the muzzle and pulled the trigger. There was the sound of gunfire, and the accompanying recoil. Benedict quickly pulled the fore grip to load the next round. ¡°Please let this one hit.¡± He pulled the trigger again. ¡¸Was that gunfire?¡¹ ¡¸Ah, Major Carr is drawing fire for us.¡¹ Replied Major Stork, who had peered out of the window for a moment. Then, he turned his gaze to the armored railcar that was racing quite far ahead. ¡¸Can you take aim?¡¹ ¡¸Almost!¡¹ ¡°Again! Damn it! Where are the shots coming from?¡± ¡°First Lieutenant! I¡¯ve found it. The second car from the back, near the front.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I see it. The muzzle¡¯s sticking out of the window.¡± ¡°It must be a rifle after all.¡± ¡°Hah. It looks like someone¡¯s playing the hero. Is the machine gun ready?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Good. We switch seats. I¡¯ll shoot. I¡¯ll blow him away, window and all. Slow down so we¡¯re running at even pace.¡± The turret of the railcar slowly began to turn left. The thin barrel, which had been bowing toward the lake, rose parallel to the ground. Then came the projectile. A blast of smoke and flame escaped the muzzle. The ten shells made direct contact with the barrel and the stock of the shotgun that was sticking out of the window, the window frame, and everything within a two-meter radius. Shards of glass sparkled in the sunlight, and the broken shotgun was blasted into the other side of the car. It ricocheted violently off the wall. The shotgun fell to the thick carpet with a dull sound in the deserted dining car. ¡°Excellent. A direct hit.¡± ¡°Sir. We¡¯ve found a good pace. We¡¯ll be slowing down slightly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± Benedict said, sitting down next to Fiona. ¡°Welcome back. I heard some loud noises just now. What happened?¡± Fiona asked. Benedict looked unfazed as he answered. ¡°I tied the shotgun with a curtain beside the window, and put it outside a little. It must have been shot. Poor shotgun.¡± ¡¸Now¡¯s your chance. Fire.¡¹ For the second time, Wil pulled the trigger. Flames spouted from next to the turret of the railcar. ¡°Whoa! What was that?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been hit! It¡¯s a large-caliber weapon, sir. They¡¯re still alive!¡± ¡°Speed up. Figure out where they¡¯re shooting from!¡± ¡¸That¡¯s a hit. Right next to their turret. Target is still moving.¡¹ ¡¸Understood.¡¹ Wil closed his left eye and stared at the railcar with his right eye on the scope. On the floor between the stands of the anti-tank rifle were two enormous shell casings. ¡¸The train¡¯s shaking too much.¡¹ ¡¸You must remain calm. You can succeed. Wait for the vibration to abate, immediately after the moment when the wheel passes over the grooves in the rail.¡¹ ¡¸And they keep speeding up. I keep messing up my aim¡­¡¹ Wil said anxiously. Major Stork replied, his voice calm. ¡¸One of the events in the Kaashi shooting competition involves predicting the movements of a target, correct? Game 3, ¡®The Rabbit Hunt¡¯. It¡¯s essentially the same thing. Remember the rabbit-shaped target moving along the rails. This time, your target is much larger.¡¹ ¡¸¡­Yes. I think I could hit something like a rabbit.¡¹ ¡°Where¡­ where are you hiding¡­?¡± ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve found it! The last car!¡± ¡°¡­I see! Heh. They¡¯ve even blown a hole through the wall¡­ Sh*t. That¡¯s practically a cannon. Load every round we have.¡± ¡°Ready to fire, sir.¡± ¡°Good. Open fire. Kill them.¡± Before Wil could pull the trigger, the railcar¡¯s machine gun roared once more. The tracer shells, of which there were one in five, drew thin lines over the blue waters. The rain of shells passed clear over the train¡¯s white roofs and hit the rocky mountains, whipping up clouds of dust. ¡°What? Damn it! That shot earlier killed the sights!¡± Wil pulled the trigger. The windows near the rifle, unable to take a third impact, simultaneously split. The round flew over the water, surpassing the speed of sound. The multiple waves of impact created in its wake left intricate lines on the mirror-clean surface of the lake. The round pierced, not a rabbit-shaped target, but the back of the armored railcar. Passing between the loop of the caterpillar tracks, it easily shot through the metal plating and punctured the internal fuel tank. A tulip-shaped hole was left in the thin metal tank. The round bounced all throughout the interior like a rogue firework. The sparks created in the impact leapt into the murky depths of fuel. The back of the railcar exploded. The railcar leaned forward for a moment, propelled by the red-hot flames. The explosion created ripples on the water¡¯s surface, and by the time they crossed the lake and reached the train, the back of the railcar finally hit the ground, its wheels derailed from the tracks. Black smoke spewed from the railcar as it left the tracks and began moving diagonally. ¡°Please don¡¯t let it fall into the water. Don¡¯t pollute the lake.¡± Perhaps Major Stork¡¯s plea had been heard¡ªthe railcar suddenly tilted to the right. The caterpillar tracks skidded over the ground to the right, and the horn-shaped buffers were caught in the crossties. With that as a fulcrum, the railcar tilted left again and began sliding down in a trail of sparks. Eventually, it came to a stop on the tracks. In the windless valley, black smoke rose directly into the air. The white roofs of the transcontinental express slowly made their way through to the other side of the valley. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s happening here? The railcar exploded.¡± ¡°They must have shot it with the anti-tank rifle. It¡¯s unbelievable.¡± Terreur¡¯s greasy face was pressed against the window. Ien¡¯s face was as chilly as ever. ¡°Hah! So that¡¯s the power of my rifle! Once it¡¯s been supplied to the infantry, their potential will increase exponentially! The military police can go shoot themselves¡ªI have no business with them!¡± As Terreur triumphantly punched the air, Ien silently picked up his handgun from his chair. ¡°Master.¡± Terreur turned and flinched at the sight of Ien¡¯s gun. ¡°What?¡± With the gun in hand, Ien shook his head several times. ¡°There¡¯s something wrong¡­ something is not right.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Speak up.¡± ¡°According to the plan, the train should have stopped next to the lake so that we could hand over the cargo.¡± ¡°But the military police was on our trail¡ª¡± ¡°All we know about our contacts is that they were a group within the Sou Be-Il military. But if those MPs were members of that group¡­¡± ¡°Then what about the contact who joined us?¡± ¡°If he¡¯s not the man we believed he was¡­ then it all makes sense.¡± Terreur flushed red with rage. ¡°You mean he deceived us?¡± ¡°I cannot say for certain yet, but it¡¯s quite likely. I will investigate further. Master, you must remain inside with the door locked. Do not open the door for anyone. After all, now that the conductors are dead, I¡¯m the only one with the key to this cabin.¡± ¡°I¡­ I see. Then be off. But¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± ¡°Do not die. I want you by my side when I recover my fortunes.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± With a courteous bow, Ien took his handgun, equipped with a stock, and left the room. The door closed shut. The sound of the clicking lock filled the cabin. ¡¸Excellent work. That was truly magnificent.¡¹ Said Major Stork, holding out a hand to Wil. Wil was lying on the carpet, having pushed himself away from the rifle. ¡¸How is your shoulder? Not dislocated, I hope?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s fine, thank you. But¡­ When I was pushed back by the recoil, my stomach got pulled over my belt buckle. That was very painful.¡¹ ¡¸Hah hah. In any case, that was marvelous. You can take off the headgear now.¡¹ By the time they both stood and took off their headgear, Benedict and the others had opened the dining car door and entered. ¡°You¡¯re all well, I see. I think Wilhelm here deserves a word of praise from each person. Ah, let¡¯s not forget Major Carr¡¯s excellent diversion.¡± Allison immediately approached Wil and stroked his sweaty face. ¡°You¡¯re soaked. You might end up with a rash if you don¡¯t wipe this soon.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not a kid, Allison.¡± Wil chuckled, taking out a handkerchief from his pocket. He handed it to her. ¡°Here. Wipe your hand.¡± Allison stared at the handkerchief in silence, before grabbing it and mercilessly wiping Wil¡¯s face. ¡°Take this.¡± ¡°Whoa.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move¡ªyou might hurt yourself. Can¡¯t you at least let me do this much for you?¡± As Major Stork watched them in silence, Benedict spoke from behind him. ¡°What will happen to them?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to take care of them somehow, eventually. But before that, I¡¯m going to contact the engineers and go butter up the VIP. Please wait here, everyone.¡± Major Stork said over his shoulder, opening the door and leaving the dining car. * * * ¡°To stop Mr. Terreur¡¯s running and arrest him¡­ that was Major Stork¡¯s true mission, you say?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what he told me.¡± ¡°I understand. That man is from the capital Sfrestus, he said. Probably he is in the military¡¯s secret information department. Certainly he is not a normal soldier.¡± The four of them were sitting in pairs next to the dining car entrance. Benedict turned to Wil. ¡°When the military arrests Mr. Terreur and receives confessions, ¡®they¡¯ will be beaten in one shot. I¡¯m sure that a large amount of people will be arrested from our military. This will be an incredible scandal that earthquakes the entire military. But that cannot be helped. Whatever, the military shrink cannot be avoided, and I am thinking to leave the military too.¡± ¡°But how could he kill all those innocent crew members for something like that¡­?¡± Fiona trailed off, heartbroken. ¡°It is not an action that I can celebrate¡­ but if he did not do that, over forty people would sacrifice¡ª¡± At that point, Benedict stopped himself. ¡°¡ªNo. I wil stop there. It is a terrible habit for soldiers to do maths with people¡¯s lives. Likely, Major Stork was worried that we would not help him if he told us that story, so he made it a secret.¡± Wil, who was drinking out of a water bottle Allison had handed him, suddenly spoke. ¡°But¡­ there¡¯s something I don¡¯t really get.¡± ¡°What?¡± Allison asked. Wil replied immediately. ¡°Why didn¡¯t he kill us? Allison and I witnessed him killing Mr. Welch, and thanks to that, the murders were discovered much earlier than they would have been if we hadn¡¯t. If he¡¯d killed and silenced us, Mr. Terreur wouldn¡¯t have had to play along a fake story. Major Stork could have just pretended to discover the bodies and led the train to the supply base.¡± ¡°Come to think of it¡­ you¡¯re right.¡± Allison mumbled, then suddenly nodded. ¡°Wait. I¡¯ve got it.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Wil, Benedict, and Fiona turned to Allison in unison. ¡°The major must have fallen for me.¡± There was another moment of silence. The rhythmic sound of the wheels suddenly sounded much louder. Wil stared at Allison, at a loss for words. ¡°C-come on, I was just joking.¡± At that moment, they heard a knock from the door connecting the hallway and the dining car. Allison, who was sitting nearest the door, approached it and peered outside through the glass pane, but there was no one there. ¡°?¡± What she saw the moment she opened the door was Ien, charging toward her. ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°Allison!¡± Wil pulled her back from behind and pushed her aside. Immediately, ¡°Ugh!¡± Ien¡¯s left shoulder drove itself into Wil¡¯s gut. It was a powerful blow. Wil struggled to remain on his feet, but he was thrown into the dining car as he landed on his back on the carpet. ¡°Wil!¡± Allison cried, twisting around. Ien¡¯s foot swung at her. Allison bowed to avoid the kick and ran to Wil, who was squirming in pain on the carpet. ¡°Sh*t!¡± Ien swore, pulling out his handgun. At that moment, a chair struck him hard in the chest. Benedict, who was across from him, had swung the chair with both hands. The chair fell to pieces, and at the same time, Ien staggered and dropped his gun. The bullet fired in midair shot out the window. The shell casing, however, had not been properly ejected¡ªthe gun fell to the floor. ¡°Move away.¡± Benedict grabbed Fiona by the hem of her clothes and leapt toward the wall. ¡°Damn you!¡± Ien, having recovered from the blow to the chest, curled his hands into fists and swore. At that moment, Benedict lunged with a fist. It landed square on Ien¡¯s left cheek. There was a glint of fury in Ien¡¯s face, crooked toward the right. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Take this!¡± With a battle cry, Ien shoved Benedict with his left hand. The attack, driven by all of Ien¡¯s weight, connected with Benedict¡¯s chest. Snap. ¡°Urgh!¡± With a nauseating noise, Benedict was flung past Fiona and into a window frame about three meters away. The curtain he grabbed by reflex tore, and he helplessly slid down the wall. Benedict groaned in agony as he shot a furious glare at Ien. Ien glared back, blood spilling from his mouth. ¡°Those skills will get you nowhere on the battlefield, Hero of the Mural.¡± ¡°I could beat those words right out of your mouth if we were in the air¡­ you¡¯re pretty good for an old man.¡± ¡°We are on land, Hero of the Mural. And here is a little payback.¡± With that, Ien grabbed a chair with one hand and lobbed it at Benedict. It hit Benedict¡¯s arms as he quickly braced himself, and fell to pieces. Benedict flinched visibly. ¡°Gah!¡± Finally, he grasped the right side of his chest¡ªthe place Ien had hit earlier¡ªand collapsed. Ien took a look around the dining car. In the center of the car, Wil lay on his stomach. Next to him was Allison, desperately trying to shake him awake. ¡°Wil! Wil!¡± Ahead of Ien, to his left, lay Benedict. And in front of the left wall¡ª ¡°Ah.¡± There was the terrified Fiona. ¡°Hello there, your future Majesty.¡± Ien said, eerily calm. Fiona fell to her knees and tried to back away. But her head quickly hit the wall behind her. ¡°It¡¯s not in me to kill a woman, but since you¡¯re past your prime, I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t feel as upset about dying. Unfortunately, you will have to die. I can¡¯t allow a single person to survive.¡± He slowly began to walk toward Fiona. ¡°Fi¡­ run¡­¡± Benedict gasped. Fiona silently looked up at Ien as he drew near. ¡°Farewell, your future Majesty.¡± Ien said, slowly crouching to the floor. His hands reached out toward Fiona¡¯s neck. But suddenly, a smile rose to her lips. ¡°?¡± Ien¡¯s hands stopped. ¡°I think I¡¯m more cut out for this than being a queen¡ª¡± Fiona said with a grin. Her right hand, which had been at her side, passed under Ien¡¯s left arm and in front of her face. In her fingers was a long, thin, metal apparatus. ¡°Smile.¡± Fiona pressed the shutter. There was a noise, followed by a blinding flash of light. A white flash overwhelmed Ien¡¯s face as he reflexively shut his eyes. For a single second, his face was illuminated to the point that his features were impossible to distinguish. His shadow was cast on the opposite wall. ¡°Gah!¡± Fiona quickly held up her camera and brought it down on Ien¡¯s forehead as he gasped with his eyes closed. She slipped away as he staggered, half-crawling to Benedict. Meanwhile, Allison was still shaking Wil. ¡°Wil! Wil!¡± ¡°You¡¯re hurting me even more, Allison¡­ please, stop¡­¡± Wil managed to whisper. ¡°¡­Check¡­ check my left side¡­ quickly¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Allison flipped up Wil¡¯s jacket. ¡°Sh*t!¡± Ien cried, pushing himself against the wall and taking to his feet. His breathing was ragged as he shook his head several times. ¡°I let my guard down.¡± Ien blinked rapidly as he turned to Fiona, who was helping Benedict up. Though Benedict¡¯s face was racked with pain, he managed to sit up and lean against the wall. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you all!¡± Ien roared, but at that moment, ¡°Hands in the air!¡± It was Allison. ¡°!¡± Ien quickly turned round. Allison was in the center of the car, with one knee on the ground next to the fallen Wil. She had a gun¡ªthe revolver Benedict had lent to Wil¡ªtrained on Ien. ¡°If you so much as twitch, I¡¯ll shoot!¡± Allison¡¯s hands were firmly wrapped around the gun, and her arms were stretched forward. There were about seven meters between her and Ien. Benedict, who was leaning on the wall, and Fiona, who was supporting him, looked at Allison and Ien. ¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh¡­¡± Ien growled. ¡°Fine. Then I¡¯ll shoot. I want to shoot.¡± Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Allison pulled the trigger. The magazine rotated and the hammer plunked down. Bang. There was a clear gunshot as the revolver leapt up with the recoil. And. For some time, Ien stood in confusion. He looked down and examined his own body. He was unharmed. When he turned, he saw something shaped like a spiderweb on the little glass window on the entrance of the dining car. ¡°Young lady¡­ your shooting skills are atrocious.¡± Ien remarked. ¡°Shut up! I¡¯m just not used to this gun, that¡¯s all! If I had mine, things would¡¯ve ended two seconds ago!¡± Allison retorted. Then, her index finger¡ªstill hooked on the trigger¡ªpressed down in the heat of the moment. Bang. The second shot uselessly left a hole in the floor between Allison and Ien. Allison herself was taken aback, but she quickly took aim again. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯d better surrender!¡± ¡°Is this your idea of a joke? Am I supposed to be laughing?¡± Ien replied. Benedict, who was watching from the side, struggled to speak. ¡°Not the head¡­ go for the stomach¡­¡± ¡°Take this!¡± Allison pulled the trigger. Bang. Bang. Two shots in a row. Ien quickly covered his face. The first shot broke a decorative plate hanging on the wall behind him. The second shot landed square on the right side of his chest. ¡°Urgh.¡± Ien gasped. He was pushed back for a second, but he quickly recovered. ¡°I got him! ¡­Huh?¡± Ien only staggered; he refused to fall. ¡°What?¡± Benedict¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That hurt¡­¡± Ien growled. He put a hand to his chest and went over the spot where the bullet hit. There wasn¡¯t a drop of blood on his hand. ¡°That wasn¡¯t too bad, young lady. It was quite painful.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Allison gasped, still holding the gun. Ien tapped his own chest. ¡°Really, an excellent product. We¡¯ll have to supply these to soldiers in the future.¡± ¡°Sh*t! He had a bulletproof vest!¡± Benedict swore. He ground his teeth. ¡°Go for the head after all.¡± ¡°There!¡± Bang. The fifth shot. Ien once more covered his face. The bullet missed his side by forty centimeters. ¡°Do people never tell you that you really have no talent for shooting, young lady?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°You have only one shot left.¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing this on purpose!¡± ¡°Really, now? If you miss again, you¡¯d best be prepared. I¡¯ll slaughter you all and throw you into the lake.¡± ¡°Argh¡­¡± Allison shot Ien a furious glare. The tip of the muzzle trembled. It was aimed squarely at his covered head, then it shook away and came back. The occasional shaking of the train only worsened her trembling. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ien taunted, taking a threatening step forward. ¡°You¡­ damn it¡­¡± A droplet of sweat fell down Allison¡¯s forehead. At that moment, ¡°Calm down.¡± With that, someone came up to Allison and embraced her from behind. A head of brown hair leaned right up to Allison¡¯s blonde. ¡°Wil!¡± As soon as she turned, Wil¡¯s profile filled Allison¡¯s vision. There was a thin stream of blood flowing down the left side of his forehead. ¡°Let me help. Stretch out your arm a little more. Put your right arm forward, and pull your left arm a little toward your body.¡± Wil advised, slowly placing his own hands over hers. He took hold of the gun with her. His placed his index finger over hers. ¡°It¡¯s all right. One shot is more than enough.¡± ¡°This is a joke. Are you trying to make fun of me?¡± Ien spat, slightly opening his arms as Allison and Wil took aim together. Benedict spoke up. ¡°Lastly, there is one thing I want to tell. He is sixth place at the Kaashi shooting competition.¡± Ien silently turned his gaze back to Allison and Wil. ¡°Good. A little to the left¡­ pull the trigger slowly, like you¡¯re pulling on the string of a kite. Don¡¯t be tense¡­ wait for the moment when the wheels pass over a groove in the rails. Okay?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Allison replied, her face pressed up to Wil¡¯s. A second later. ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!¡± Ien cried, charging at the two. Wil finally added, ¡°A little to the right. Yeah¡­ shoot.¡± Bang. There was a clean gunshot as the man¡¯s howl and charge were both forcibly stopped. After a moment of silence, he fell powerlessly to his knees. ¡°Ah¡­ ah¡­?¡± He twisted around as he collapsed to the floor. On his forehead was a small hole. Crimson blood ran down his head and pooled on the carpet. The ceiling was all that was reflected in his wide-open eyes. ¡°Sh*t¡­ you¡­ got¡­ me¡­¡± Ien gasped. ¡°If¡­ I¡­ die¡­ what¡­ of¡­ the¡­ master¡­?¡± ¡°Your master will be arrested for the sin of trying to smuggle weapons. Sou Be-Il does not execute people. He will be comfortable in jail all his life.¡± Benedict answered, getting to his feet with Fiona¡¯s help as he kept a hand pressed over his chest. ¡°I¡­ see¡­ Ha!¡± With that, the man¡¯s lips finally stopped moving. Benedict placed his fingers on his neck and looked down at his eyes. ¡°You were an excellent bodyguard.¡± Fiona gently reached out and closed Ien¡¯s eyes. And quietly, she whispered to the smiling corpse. ¡°May your soul find salvation in heaven.¡± ¡°Wil, Allison, are you all right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Though Wil¡¯s a bit heavy¡­¡± ¡°Sorry. I just lost all my strength¡­¡± When Benedict turned, he saw a powerless Wil barely being supported by Allison. Eventually, Wil slowly sat up with his own strength and plunked down next to her, sighing loudly. ¡°Wil, is your health all right?¡± ¡°Yes, more of less. Although I think I got the wind knocked out of me for a while¡­ Ah! But what about you, Benedict?¡± ¡°Oh, about me? Whatever the case, I think I have a crack on my rib. It hurts. Well, I will not die.¡± Benedict replied. Fiona gave him a worried look, but Benedict smiled. ¡°And you were excellent. Thank you for rescuing us.¡± Allison pressed a wet handkerchief to Wil¡¯s forehead and looked at his face again and again. And she never once forgot to ask him if he really was all right. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just a scratch.¡± Wil replied. ¡°It seems that, earlier, he heard our talks. We were too rash.¡± Benedict said. A second later. ¡°!¡± Wil suddenly raised his head. The handkerchief on his forehead fell to the floor. His bleeding had stopped. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡± Wil stood and picked up the handgun Ien had dropped. ¡°What is wrong?¡± ¡°Where is Major Stork? Did Ien¡ª¡± Wil pulled the slide and ejected the stuck shell casing, loading the next round. ¡°I¡¯ll go have a look.¡± ¡°Me too¡ª¡± ¡°You stay here, Allison.¡± Wil cut her off, disappearing out the door. In the long hallway of the galley. Major Stork, who was standing at the door leading into the next coupling, noticed Wil running down the hallway. ¡°Hm? Wilhelm!¡± Wil, who had been looking around, quickly spotted Major Stork and breathed a sigh of relief. He soon approached Major Stork, who noticed his bloodied forehead and the gun in his hand. ¡°Did something happen?!¡± ¡°Mr. Terreur¡¯s bodyguard overheard us talking¡­ he tried to kill us all.¡± ¡°And?!¡± Major Stork cried, sounding almost anxious. Wil replied calmly. ¡°I¡¯m all right.¡± ¡°Yes, I can see that! What of the others?¡± ¡°Allison¡­¡± Wil trailed off. Major Stork closed his eyes. ¡°¡­Allison shot him and saved us all. The others are injured, but we¡¯re all safe. But now you won¡¯t be able to get a confession out of him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ in any event, I am glad to hear that everyone is all right. And really, we can get all the confessions out of Mr. Terreur.¡± ¡°Where were you, Major?¡± ¡°The radio in the conductor¡¯s cabin suddenly stopped working, so I had to walk all the way to the locomotive and back. I ordered them to continue to the foot of the mountains.¡± ¡°I see. I was afraid that the bodyguard had killed you.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern. Now, all that¡¯s left is to settle things with Mr. Terreur himself. I could theoretically arrest him now, but it will do just as well to merely keep an eye on him until we reach the village. The VIP cabin¡¯s walls and doors are bulletproof¡ªwhile on one hand, it is as safe as a bunker, it is also as secure as a prison.¡± Major Stork crossed the coupling and headed to the VIP car. Wil followed after him. The door to the bodyguard lounge was unlocked. Major Stork entered and knocked on the VIP cabin door. There was no response. ¡°Mr. Terreur! It¡¯s me! Open up!¡± Several times he loudly rapped on the heavy bulletproof door, but there was no response to be heard. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡± He pulled on the doorknob, but it would not budge. ¡°Ien must have the key. Could you go retrieve it for me?¡± Asked Major Stork. Wil nodded. ¡°Of course. Be careful.¡± Watching Wil quickly leave, Major Stork whispered to himself. ¡°Just naive enough. Don¡¯t ever become a villain like me.¡± ¡°Here you are.¡± Not long afterwards, Wil returned from the dining car and handed him the key. Allison, Fiona, and Benedict followed soon after. Benedict was supported by Fiona. Major Stork gave them a lighthearted smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see everyone¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Replied Benedict, who looked the most weary of the group. Allison looked up at Major Stork. Her long blond hair was stained with blood. ¡°We owe you one really eventful trip, Major. Remind me to never go traveling with you again.¡± Major Stork gave a wry grin and knocked on the VIP cabin once more. He warned Terreur that he would be entering, and put the key into the lock. There was a click as the door opened. ¡°How¡­ how could this have happened?¡± Major Stork¡¯s quiet voice filled the room. The five people in the cabin were looking down on the corpse sitting on the sofa. There was blood flowing from its head. Under its limp right hand, a small gun had fallen. ¡°He must have determined and killed himself¡­¡± Benedict mumbled. ¡°Ien, your master is dead. Ask him yourself why that is so.¡± Major Stork picked up the gun, removed the magazine and bullets, and placed them on the table. On the tabletop was the exquisitely-detailed key to the VIP cabin. After entering the VIP cabin, Wil had done nothing but silently stare at Terreur¡¯s corpse. ¡°There is no death penalty in Sou Be-Il. Even if he were to stand trial, he would have escaped with his life. It looks like all that hard work was for nothing. My mission is a failure.¡± Major Stork sighed bitterly, a hollow laugh escaping his lips. ¡°How irritating. I thought I had deceived Mr. Terreur to the end, but he had the last laugh after all. If there was such a thing as a goddess of fortune¡­¡± ¡°If there was?¡± Allison asked. Major Stork replied, ¡°She must be a cruel and fickle mistress indeed.¡± Volume 3 9 — The Answer is Allison Volume 3 Chapter 9: The Answer is Allison ----- By the time the bullet-ridden transcontinental carrying the corpses of Terreur and Ien crossed fully over the Iltoa Mountain Range and arrived at the hill country at the foot of the mountains, Wil and the others were fast asleep. At the back of the first dining car, where the damage was least severe, the four of then had laid out sheets and mattresses from the crew¡¯s sleeping car and fallen asleep in a row. Next to them was a basket of bread that they had emptied out for lunch and dinner, and bottles of jam and water. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± Major Stork woke up three people. Allison alone was woken by Wil. They were in a large train garage. The train was inside a long, narrow building. On the adjacent tracks was the steam locomotive, what had been taken apart for maintenance. It was dark outside. Lamps cast dull light from the ceiling, where steel frames were clearly visible. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry for bringing you to a place like this. It would have been much too conspicuous if we were to pull into a station in this state, so I had the train brought to a military facility. My friends will take care of the rest. The four of you will be taken to a hotel by car. We are currently in a village at the foot of the western side of the Iltoa Mountain Range. It is a beautiful place with a rich history and tradition.¡± After his explanation, Major Stork added, ¡°The village is called ¡®Lillianne¡¯.¡± The four of them said goodbye to Major Stork, who remained on the scene, and were driven through the night by a man in a black suit, who was their guide. The car carrying their luggage followed. Soon, the car arrived at the basement parking lot of a luxurious hotel in the center of town. The four of them took an elevator and were led into rooms on the top floor of the building. They were assigned two rooms¡ªone booked for Benedict and Wil, and the other booked for Allison and Fiona. Allison was furious at the guide, but the guide¡ªthough taken aback¡ªexplained that he had only followed Major Stork¡¯s orders. ¡°Let¡¯s do what he says, Allison. Benedict¡¯s hurt, and we all just want to get some sleep today.¡± Wil said, calming Allison. She shot him a glare, but eventually surrendered and followed Fiona into their room. Soon after Benedict and Wil went to their luxurious room, a doctor visited them. Without a single prying question or attempt at idle chatter, he examined them both. He gave painkillers to Benedict, whose rib was cracked, and put disinfectant on Wil¡¯s forehead before leaving. Finally, Benedict and Wil were alone. ¡°I happen to be glad I¡¯m not in the same room as Allison.¡± Wil said suddenly. Benedict, who was lying on his bed, looked at him. ¡°I have something very complicated to discuss.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ unbelievable, Wil. But it¡¯s not impossible.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to let things end this way. Isn¡¯t there something we can do? This is Sou Be-Il. You¡¯re the only person I can count on.¡± Benedict was silent. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ I might be able to work something out. I was planning to do it anyway. And as long as I can secure a good place tomorrow morning¡­ but it¡¯s still a dangerous plan. You know that, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s going to be in danger. And this is my first and last chance. If I don¡¯t do this, everyone will walk away believing in a lie.¡± Benedict was silent. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°¡­All right. I¡¯ll take part in your plan.¡± ¡°Both Wil and that major! What are they thinking?!¡± ¡°Please, calm down, Allison.¡± ¡°This is outrageous! Stupid!¡± ¡°Please, Allison. There¡¯s still another day left.¡± ¡°If things end like this, my plan¡¯s going to be a total failure!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to try and make sure that doesn¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right! But I¡¯m just going to get some sleep tonight. This room looks expensive.¡± * * * The next morning. ¡°Let¡¯s see. ¡®The village of Lillianne was a royal vacation spot for the Royal Family of Iltoa in the Middle Ages, and first started with a single country house built by the lake. The name of the village comes from the daughter of the king of that time, who went on to become the wise and beloved Queen Lillianne¡¯. And¡­ ¡®The brick buildings were the first to be placed under the protection of the Historic Architecture Protection Law after the rapid industrialization brought on by the industrial revolution. The clean waters flowing down from the Iltoa Mountain Range created fertile conditions for the land, and many locals harvest flowers from the outskirts of the village to use for perfumes. In early summer, the flowers come into full bloom all over the village, giving it the nickname of ¡®Flower Town¡¯.¡± ¡°It really is a beautiful town. It¡¯s funny to think that we could only be here because of what happened yesterday¡­ oh no!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I left my camera in my room¡­ both cameras. What was I thinking?¡± The car was moving down a road lined with brick buildings. Allison, Fiona, Wil, and Benedict were inside an expensive limousine. The driver was a man wearing a black suit and sunglasses. Because cars drove on the left side of the street in Sou Be-Il, the driver¡¯s seat was on the right. In the large back seats, separated by a pane of glass, were four large seats placed facing one another. On one seat was Allison, who was translating and reading out a tourists¡¯ guide from the hotel into Roxchean, and Fiona, who had forgotten her cameras. Across from them were Wil and Benedict. Allison was dressed much like the previous day, though her sweater was replaced by a leather jacket. She also had a small canvas bag placed gently on her lap. Fiona was wearing a long skirt and a white blouse, along with a cardigan. Wil, like the previous day, was in his school uniform with a new shirt. He was holding something that looked like a briefcase. And as for Benedict¡ª ¡°What is that outfit, Benedict?¡± He was in uniform. Benedict was dressed impeccably in a black Air Force uniform. His badge of rank was on his collar, and his medals shone proudly over his chest. Around his waist were his belt and holster. A large Air Force hat was on his lap. He stuck out like a sore thumb among his friends. ¡°Well, this is my formalwear¡­¡± Benedict replied. Fiona looked confused. ¡°So, where are we going?¡± Asked Allison. ¡°A beautiful place.¡± ¡°Like?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say yet¡­¡± Benedict trailed off. Allison and Fiona tilted their heads. Wil was quietly watching the scenery outside. Brick houses passed by the windows. The car left the village and drove along a hilly area covered in brown earth. They finally came to a stop at a park by a small lake. A dense layer of trees surrounded the water, and the sound of chirping birds accompanied the pleasant spring breeze. There stood a lone stone building. Through the large arched entrance and its open doors, the first things that came into view were benches lined up on either side and an altar at the very front. In front of the white sculptures shaped like goddesses and angels were candle holders of gold and silver. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± Fiona gasped, looking around. Soon, Benedict followed after her as he fixed his hat. Wil and Allison joined them. ¡°It is relieving that you are happy. It is a park that is also a chapel, which are common in this area. There are festivals and music parties here sometimes, as well. In the summer, it is even more beautiful because there are many, many flowers.¡± ¡°It¡¯s beautiful now, too. It¡¯s a kind of beauty you don¡¯t really see in the mountains.¡± ¡°There is no one here today, this place is a place where many people come during a holiday. I was born in a family that is not very faithful, so I only come here for things like this, but¡­¡± Benedict trailed off. ¡°Things like what?¡± Fiona quickly asked. Benedict put a hand to the brim of his hat and hid his face. ¡°That is¡­ you will know soon.¡± Benedict went back to the limousine and asked the driver to wait in the car. That was when another car arrived. Driven by another man in sunglasses, it was an expensive vehicle¡ªand from it emerged a bespectacled, middle-aged soldier. Major Stork. Like the day he boarded the train, he was dressed in a dark brown Royal Army uniform. He was not carrying a suitcase. ¡°Good day, everyone. Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Yes, thanks to you! So what are you doing here?¡± Allison asked sarcastically. ¡°Me? I was invited by Major Carr.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Allison grumbled, shrugging. ¡°There are some things I¡¯d like to report to you first, if that¡¯s all right by Major Carr.¡± Major Stork said. Benedict gave him permission, and Stork began to explain. Gauthier Terreur and Thomas Ien, who planned to smuggle weapons into Sou Be-Il and go into hiding, caused the murders in the train to speed up the journey, but they were abandoned by the accomplice who noticed the investigation and killed themselves. Their bodies would be taken into Roxchean custody. That was the information that would be reported to the public. The passengers who remained at the supply base were all safe, but the trip was cancelled and they returned to Roxche via a train that had been dispatched from the East. The Hero, who remained on the train with Terreur, and the people who remained to interpret were all safe, the report would also say. ¡°The deaths of the conductors and cabin crew will be reported as the actions of Ien alone.¡± Major Stork¡¯s tone was exceedingly mechanical. Wil interpreted for him, sounding equally unemotional. Fiona, who had been silently staring at Major Stork, met his eyes for a moment. But she said nothing. Major Stork continued. ¡°On the Sou Be-Il side, we are continuing our internal investigation into the units and officers involved. That is all I can say about this incident. I¡¯m sure that the right punishments will be handed out soon, out of the public¡¯s sight. And for your information, in this particular case, I do not exist.¡± ¡°I have no intention of prying any further about that.¡± Benedict said quietly. ¡°After all, Major Stork of the Royal Army does not exist on this continent. Just like Mr. Herman. And so the truth is lost, they say.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Major Stork nodded. ¡°Finally, everyone¡ªalthough I suppose Major Carr Benedict of the Royal Air Force, who is a citizen of Sou Be-Il, does not count¡ªall citizens of Roxche must return to the East within two days. I¡¯ve arranged for an aeroplane to take you to Green Island tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°So we don¡¯t get to see the capital after all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame. Although I suppose we can¡¯t do much about it.¡± Allison and Wil sighed. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry about this. But I will find a way to invite you back to our nation¡ªto the capital, Sfrestus. I can¡¯t say when, but please let me one day give you a final token of my gratitude. I am truly thankful for your courage and heroic actions. That is all for my report.¡± ¡°Shall we?¡± Asked Benedict. Fiona asked if they would be looking inside the chapel. ¡°Of course. That is why we came here. That is also why I called Major Stork to come here.¡± ¡°It is an honor.¡± Major Stork chimed in. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Asked Allison. ¡°Hm? Haven¡¯t you heard¡ª¡± ¡°Everyone! Inside, please!¡± Benedict cried, cutting off Major Stork. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Gently pushing the confused Fiona inside, Benedict entered the chapel. Allison and Wil followed them. Major Stork instructed his driver to remain on standby, and joined the others. A betrothal oath. It was a ceremony observed by nearly all couples in Sou Be-Il. Two people who decided to marry would visit a chapel or a church and seal their betrothal with a kiss. Although it was perfectly fine for a couple to go alone, some invited friends and family to serve as witnesses. ¡°I want to ask to receive your permission to go through this ceremony together with you.¡± Benedict¡¯s explanation was so long-winded that it took a little time for Fiona to understand. ¡°Saying that, I wish to formalize¡ªer, formally propose to you. That is why I carried you here. Do you understand me, Fi?¡± Fiona, who finally comprehended the situation, looked up at Benedict¡¯s embarrassed, sweaty face. ¡°Truthfully, I wished to formally propose to you when the train went to Sfrestus, but things happened like this¡­ I¡¯m sorry. And I would like you to answer.¡± ¡°What should I do?¡± Fiona asked. Benedict¡¯s response was simple. ¡°If ¡®yes¡¯, please kiss me. If ¡®no¡¯, please kick me.¡± Fiona closed her eyes and quietly raised her face. Benedict slowly leaned down. His face drew near to hers. ¡°May the divine protection of the God of Love be upon us forevermore.¡± He said in Bezelese, then, in Roxchean¡ª ¡°It is very great that the God of Love watches us, so please let him always.¡± They kissed before the altar. Wil and Allison stood side-by-side at the bench to the right. Wil was watching them quietly, his briefcase under his left arm. Allison put a hand on his shoulder and whispered in awe. ¡°Wow.¡± To the left stood Major Stork. He took off his hat and held it before his chest as he watched two people with a gentle smile on his face. Two people parted lips and opened their mouths in unison. ¡°Er.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Please, speak first.¡± Benedict said, yielding. Fiona chuckled. Tears fell from her eyes from the laugh, but she did not seem to care. ¡°It might be difficult to convince the villagers.¡± ¡°I will do my best.¡± Benedict replied. ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s your turn.¡± ¡°What I want to say is that there might be many hard things in front of us, but we two should win together. Something that common. And¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°I will study Roxchean more.¡± ¡°Oh? You don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°Why?¡± At Benedict¡¯s question, Fiona laughed¡ªeven through the tears in her eyes¡ªand answered. ¡°Because I love endlessly listening to your awful Roxchean.¡± ¡°Congratulations. It is an honor to have been invited.¡± Major Stork said to Benedict. Benedict also expressed his gratitude. Allison, whose hand was gripping Wil¡¯s jacket, finally let go and turned to the expressionless Wil. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Hm? About what?¡± ¡°About the ceremony? Like, were you moved, or do you feel happy for them, or¡­¡± ¡°Oh, right¡­ yeah. I do.¡± ¡°What kind of an answer is that?¡± Wil half-ignored Allison¡¯s rage and looked at Major Stork. Major Stork walked up to Benedict and Fiona. ¡°Again, thank you for inviting me. Although I suppose you won¡¯t be announcing this for a while yet, I¡¯d like to express my hope that the two of you will become a new bridge connecting East and West. Well, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± With that, Major Stork bowed courteously. ¡°Thank you.¡± Said Fiona. ¡°And I hope your duties are lessened from now on.¡± For some reason, Benedict did not interpret her words into Bezelese. Major Stork raised his head and turned round at Wil and Allison, his blue eyes narrowing. ¡°And the two of you¡ªbe well. I doubt we¡¯ll ever meet again. The past two days must have been awful for you, but it was a fun time for me. Truly.¡± Wil did not answer. Allison lightly waved. ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Weirdo Major.¡± ¡°Thank you. Excuse me.¡± Major Stork stood upright with a smile. He began walking down the aisle toward the exit. Watching him leave, Wil whispered under his breath. ¡°¡®The departing knight¡¯¡­ or not?¡± Allison turned to Wil, confused. Wil noticed her gaze and replied. ¡°Allison, just stay put and watch.¡± ¡°¡­? Watch what?¡± Wil ignored her and walked up to the altar. ¡°This way.¡± Benedict took Fiona¡¯s hand and stepped over to the side. From before the altar, Wil looked straight ahead at the departing Major Stork. Then, he slowly reached into the briefcase he had under his left arm. Soon, the clasp came undone and his right hand emerged. In his grip was a handgun. It was large, with a thin wooden grip and a magazine equipped in front of it. The chassis was complex and the barrel thin. Wil cocked the gun and disarmed the safety. He placed his left hand over his right and slowly raised the gun. The briefcase fell to the ground. ¡°Soon, I¡¯ll know the answer. Did I find the truth, or not? I¡¯ll be using the gun you lent me, Ms. Travas.¡± Wil muttered to himself. The gun was trained directly at the man¡¯s back. Wil¡¯s index finger touched the trigger. ¡°Now.¡± He pulled the trigger. Bang. A quiet gunshot echoed through the chapel. The gun did not recoil very much. No shell casing was ejected. ¡°Ow!¡± The bullet hit Major Stork on his right shoulder as he walked toward the entrance, then bounced off him and fell to the floor. It rolled under a bench and disappeared. It was a training round made of hard rubber. Major Stork turned and stared at Wil, whose aim was still trained on him. ¡°That hurt.¡± ¡°It certainly must have.¡± They spoke, making full eye contact. Allison looked very confused. Fiona¡¯s jaw had dropped in shock. Benedict was gravely watching Wil and Benedict, who were standing on the aisle. The doors behind Major Stork opened, and the two drivers rushed inside. They were both carrying the same military-issue automatic handguns as Stork. Silencers were equipped on the jutting barrels. ¡°So they weren¡¯t enemies after all.¡± Benedict mumbled under his breath. ¡°Colonel!¡± One man cried, charging at Wil and taking aim. ¡°Damn you!¡± ¡°Do not shoot.¡± Major Stork ordered tersely. The men in sunglasses immediately froze. Allison also stopped in the midst of reaching into the bag around her waist. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°There is nothing to be upset about here. Both of you, please wait in the cars. And make sure no one enters this chapel. That is an order.¡± The men did not retort. They holstered their guns, glared at Wil¡ªwho was still aiming at Major Stork¡ªand obediently returned to their cars. The doors closed, and the men left their presence. ¡°¡®Colonel¡¯. So you were ranked higher than you claimed, ¡®Major Stork¡¯.¡± Wil commented, finally lowering his gun. He could not sound any more indifferent. ¡°That¡¯s a Sou Be-Il gun. And an excellent model, at that. Might I ask how you came by it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll explain later.¡± ¡°Thank you. Now, Wilhelm. If memory serves, were you not the one who told me that we must not point a gun at someone without good reason?¡± ¡°Yes. And I¡¯m sorry. Did it hurt?¡± ¡°Very much. I believe you¡¯ll at least explain?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to tell you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Several things have been bothering me.¡± Standing with a gun in his right hand was Wil. Directly ahead of him, on the aisle, was Major Stork. To Wil¡¯s left, at the very front row of the benches, was Allison. On the other side were Fiona and Benedict. The four people remained where they were as they listened to what Wil had to say. Benedict struggled to interpret his words for Fiona. ¡°First is the matter of Mr. Terreur¡¯s suicide. Mr. Ien only learned of your identity after overhearing us speaking in the dining room. But how could Mr. Terreur have known, when he had locked himself in the VIP cabin all along? Isn¡¯t suicide much too rash a decision? Of course, without any decisive evidence, I can¡¯t do much more than ask these questions. Maybe Mr. Terreur¡¯s suicide really was just a rash choice on his part.¡± ¡°I see. Is that all?¡± Asked Major Stork, gently rubbing his right shoulder. ¡°No. My second point is about you. You knew much too well about the attack patterns of the people you called ¡®them¡¯. You somehow knew that they would attack from behind when we reached a deserted stretch of the mountains, and that they would try and drop the train into the valley to make it look like an accident. And you even managed to pick out exactly the things we needed from Mr. Terreur¡¯s unmarked crates. For someone who claimed that he needed more time before he could arrest ¡®them¡¯, you were too knowledgeable.¡± Wil paused there. Major Stork gave him as look as though waiting for more. Wil continued. ¡°In addition to that, there¡¯s the method you used to thwart ¡®their¡¯ plans¡ªthat is, killing the conductors and cabin crew to speed up the train and taking everyone to the supply base to split the train. It seems to me much too risky and improvised. What if someone had ended up witnessing a murder, and caused a commotion? In fact, that¡¯s exactly what happened in the end, with Allison and myself. Your actions did not look as though they followed a carefully prepared plan. If your goal really was to arrest Mr. Terreur before he fell into ¡®their¡¯ hands, you could have sent someone to do just that covertly before we left the buffer zone and entered the mountain range. Then ¡®they¡¯ would end up assaulting a train that does not carry their target, wasting their time. Of course, they would still cause the incident to cover up evidence, but in that case, all you have to do is report that Mr. Terreur was arrested in the lowlands while on the run alongside ¡®them¡¯. Wouldn¡¯t that be a surer method?¡± ¡°That would mean the deaths of over forty people.¡± Major Stork said reproachfully. Wil agreed and continued. ¡°Then let¡¯s change perspectives.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Here¡¯s an assumption. What if, Major Stork, your boarding the train was not for the purpose of arresting Mr. Terreur?¡± ¡°¡­Then why do you suppose I boarded?¡± ¡°To kill him with absolute certainty.¡± ¡°Let me continue with this assumption as a basis. I thought about Mr. Terreur¡¯s death. What were the pros and cons of his being murdered on the train? First, the cons. The biggest problem it causes is that you can no longer force a confession out of him. In other words, you cannot arrest the people who cooperated with Mr. Terreur.¡± ¡°And thanks to that, I¡¯m in quite a bit of hot water.¡± ¡°And the pros¡ªone is that you can no longer force a confession out of Mr. Terreur and arrest the people who cooperated with him.¡± Major Stork was silent. ¡°If Mr. Terreur dies, those behind the execution of this incident and the people behind them will not be arrested. The ¡®scandal that shakes the entire military¡¯ that Benedict talked about will never happen. If stopping an earth-shaking scandal that may destabilize the currently peaceful state of affairs is more important than punishing those who moved to protect Mr. Terreur, this is incredibly beneficial. And there¡¯s more.¡± Wil paused and waited for Benedict to finish interpreting for Fiona. Once Benedict stopped, ¡°Should I take over?¡± Allison offered. ¡°No. You listen carefully to what Wil has to say, Allison.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Allison mumbled, and tilted her head. Wil took his eyes off her and turned back to Major Stork. ¡°The other benefit is that the smuggling Mr. Terreur partook in with the Sou Be-Il military until now can be concealed forever. Even before this incident, Mr. Terreur had some connections to the Sou Be-Il military. Undoubtedly he must have been selling weapons and military intel. There must be quite a few people in the Sou Be-Il military connected to him¡ªin other words, people who used him. If ¡®they¡¯ had gotten their hands on Mr. Terreur, they might have cooperated with the people I just mentioned and demanded that they assist in attacking Roxche. But with Mr. Terreur¡¯s death, the evidence is no more. Even if you arrested Mr. Terreur, there is no death penalty in Sou Be-Il. You would have had no choice but to keep him alive. Then he would spill anything he can think of to keep himself safe.¡± ¡°Please, wait a moment. You mean to say that Mr. Terreur had connections to our military since before the end of the war?¡± Asked Major Stork. Wil¡¯s answer was immediate. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I believe I explained otherwise before you fired the anti-tank rifle. This was the first time Mr. Terreur acted to betray his own country.¡± Wil shook his head. ¡°That was a lie. I¡¯m certain of it. I asked you on purpose because I was curious to hear what you would say. It was a trap of sorts.¡± ¡°¡­And you have proof that convinces you of that?¡± ¡°Not here, no. But I have it in my head. Concrete evidence.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Major Stork said, amused. Wil paused before diving into one long sentence. ¡°I¡¯ve once illegally entered Sou Be-Il by flying over the Lutoni River on Mr. Terreur¡¯s aeroplane, which was at Mr. Terreur¡¯s secret airstrip near the eastern border of the Republic of Raputoa. It was very simple.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Major Stork¡¯s expression faltered for the first time. The moment his eyebrows furrowed, Allison piped up. ¡°Oh, right! For your information, I did the piloting.¡± Major Stork turned to Allison. ¡°I see. It makes sense now.¡± Then, to Benedict. Benedict spoke. ¡°There aren¡¯t many civilians in that area, on both sides of the river. It must have been rather easy to smuggle things across if he used an aeroplane in the middle of the night. And to add, I also brought these two back to Roxche with incredible ease.¡± ¡°Thanks for that, by the way. I had no idea it would be so easy to cross the Lutoni.¡± Allison added. ¡°What¡­ what are you talking about?¡± Asked Major Stork. Wil responded. ¡°We¡¯re talking about the method Mr. Terreur used to smuggle things over the border. As I said earlier, we once stole one of Mr. Terreur¡¯s aeroplanes. I¡¯m sure you knew about the smugglings as well, Major. But you lied because that was a truth that must not be revealed, correct?¡± Major Stork did not answer. But his silence was as good as acknowledgement. ¡°Let¡¯s continue with the assumption. If your goal was Mr. Terreur¡¯s death, and your mission was to kill him, what were your options? And if you had to make it look like an accident to make it easier to cover up? You just have to cause an accident. An ¡®unfortunate derailment¡¯, for instance.¡± Wil said, using Major Stork¡¯s words. ¡°I have more questions about you. Mr. Terreur and his bodyguard didn¡¯t seem very suspicious of you. That bothered me greatly. Mr. Terreur was going on the run. If the military were to assign him an officer for the purpose of ¡®security detail¡¯, it would only be natural for him to be displeased. But he easily accepted your idea of splitting the train to quickly head for the foot of the mountains. You said that that was to make it easier for the train to escape ¡®their¡¯ clutches, correct? But considering the relationship between Mr. Terreur and ¡®them¡¯, it¡¯s a rather strange stance for him to have taken. But things change if we assume that you were one of ¡®them¡¯ all along. You were a member of the group assisting Mr. Terreur¡¯s flight¡ªis what he believed, at the very least. He thought you were one of the facilitators of the scheme. Even when you split the train, all you had to tell him was that there was a change of plans. Mr. Terreur had no way of confirming your claims, and he wouldn¡¯t oppose you, either.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And that must have been at least a half-truth. You did not board the train to thwart ¡®their¡¯ plans. You had made contact with ¡®them¡¯, pretended to sympathize with their cause, and joined their plot. That¡¯s when the military contact known as ¡®Major Stork¡¯ was created. His role was to take over the train before the attack and assist ¡®them¡¯. That explains how you knew about Mr. Terreur¡¯s cargo, and how you knew so much about the way ¡®they¡¯ would try to attack.¡± Major Stork was silent. ¡°However, the goals you and ¡®they¡¯ had in mind were completely different. Your true mission was to kill Mr. Terreur and thwart their plans. That way, they would be discouraged from ever thinking to do such a thing again. At the same time, you silenced Mr. Terreur and prevented a scandal from getting out, effectively preventing the people from distrusting the military, and preventing a blow to military morale. It also neatly erases the fact that Sou Be-Il had been dealing with Mr. Terreur since before the war ended.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Here¡¯s yet another assumption. What were you planning to do in order to achieve that goal? This is my hypothesis. You originally had no intention of killing the conductors and crew¡ªthe people in charge of the trip¡ªto create a commotion and do something so risky and time-consuming as splitting the train at the supply base. You had no need to do so, and it was, in fact, better that you didn¡¯t. All you had to do, really, was ride the train and kill Mr. Terreur at your leisure, then kill the engineers or set up explosives to derail the train. In other words, you just had to cause an accident before ¡®they¡¯ attacked. One or two missing corpses wouldn¡¯t be a big deal in a train accident. But the missing corpse wouldn¡¯t be Mr. Terreur¡¯s¡ªit would be yours. The man called Major Stork would die in the accident and disappear from ¡®their¡¯ sight forever.¡± ¡°In other words, I was planning to kill all the innocent passengers on that train for the sake of this supposed mission?¡± Asked Major Stork. ¡°Yes.¡± Wil answered firmly. ¡°A horrifying thought.¡± ¡°Yes. But as ¡®they¡¯ thought, this is the simplest plan, and the easiest to cover up. The phrase ¡®unfortunate accident¡¯ can cover everything.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°But you did not choose that option. You split the train to try and outrun the attack, and you fought off an unexpected assault. And finally, you killed Mr. Terreur while disguising it as a suicide. I¡¯m sure you were planning to kill Mr. Ien as well, in one way or another.¡± ¡°Your hypothesis leaves one question, I¡¯m afraid. How in the world did I kill Mr. Terreur?¡± ¡°The door to the VIP cabin was sturdy and locked. You were the only person who could have entered.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense. Ien and Mr. Terreur were the only ones who had the keys.¡± ¡°Yes. Mr. Ien had his key on his belt, and Mr. Terreur¡¯s was on his table. That¡¯s how you set up a scene that implied that you could not have killed him. But the answer is simple. You also had a key. The VIP cabin key that the conductor was holding.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That was why you took the trouble of throwing Mr. Welch¡¯s body off the train. To hide the fact that his bundle of keys had gone missing. Of course, you took care to keep your hands off anyone else¡¯s possessions. You wanted to emphasize that the murderer was not after their valuables.¡± Wil declared. He stopped for a moment, perhaps to try and read Major Stork¡¯s reaction. The man, however, silently waited for Wil to continue. ¡°This is all just my conjecture. But if it¡¯s true, why did you go through the trouble to do something so risky? I thought about it, and concluded that it was because of sudden, unforeseen circumstances. What could it be, then?¡± Wil asked, and turned to the girl with blond hair and blue eyes. ¡°Hm? What?¡± Allison asked, amused. Wil did not reply, instead turned to Major Stork. ¡°Man.¡± Allison grumbled. As Major Stork watched, a faint smile rose to his face. Wil looked at him and finally spoke. ¡°The answer I found was ¡®Allison¡¯.¡± Major Stork quietly stared at Wil. Allison turned to Wil, confused. ¡°What? What about me?¡± This time, he gave her an answer. ¡°I¡¯m saying that you might be the reason why Major Stork suddenly did something so risky and unplanned.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean? Why would he?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll explain, so listen carefully.¡± ¡°All right. I will.¡± Allison nodded. Wil looked at Benedict and Fiona. Benedict gave him a silent nod. Wil turned back to Major Stork. ¡°You too, Major.¡± ¡°Please, tell me.¡± Major Stork replied softly but tersely. ¡°This has been bothering me all this time. I spoke to Allison and Benedict about it on the way, but I still didn¡¯t understand. Why didn¡¯t you kill Allison?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You spared her. I¡¯m talking about early yesterday morning, when she witnessed you murdering Mr. Welch. You had the chance to erase evidence by killing me and Allison then and there. But doesn¡¯t it strike you as odd that a killer wouldn¡¯t kill the witnesses? We were in the observation car at the time, and no one had seen us there. All you had to do was drop Allison from the roof when she went after you, and kill me in the same way afterwards. It would have been so simple. And it would have been easy to make it seem like an accident¡ªwe could have easily fallen from the observation car.¡± Then, Wil paused. Major Stork said nothing. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill us? Because you didn¡¯t want to. Then why not?¡± ¡°Because he fell for me?¡± Allison made the same joke as the previous day. ¡°Sorry, Allison. Could you stay quiet for a bit?¡± Wil asked immediately. Allison shot him a furious glare. But she quickly waved lightly. ¡°All right. Keep going. I¡¯m curious too.¡± ¡°I considered many possibilities, but there¡¯s only one reason I could think of that was enough for you to spare Allison¡ªeven though you were heartless enough to kill innocent people for the sake of your mission. It¡¯s because you knew Allison. You¡¯ve met her in the past, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Fiona, who was listening through Benedict, cried out in a moment of epiphany. She froze with her mouth agape. Benedict looked at her, confused. Major Stork maintained his silence. ¡°What? I¡¯ve met this major before, Wil?¡± Asked Allison. Wil replied, his eyes never once leaving Major Stork. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s right.¡± Allison blankly fell into thought. ¡°Hmm¡­ Sorry, but I just don¡¯t remember. Was it at the joint training session at the end of last year? He¡¯s not the captain with glasses who showed us around, right? Or maybe¡­ did we meet him when we crossed the Lutoni last year?¡± ¡°Earlier, Allison.¡± ¡°There weren¡¯t any joint training sessions before that.¡± ¡°I know. It was before that.¡± ¡°But I couldn¡¯t have met someone from Sou Be-Il before that. Other than Grandma.¡± As Allison floundered in confusion, Wil gestured lightly. ¡°What is it?¡± Allison made her way over to Wil, who stood in the aisle. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Look at him carefully, Allison. You just might remember.¡± Wil said, pointing at Major Stork. Allison shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve seen him a lot over the past two days, but I don¡¯t think I know him, Wil.¡± ¡°Really¡­? Then again, it¡¯s been years now. And you wrote to me saying that you forgot his face, too. And there aren¡¯t any photos of him left¡­ I guess it¡¯s not surprising.¡± Allison, who had forced herself to listen all the way through Wil¡¯s mumblings, shook her hands. ¡°Man, I don¡¯t know! I give up! I surrender! Who is he? Did I meet him at the Future House? Was he our teacher at school? No, wait. Someone like that wouldn¡¯t be in Sou Be-Il.¡± Fiona was pale. She tightly grabbed Benedict¡¯s arm. ¡°It¡¯s all right. Leave it to Wil.¡± Benedict whispered. Fiona looked up at him. ¡°Will it really be okay?¡± ¡°Yes. It will.¡± Benedict replied quietly. ¡°So what¡¯s the answer? C¡¯mon, Wil. I said I surrender.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Wil nodded, and continued. ¡°It might be hard to hear, but please brace yourself, Allison. Remember how you came as fast as you could, but Grandma had already passed away? Just like back then.¡± Allison frowned and looked Wil in the eye. And she took a breath as though about to ask something. But, ¡°¡­All right.¡± That was all she said. ¡°Let me tell you, then. Major Stork is¡ª¡± Wil opened his mouth, turning to Major Stork. The latter refused to looks away, standing tall as he waited for Wil. ¡°¡ªthe subordinate who killed your father on Green Island and fled to Sou Be-Il.¡± ¡°What?¡± Allison gasped. ¡°There¡¯s just no other explanation.¡± Wil replied. Allison¡¯s face turned blank, as though she had just woken up. And several seconds later, ¡°Oh. I see¡­¡± Solemnly, she took out a revolver from the bag around her waist. ¡°So that¡¯s it¡­¡± Firmly holding the gun in both hands, she pointed it at Major Stork. Her aim was almost frighteningly accurate. ¡°Thanks for telling me something so important.¡± As she slowly hooked her finger onto the trigger, ¡°Huh¡­? What?¡± Wil¡¯s left hand firmly grasped the top of the gun. Revolvers had the weakness of being unable to fire if the cylinder was held in place. ¡°It¡¯s too early to be pulling the trigger, Allison.¡± Wil advised. ¡°Really?¡± Allison asked. She looked as calm as ever. Major Stork, facing down the muzzle, was also just as calm. ¡°Where did you get the gun?¡± Asked Major Stork. ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡± Benedict responded in Wil¡¯s place. Allison chimed in. ¡°Wil gave it to me before we left the hotel. In case we got into a dangerous situation, he said.¡± Major Stork turned to Wil and muttered under his breath. ¡°¡­A villain¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t shoot!¡± Fiona cried. ¡°Don¡¯t shoot him, Allison! I know how you feel! But you can just ask Wil to hit him! That¡¯s enough, isn¡¯t it?¡± Allison turned and looked at Fiona. Fiona met her gaze, her eyes filled with quiet determination. ¡°Let me get a hit in, too.¡± Allison smiled. ¡°If Wil tells me to shoot, I will.¡± She turned back to Major Stork. ¡°Benedict! You have to stop her!¡± Fiona pleaded. But Benedict shook his head. ¡°No, I cannot.¡± ¡°Why?!¡± ¡°Because Wil¡¯s magic is not finished.¡± Benedict replied. With his grip still on the cylinder, Wil spoke again. ¡°You knew too much about Roxche, Major Stork.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Fiona looked up in surprise. She could understand him¡ªWil was speaking in Roxchean. ¡°Do you remember? When we were shooting at the armored railcar with the anti-tank rifle. Just before we fired the third shot, I was worried about the shaking of the train.¡± Major Stork did not answer. He instead silently listened to Wil speaking in Roxchean. ¡°At that moment, you gave me the example of game 3 of the Kaashi shooting competition. It was the perfect piece of advice. Thank you. And another instance¡ªAllison had spotted the locomotive coming up behind us, but she and I were speaking in Roxchean. You suddenly interrupted very loudly, demanding to know what we were saying. Almost like you understood what we were saying. That¡¯s how you realized that we were being chased. You had no choice but to force yourself into the conversation.¡± Major Stork said nothing. ¡°Perhaps you were chosen as the contact for this mission because you spoke Roxchean. Mr. Terreur and Mr. Ien seemed to have no idea. I¡¯m sure that was very useful for you, as you could listen in on secret conversations without being suspected of a thing.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if it was on Lestki Island or on the train, but the moment you saw Allison, you must have been flabbergasted. And you must have desperately begun to think. How could you safely assassinate Mr. Terreur, shake off the pursuers, and protect Allison from harm? And you solved all these problems.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m very thankful to you. I¡¯m extremely grateful. If not for you, I would have been caught up in some petty conspiracy and killed. Me, Benedict, Fiona, and most importantly, Allison.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And there¡¯s more I have to thank you about. Thank you for letting me meet Allison. If not for you, we never would have encountered one another at the Future House. I grew up constantly moved by her courage and leadership. And I still am. And last summer, and at the end of last year, she pulled me into two amazing experiences.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m truly happy that I could meet you.¡± Major Stork, who had been silently looking into Allison¡¯s eyes throughout Wil¡¯s words of thanks, replied tersely. ¡°This joke has gone too far.¡± Of course, he was speaking Roxchean. Allison¡¯s eyes glinted. ¡°Wil, can I shoot him now?¡± ¡°Wait a little more, Allison.¡± Wil replied. His hand was still holding the cylinder. ¡°All right.¡± Allison nodded. Wil looked at Major Stork again. ¡°I am not joking in the least. And at this moment, I am in awe of you. You truly are incredible.¡± Not only Major Stork, but Allison and Fiona frowned at Wil¡¯s words. ¡°You are amazing. Never letting the truth escape your own mouth for the sake of your position and responsibilities. What fortitude.¡± ¡°Are you¡­ all right?¡± Allison asked, concerned about Wil¡¯s excitement. Wil replied that he was, and returned to his praises. ¡°Really. Both of you. You and Allison. I am moved.¡± Still holding Allison¡¯s gun in his left hand, Wil took a small step toward Major Stork. And, meeting his blue eyes, Wil quietly bowed. ¡°It is an honor to meet you, Major Oscar Whittington!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Allison squawked. At the same time, Wil¡¯s left hand gently snatched the gun out of her grip. ¡°Huh?¡± Allison blankly looked down at her hands, frowned, and complained to Wil. ¡°Hey! What are you doing?!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t have you shooting him. Didn¡¯t you hear me? This man is your father, Major Oscar Whittington.¡± ¡°What? What are you talking about, Wil? This guy is Dad¡¯s subordinate¡ª¡± ¡°No, Allison. I lied earlier. I¡¯m sorry. I thought that, if I said that, he might confess before you tried to shoot him. But I was wrong. It¡¯s incredible. He wouldn¡¯t talk to the very end.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Allison mumbled blankly, and looked at Major Stork. His right hand was on his forehead as he sighed loudly. Then, he raised his face and muttered, ¡°Your reasoning?¡± Naturally, he was speaking Roxchean. Wil replied, thrilled. ¡°I have two reasons. One big reason and one small. The small reason is the Future House. Before we shot the armored railcar, you asked me about my relationship with Allison. When I told you that we were childhood friends, you mentioned the Future House. And you said that Allison told you about it. That could only have been a lie. Allison would never talk about the Future House. Other than the one exception she made recently, she¡¯s never talked about it to anyone. Even if you were the subordinate who betrayed Major Whittington, you still wouldn¡¯t know that much. After all, there are many excellent facilities for war orphans in the Capital District, where Allison lived. You would have no reason to think of the far-away Future House.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You could only have known because you were the one who sent Allison there. You must have made arrangements ahead of time to have her sent there after your death. Now, the second reason. Actually, ever since last summer, I had suspected that Allison¡¯s father might have been from the West.¡± ¡°Because she spoke Bezelese?¡± Asked Major Stork. Allison looked at Wil, then at Major Stork, and busily back and forth. ¡°No. It¡¯s unusual, but sometimes people might learn Bezelese for use in the military. And I¡¯d known about her fluency in Bezelese since we were children, so that¡¯s not something I¡¯d begin to suspect recently.¡± Major Stork silently nodded and waited for Wil to continue. ¡°Do you know the fairytale ¡®The Princess of Greyruse¡¯? I happened to talk about it with Allison last summer. She was already too old for fairytales by the time she came to the Future House, so that was the first time we got to talk about things like that. Allison gave me the summary of the entire story, saying that she heard it from her father. Do you know how the story ends?¡± ¡°The sky disappears.¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s what Allison said, too. But that¡¯s not possible if her parents were from Roxche.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°You must know that the story exists in Roxche as well. But I suppose you¡¯ve never read the Roxchean version. The ending is completely different in the East. I didn¡¯t know about this until I read the original in the school library. The selfish princess finds the sky god, and this is what the sky god says: ¡®If you wish for the sky, I shall give it to you. But in exchange you must give me your family¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The princess thinks for some time, but finally answers, ¡®I only wanted the sky because I have a family that I can look up at it with. I can¡¯t give you my family¡¯. Then the sky god sends the princess back to the ground. The Princess of Greyruse becomes a kind person, and looks up at the blue skies with her family. The end.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Five seconds passed in silence before Major Stork shook his head and asked in Roxchean. ¡°Who in the world saw fit to turn that wonderfully surreal and abstract story into such an overdone lesson about family?¡± Wil tilted his head and replied. ¡°Hm¡­ I¡¯m not sure myself.¡± ¡°I said so, did I not? If you trust the magician, good things will happen.¡± Said Benedict. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Fiona smiled, tears streaming down her face as she watched the three people. ¡°So, er¡­ what does that mean?¡± Allison, alone in her confusion, turned from one person to another before finally settling on Wil¡¯s smiling face. ¡°Wil, explain!¡± ¡°All right. I¡¯ll keep it short. Your father here, Major Whittington of Roxche, was originally from Sou Be-Il.¡± ¡°Why? And didn¡¯t he die?¡± ¡°I can make a guess¡­ but wouldn¡¯t it be better to ask the man himself?¡± Wil asked, urging Major Stork for an explanation. ¡°I¡¯d like to hear your guess. Please, continue.¡± Major Stork replied. Wil did as he was asked, still holding the large handgun in his right hand and the revolver in his left. ¡°Of course. This is what I think. You were a spy from Sou Be-Il.¡± They could hear Benedict gasp. Major Stork spoke quietly. ¡°Please, go on.¡± ¡°Yes. After the Great War, tensions between East and West discreetly worsened. Both sides ended up dispatching many spies to the enemy. Everyone knows this. You, a citizen of Sou Be-Il, somehow obtained Roxchean citizenship and began to live in the East. And then you enlisted in the military. You slowly made your way up the ranks, and your fluency in Bezelese eventually led you to work at the Main HQ in the Capital District. And, of all places, at the intelligence department. Where they gathered intel on Sou Be-Il and controlled information on Roxche.¡± ¡°Please continue.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who Allison¡¯s mother was. But in any event, when the Lestki Island conflict first began, you were tasked with an important mission. You likely had to transport, or memorize, certain information and bring it back to Sou Be-Il. There would be no other reason for you to risk your life crossing the Lutoni. You asked Grandmother Mut and arranged for Allison to enter her care, then went to Lestki Island under the pretext of an inspection. Then, in order to return to Sou Be-Il, you chose the ¡®best way to remove a man from existence, that no one may find him ever again¡¯. In other words, you faked your own death. You put your identification tag on your subordinate and used a shotgun to make sure his face wouldn¡¯t be recognized, even if he was found earlier than later.¡± Suddenly, someone began to applaud. Major Stork was clapping. ¡°Incredible¡­¡± Benedict commented. Major Stork stopped. ¡°It may not seem that way now, but at the time, the Roxchean military¡¯s information department was quite lax on security. Plenty of gaps for moles like me to infiltrate.¡± ¡°¡®Moles¡¯?¡± Asked Fiona. ¡°Moles are spies who go in secret to the intelligence department and work as the enemy¡¯s intelligence agents. They are the most effective type.¡± Benedict explained. ¡°Thanks to that, the continent enjoyed peace for the next ten years. Although it also drove Mr. Terreur to madness¡­¡± Major Stork said, trailing off. Wil continued with his own conjecture. ¡°The information you took¡­ was it something so critical that a second Great War would break out without it? And was Mr. Terreur connected to it?¡± ¡°Yes. What I took with me was information on the latest railroad guns that had only just been developed. From their capabilities to their positioning, to their likely placements, to blueprints of the revolutionary new shells that dramatically increased their range. If those railroad guns had been deployed, the East would have gotten the upper hand. They could have launched an all-out assault and taken the island. Sou Be-Il would have been at a staggering disadvantage. We had to prevent such a scenario, no matter what. No matter the weight of the sacrifice.¡± Major Stork continued. ¡°Most of those weapons had been manufactured at Terreur Steel. When he learned that secret information on his products were leaked, Mr. Terreur must have been apoplectic. After all, at the time, he was convinced that his company could lead Roxche to victory. Well, I suppose he wasn¡¯t wrong. But in the end, he stopped trusting the Roxchean military, which failed to protect his secrets. And he no longer cared about who bought his power. That was why he began to smuggle weapons. As I said earlier, this is connected to the Sou Be-Il intelligence department as well. The reason I volunteered for this mission was because I wanted to finish what I had started.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Wil breathed, nodding. ¡°But to think that I would run into someone I had resigned myself to never seeing again¡­ when I spotted my grown daughter on the island¡ªand, of all places, among the passengers I was to kill with my own two hands, I thought my heart would stop.¡± ¡°Colonel¡­ can I ask you a question?¡± Benedict, who had slowly come up to the aisle with Fiona, asked in Roxchean. ¡°Of course, Hero of the Mural.¡± ¡°What is your real name?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Stork Fren and Oscar Whittington are both real names of a sort, but currently, I go by Aikashia Cross.¡± ¡°Colonel Aikashia, then. About Terreur¡¯s defecting and the group Wil talked about¡­¡± ¡°Ah, yes. That was just his conjecture. But does it really matter what the truth is? And really, I¡¯m the type to lie without so much as blinking. It¡¯s not a very good idea to trust me completely. And if I were to add, ¡®completely correct¡¯.¡± Benedict was silent at the answer. Suddenly, Fiona quietly tugged at his sleeve. She gestured with her eyes at Allison, who was still blankly standing in front of Wil. Realizing what Fiona meant, Benedict said no more. ¡°Wait!¡± Allison cried. ¡°So Major Stork is my dad?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what he says.¡± Fiona said from behind. Allison turned to face her and stumbled through a denial. ¡°But¡­ something¡¯s different. If I remember right¡­ it¡¯s kind of weird to say this, but Dad was kind of¡­ yeah! He was way more bleh! He was fat! Dad was fat and round and walked really loudly and had this stupid mustache that didn¡¯t even look good on him¡­¡± ¡°Please, I did my best to match my build to that of my subordinate.¡± Major Stork said. The moment he said the word ¡®subordinate¡¯, sadness flashed by his face. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡± Allison yelled. Wil stepped in. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask him? Something that only your father would know?¡± ¡°Right! Then here¡¯s a question for you, Major Stork. What did I call you when we were at home?¡± ¡°¡®Dad¡¯ in Roxchean, and ¡®Papa¡¯ in Bezelese. Of all the questions to ask¡­¡± Major Stork replied immediately. Allison was floored. ¡°He got it, Wil. Was that too easy?¡± ¡°No, that wasn¡¯t even a question. You¡¯ve been referring to him as ¡®Dad¡¯ for a while now, and ¡®Papa¡¯ is the only word for ¡®father¡¯ in Bezelese. Try something else. Is there anything specific you remember?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± As Allison thought, Major Stork reached up and took off his glasses. Then, he placed them in the inside pocket of his uniform as he spoke. ¡°On your seventh birthday¡ª¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Do you remember how you begged me to take you to Bemarte Park in the old city center? I finished work in the morning and went to pick you up at the primary school, and then the two of us walked all the way to the park together.¡± Allison was silent. ¡°You told me that you¡¯d show me something amazing, and I helped you grab on to the highest horizontal bar in the park. Then, you flipped backwards and put your feet on the bar¡­ I ran over, terrified, but you instantly did a backflip and leapt off the bar. That was what you¡¯d wanted to show me.¡± ¡°What did we do after that¡­?¡± ¡°We picked up lasagna and cake at a restaurant and had dinner at home. Your present was a new hat.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Allison suddenly cried. ¡°Don¡¯t just leave out how I knocked you out for a second with a flying kick to the gut!¡± Then, she took a breath. ¡°Is that really you, Papa¡­?¡± She asked as though asking herself for reassurance. She was speaking Bezelese. Major Stork¡¯s answer was simple. ¡°You can trust Wil.¡± Allison turned. Wil nodded without saying a word. Yet Allison tilted her head several times, her blond hair fluttering, narrowed her eyes, and even pinched both cheeks¡ªWil¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Ow.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, Wilhelm. Were you completely confident that your conjecture was correct?¡± Asked Major Stork. Allison finally let go of Wil¡¯s face. Wil shook hie head, both cheeks red. ¡°It was a gamble, to be honest, until I heard the truth from your lips.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Major Stork laughed, amused. ¡°If your guess was off, you could very well have been killed.¡± Wil nodded, staring at Major Stork. ¡°Then why risk so much to do something like this?¡± ¡°I wanted to let Allison meet her father¡­ No. Maybe I wanted to let you meet Allison. Because you would never reveal your own identity. Even in the face of death, you remained silent. You finally ran into Allison after all these years, when the war was no more, but you were still planning on leaving without a word of goodbye, weren¡¯t you? And you would never try to see her again.¡± ¡°I gave up my right to be a father many years ago. I shouldn¡¯t even be allowed to face her.¡± ¡°Yes. You are a terrible person. I also wanted to tell you that.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Thank you, Wilhelm.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really get all the details, but¡­¡± Allison said. ¡°This person really is my dad, right?¡± Everyone nodded. ¡°I see¡­¡± She mumbled, looking around at everyone. Her expression was exceedingly normal, neither happy nor sad, neither thrilled nor moved. ¡°Say¡­¡± Turning to Major Stork, she lightly waved the hand that had been pinching Wil¡¯s face not too long ago. ¡°It¡¯s been a while!¡± There was a moment of silence. Five people stood quietly, not saying a word. Fiona finally piped up. ¡°Isn¡¯t there anything you¡¯d like to say? You haven¡¯t seen each other in years.¡± ¡°Well¡­ er¡­ it¡¯s a little awkward. Y¡¯know, someone I just knew as ¡®Major Stork¡¯ for the past two days suddenly turns out to be my dad, and all¡­¡± ¡°I suppose that¡¯s true. But it¡¯s still wonderful. You should talk. About anything that comes to mind.¡± ¡°I guess, but¡­¡± As Allison floundered, Major Stork spoke up. ¡°To think you¡¯d become a pilot. I¡¯m very impressed.¡± Allison looked up. ¡°You were always quite athletic, but I never dreamed that you¡¯d be working with the latest in technology. I¡¯m so proud of you.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± ¡°And to think that you¡¯d enlisted in the Air Force¡­ I always wished for peace between the nations, but if things had gone wrong, we might have ended up meeting on the battlefield. Major Carr?¡± Major Stork said, turning to Benedict. ¡°Thank you. If you hadn¡¯t announced the discovery¡ª¡± ¡°Please.¡± Benedict said, cutting him off. ¡°It will be a surprise, but I have to tell you something about it. I will tell you later, so now please keep talking to your daughter.¡± ¡°Of course. But to be honest, I¡¯m not sure what to talk about myself. Allison?¡± ¡°Er¡­ yeah?¡± ¡°Will you¡­ tell me your address later? I¡¯d like to write to you. And send parcels. Maybe for your next birthday.¡± ¡°Oh, er¡­ Thank you. For your information, my birthday¡¯s still the same.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ well, of course. Just tell me your address.¡± A conversation so awkward that it did not seem like a father-daughter exchange continued. ¡°All right¡­ but I don¡¯t have a proper address right now. I can get letters if you address them to my unit, but not parcels.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Major Stork replied, quite crestfallen. The conversation stopped again. Several seconds of silence later, Allison suddenly raised her voice. ¡°But! If Wil gets into Confederation U next year after he finishes secondary school, we¡¯re going to rent a place in the Capital District and live together! You can send it there!¡± She declared. ¡°Ah.¡± She added, sounding surprised by what she had just said. Major Stork also looked rather surprised. ¡°Well, er¡­ does Wilhelm agree with you?¡± Allison shook her head. ¡°No¡­ Actually, I haven¡¯t even asked¡­¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a better idea to ask for his opinion ahead of time¡­¡± ¡°Actually, we don¡¯t even know if he can get into Confederation U yet. That¡¯s just what I wish would happen¡­¡± ¡°All right, then.¡± Wil, who had been listening from behind them, suddenly spoke. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°What?¡± Wil addressed both the girl and her father. ¡°I¡¯ve decided.¡± ¡°Decided what?¡± Allison asked. ¡°Once I finish secondary school, I¡¯m going to get into Confederation U. And I¡¯ll rent a place in the Capital District. Let¡¯s live together, Allison.¡± Wil said firmly, still holding the large handgun in his right hand and the revolver in his left. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Two sets of blue eyes widened in shock. Soon, Allison rushed to Wil with her long hair aflutter, and grabbed him by the collar. ¡°Ack!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You mean it, right? You¡¯re not joking or lying or pretending, right?!¡± Allison demanded. Wil sounded as calm as ever as he replied. ¡°Of course I mean it. I¡¯ve made my choice.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After a moment¡¯s silence, Allison hung her head, groaned to herself, and slammed her head into Wil¡¯s chest. Hard enough to knock the wind out of him. Thud. ¡°Gah!¡± And with her forehead against his chest, she stopped moving. ¡°It looks like we¡¯re in the way.¡± ¡°It certainly does.¡± Benedict and Fiona commented as they headed for the exit. As they passed by Wil and Allison, Wil handed the revolver to Benedict. Benedict took the gun and holstered it. And, ¡°Hm? Hmm? Wait, I¡ª¡± Benedict and Fiona each took one of Major Stork¡¯s arms as he stood blankly in the aisle. ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside, shall we?¡± ¡°That sounds wonderful.¡± Benedict and Fiona said, both smiling. Major Stork attempted a rebuttal as he was dragged away. ¡°Wait, those two are¡ª¡± ¡°Now, now. Let¡¯s go, Colonel.¡± ¡°But my daughter¡ª¡± ¡°Let us leave them together.¡± ¡°She¡¯s too young to be promising her future¡ª¡± ¡°It is all right, so follow us, Colonel. I have a fun story about the discovery of the mural.¡± ¡°But living together at their age¡ª¡± ¡°Now, let¡¯s be off, Colonel. Do you dare disobey the orders of a future queen?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wil watched blankly as the three of them disappeared out the door. ¡°You made up your mind, then, right?! Great! We¡¯re going to live together after you graduate, right?! Right?!¡± Allison demanded with her head raised, pulling so hard on Wil¡¯s collar that it could tear. Wil looked into her face, only a few centimeters away, and nodded. ¡°I¡­ I was always worried.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Allison urged, her eyes about to water. ¡°But when I saw Major Stork go through with something so unbelievable through determination alone, I found courage. That¡¯s how I made my choice.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°You know, I always knew really well that it would be better to go to Confederation U. But I was too scared of failure to take that step. But now I have the courage to get over that fear.¡± ¡°Yeah! ¡­Wait, what?¡± Allison¡¯s brows shot up. ¡°Allison. I¡¯m going to attend Confederation U. And I¡¯m going to rent a place in the Capital District. So let¡¯s live together. Then you¡¯ll be able to get parcels from your father.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ is that all?¡± ¡°No.¡± Wil shook his head. ¡°Yeah!¡± Allison cheered. But what followed was, ¡°We can halve the rent and split the housework. Living together makes things more convenient. It¡¯s like killing two birds with one stone.¡± ¡°What? Is that really all?¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± ¡°¡­Hah!¡± Allison pulled on Wil¡¯s collar as hard as she could, and put her right leg around his. ¡°Whoa!¡± Wil was tripped with amusing ease, and he fell back-first on the floor. Allison kept her hold on his collar, sitting next to him and looking into his eyes. Her long blond hair cascaded over either side of his face. As though covered by a curtain, his line of sight was cut off. All he could see was Allison¡¯s face, right in front of his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant when I said we should live together!¡± ¡°Ow! Please don¡¯t do that, Allison. It hurts.¡± Wil yelled quietly. Each time Allison shook him, the back of his head hit the stone floor. ¡°You know, when you talk about a guy and a girl living together, don¡¯t you usually think of something deeper? What in the world is going through your mind, Wil?!¡± Allison asked, her blue eyes glaring straight at Wil. Wil struggled to answer. ¡°Er, what do you¡ªgah!¡± ¡°I mean, what do you think of me?!¡± ¡°Hm? Of course I like you, Allison. You always gave me courage¡ªow!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about!¡± Allison cried. Then, ¡°Say, Wil? Can I kiss you?¡± ¡°Huh? ¡­Here?¡± Wil asked, his eyes widening in shock. ¡°What do you think?! Didn¡¯t you hear what they said earlier? It has to be here!¡± Allison cried, shaking him mercilessly. ¡°Ouch. All right, all right. Okay¡ª¡± Before the altar in the deserted chapel, Allison¡¯s face slowly approached Wil¡¯s as he lay on the floor. And she stopped. Their faces were hidden beneath a veil of gold. Volume 3 Before the Prologue — b Volume 3 Before the Prologue - b ----- Another uneventful day of classes came to an end. In a few days, it would be summer break. ¡°Bye, Lillia.¡± ¡°Bye. See you later.¡± I left my friend¡ªwho was busy with club activities¡ªtook my bag, and headed for the gates. To get home, I have to take a bus from here, transfer to the subway, and then walk a little more. I chose to attend this secondary school¡ªand I like it very much. But it¡¯s true that it¡¯s a bit of a chore to commute here every day. It¡¯d be nice if someone could come pick me up, but I¡¯m going to have to refuse Mom showing up in a slick, flashy sports car like last time, or her friends from work driving here on their way to see her sometimes on a green four-wheel drive vehicle topped with a machine gun. ¡°Oh well.¡± That¡¯s how things always are. I decided to kill time by reading on the bus, and stepped out the school gates. About a dozen or so female students were crowded in the school parking lot outside. One of them asked someone, ¡°Where are you from?¡±. Someone was surrounded by the sixth-year girls. I couldn¡¯t tell who. But I guess it doesn¡¯t really matter. At least, that¡¯s what I thought as I passed by¡ª ¡°Ah! There you are.¡± I heard a familiar voice from the crowd. It was a male voice. Over twenty eyes glared daggers at me from the five o¡¯clock direction. ¡°Lillia!¡± Don¡¯t call me by name! ¡°Miss Lillianne Aikashia Coraz¨°n Whittington Schultz!¡± Don¡¯t call me by my full name! I turned with a furious glare. The sixth-years flinched like they spotted a wild animal from the zoo on the loose, and moved aside so I could see the owner of the voice. Tch. Talk about being uselessly considerate. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Lillia. How¡¯re you doing?¡± Surrounded by the girls was a motorcycle equipped with a sidecar. It was a pretty new model, and the sidecar was spacious. The owner was sitting on the motorcycle. Put simply, he¡¯s a boy one year older than I am. Done. I gave him a look. He suddenly spoke up. ¡°Huh? Don¡¯t tell me you forgot about me. We used to play together all the time¡ªheck, we used to sleep together, too.¡± The sixth-years shrieked in unison. It occurred to me that I should give this guy a good punch or three. I went up to him, ready to do just that, when a senior-classman¡ª who was both ridiculously beautiful and ridiculously rich¡ªspoke up. ¡°Is this your childhood friend?¡± ¡°Yes. Looks like this is goodbye for you and me, ladies. What a shame.¡± ¡°Flattery will get you nowhere.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± The senior-classman scrutinized me like a product on display. Then, she called her friends away as she headed for the luxury car that waited for her. If you stare, the least you could do is apologize. Talk about rude. I went up to the guy who was waving like a smiling idiot and scolded him. ¡°What are you doing here?! Why?!¡± He is my childhood friend. I remember playing with him a lot when I was little. But that¡¯s only because he lives next door to the most famous inn in the Kingdom of Iks¡ªthe country in the Central Mountain Range on the western tip of Roxche that I visit with Mom every holiday season¡ªand because there aren¡¯t many other kids our age in that valley. Incidentally, Iks has been the most popular tourist destination as voted by Roxche for the past ten years. Under the rule of the wise and beautiful Queen Francesca, Iks has been drawing in tourists while maintaining its trademark culture and history. It¡¯s also on very good terms with the royal families of Sou Be-Il. I don¡¯t know her name, but there¡¯s also a princess. The next ruler is also going to be a queen. Anyway, this guy¡¯s name is Treize. I don¡¯t know his family name. After he gave me this embarrassing gem¡ª¡°Call me Treize of Ikstova¡±¡ªit sounded kind of stupid to use a title for him. So I just call him Treize. We met once or twice a year in over the past few years. I¡¯ve never met him in the Capital District. I couldn¡¯t even pay lip service to his messy pants and patched-up jacket. He wore a long pair of boots¡ªwhich I couldn¡¯t tell if they were for horseback riding or motorcycling¡ªand he had a belt pack around his waist. I don¡¯t really dislike this guy or hate him. But he does get on my nerves. Treize finally answered me. ¡°Your mom¡ªAllison¡ªsent me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. When I got to the Capital District, I called the Air Force number she gave me before. She told me, ¡®It¡¯s about time for classes to end, so seduce or kidnap my daughter home¡¯.¡± I could not find the words to answer. ¡°She also said, ¡®Lillia¡¯s school¡¯s pretty far from home, so I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll appreciate it¡¯.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Treize pointed at the sidecar and told me to get in. It was covered in dirt. It wasn¡¯t exactly the kind of thing you wanted to escort someone in. There was luggage and travel gear piled on the back of the seat and the sidecar. Bags, a sleeping bag, a tent, pots, and stuff like that. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ did you come all the way here from Iks on your motorcycle?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Treize answered simply. I was at a loss. Does this guy even know how many thousands of kilometers it is from Iks to here? ¡°I didn¡¯t have enough money to stay at hotels, so I camped out on the plains on the way. I came as fast as I could, but it still took twenty days.¡± ¡°Are you an idiot? It only takes three days by train or aeroplane.¡± Aeroplanes are the hottest mode of transport for vacationing these days. ¡°Stuff I don¡¯t fly or drive myself just isn¡¯t that fun. You know what I mean, right?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I didn¡¯t answer. I understood what he meant. The reason Treize bugs me is because he shares the two talents I have that other secondary school students don¡¯t. My two specialties. One is flying. When I was little, Mom used to leave me at the daycare on the Air Force base. When flights were grounded due to bad weather, Mom would bring me to the hangar and show me the aeroplanes. When I got a little bigger¡ªbig enough to sit in an aeroplane seat¡ªshe wold often take me out for a ride. Mom drove me to a primary school near the base. After class, I would often go to the base to play, and Mom would take me on an aeroplane ride whenever she had the time. And when I was around ten years old, ¡°Why don¡¯t you give it a shot, Lillia? No one¡¯s watching, anyway.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± It was unbelievable, but that¡¯s when I started learning to pilot an aeroplane. Just like a normal mom teaches her daughter how to bake cookies, Mom completely ignored official Air Force pilot training programs and taught me to fly. Once I started getting the hang of flying to my heart¡¯s content, she taught me takeoff and landing procedures, aerobatic maneuvers, how to read the instrument panel, how to read the weather, and about different types of aeroplanes. Maybe she¡¯s just that good of a teacher, or maybe I had talent, just like she said. Right now, I¡¯m better at flying than I am at riding a bicycle. Treize also knows how to fly an aeroplane. Thanks to Queen Francesca¡¯s love of planes, there are apparently a lot of crafts used for tourism in Iks. Maybe that¡¯s why Treize knows. When I expressed my disbelief, the next day, he brought a small aeroplane from somewhere and flew it right in front of my eyes. To be honest, he was a better pilot than me. He was doing aerobatic maneuvers to the background of the incredible Central Mountain Range. The other talent we share is our fluency in Bezelese. I can speak Bezelese, the official language of Sou Be-Il. That¡¯s also thanks to Mom. We spoke both languages at home ever since I was little, and until I started going to daycare, I thought that was what all families did. Unlike before, there¡¯s a lot of activity between Roxche and Sou Be-Il, both on the cultural and economic levels. Students in good academic standing are chosen as exchange students and are given full scholarships by the government to study Cross-River. People can go by train, ship, or aeroplane, but not many people can speak both languages yet. My school offers Bezelese classes, but when I asked the Bezelese teacher if I should take the class, I received the credit on the spot and was told that I had nothing more to learn in secondary school. According to the teacher, I should take it in university for writing a thesis or something. Treize also speaks Bezelese. That¡¯s another mystery, but it¡¯s probably because Iks gets a lot of visitors from the West. ¡°So are you gonna stay at our place?¡± ¡°Allison gave me permission. Although I¡¯m not sure if a certain childhood friend will. Hey, did you just snort?¡± Man, he¡¯s got good ears. ¡°Never mind. Fine. So you¡¯re taking me home, right?¡± ¡°Of course, Milady. Please, have a seat. The helmet¡¯s in there, right?¡± I picked up the leather hat that was rolling in front of the sidecar seat. It looked like an aviator hat. I put it on and pulled the tinted goggles over my face so no one would recognize me. The streets in the Capital District are sometimes incredibly congested, and sometimes completely empty. Treize followed my directions. He was pretty good at riding a motorcycle. Much better than the subway, which brakes out of nowhere every five minutes. At this speed, we probably have time for a detour. I told Treize to take another route because I wanted to drop by somewhere. We arrived at a park in the middle of the Capital District. It¡¯s a refreshing place where the entire area is covered in grass and woodland. ¡°¡®Bemarte Park¡¯, huh? Funny name.¡± Treize remarked, parking the motorcycle by the road. I walked onto the grass. I laid down and looked up at the blue sky. ¡°Ah¡­ that feels good.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t secondary school students supposed to go home straight after class?¡± ¡°What are you, my teacher?¡± ¡°No, but¡­¡± ¡°Then cut your worrying. And move away a little. Someone might think we¡¯re friends or something.¡± ¡°Sure, sure.¡± ¡°One ¡®sure¡¯ is enough.¡± ¡°Sure, Milady.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the Old Roxchean?¡± I lay on the grass for a while, looking up at the cool green trees and the sky filling my view. I almost never visit this park, but ever since Mom brought me here for my birthday, Bemarte Park¡¯s been one of my favorite places. With my right hand I drew an aeroplane. ¡°Whoosh.¡± It climbed, then twisted at the apex and dropped straight down. I repeated the motions for fun. Now that I think about it, I haven¡¯t gone flying recently because of school. I should ask Mom once summer break starts. Wait, summer break? Something¡¯s not right here. I spoke with my eyes still on the sky. ¡°Treize.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You just took a twenty-day trip. What about school?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t go to school. Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± I turned and looked at Treize. He was sitting with his legs stretched, looking back at me. ¡°Then do you work? Don¡¯t tell me you pilot tour planes?¡± ¡°Huh? No¡­¡± He trailed off. I asked him what he did every day. This is what he said. ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± What the heck? Surprisingly, he looked pretty serious. I asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t your family say anything about it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°What? But you know everything about my family. Tell me.¡± I said, sounding a little more pushy. Treize stared at the sky for a while. Was he just going to ignore me? But at that moment, he clenched his right hand into a fist, put it over his chest, and said in a completely serious tone, ¡°That¡¯s a secret. The moment I tell will be when I propose to you, Lillia.¡± What. The. Heck?! Who does he think he is, some sort of mysterious prince? I leapt off the grass and kicked him in the back. ¡°Driver, we¡¯re going!¡± ¡°Sure, sure.¡± ¡°One ¡®sure¡¯ is enough!¡± ¡°Sure, sure¡­¡± Once I returned home on my servant¡¯s motorcycle, I found Mom¡¯s sports car in her usual parking space. After a car company moved in by the narrow road next to the apartment complex, people wouldn¡¯t stop parking illegally there. So they had no choice but to dedicate one lane to parking and make the other lane a one-way street. People rub bumpers as they squeeze into any space they find. We parked the motorcycle and took the elevator up to the top floor. Of course, I didn¡¯t carry a single piece of luggage for Treize. ¡°I¡¯m home.¡± I left Treize at the door as he struggled with his things, and ran into¡ª ¡°Welcome back. It¡¯s been a long time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Not Mom, but Mr. Hero. He¡¯d walked out of Mom¡¯s room. He was a man in a brown uniform. He had black hair and wore glasses. Mr. Hero put a finger to his lips and slowly shut the door, leaving it slightly ajar. ¡°Hello¡­¡± I said. Mr. Hero spoke in a quiet voice. ¡°Hello, Miss Lillianne. Do you remember my name?¡± I replied half-mechanically. ¡°Yes, Major Travas.¡± He was Major Travas of the Sou Be-Il Royal Army. He could speak Roxchean as well, but right now he was speaking Bezelese. ¡°You were on a date with Mom today, right? Thank you for taking the trouble to bring her all the way home.¡± ¡°Not a problem. Your mother was complaining about being tired, and she just fell asleep.¡± ¡°I see. Thank you.¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been invited to join you for dinner. May I wait here?¡± ¡°Be my guest.¡± I replied, and said no more. Major Travas thanked me and headed for the living room further down the hall. He¡¯s come here a few times, so he naturally knows the layout. I stood in front of Mom¡¯s door and peered inside. The setting sun was casting an orange light into the room, and she was lying on the big bed in her comfy military-issue sweats. ¡°¡­¡± She looked happy as she slept. How many times have I seen that expression on her face? I closed the door completely. And just as I turned toward the living room, I remembered someone. I turned and switched gears to Roxchean. It didn¡¯t really matter what language I spoke, but still. ¡°You come in too. The spare room¡¯s open, so just put your stuff there or whatever.¡± ¡°All right. Who was that?¡± ¡°Mom¡¯s boyfriend. From Cross-River.¡± ¡°Does he come often?¡± ¡°Not much these days. Well, doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± ¡°Is this really all right?¡± ¡°I said it is. It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Really¡­?¡± Treize looked a little upset. He began to put down his armful of stuff in the spare room. I walked in the opposite direction from where Major Travas disappeared to. And, ¡°Here. Let me help.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Treize looked strangely sincere. Almost like a kid. I¡¯d almost never seen him make that face. ¡°What? Puppy-dog eyes won¡¯t get you anywhere with me.¡± I said, trying to hide my surprise. ¡°You could at least get me a cup of tea or something.¡± That was pretty rude. Oh well. I guess I can brew a cup of tea for the two of them. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go change, so watch TV or something. Also, don¡¯t even think about peeping.¡± Lillia said as she went into her room. The boy and the man sat at the table with two steaming cups of tea between them. Lillia opened the glass door and disappeared into the room along the hall. ¡°¡­¡± When Treize turned, his eyes met those of the major. He was looking at him. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Treize gasped. ¡°What might be the matter?¡± Major Travas asked in Roxchean. Treize shook his head, answering that it was nothing. Then, he picked up his cup and happily sipped his tea. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Suddenly, he realized that Major Travas had not even touched his cup. ¡°You think Lillia poisoned it or something?¡± Treize asked, a little annoyed. Major Travas shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m not very good with hot foods and drinks. It¡¯s a habit I could never fix.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Treize replied, and returned to his tea. He was about halfway through when, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. It¡¯s an honor to be able to meet you again.¡± Said Major Travas. Treize put down his cup and gave the man a quizzical look. ¡°Have we met before?¡± ¡°Yes. Although it¡¯s been nearly ten years now. You¡¯ve grown quite a bit, Your Highness.¡± Treize silently glared at the man. Major Travas slowly bowed. Treize glanced at the hall. Thankfully, Lillia was still in her room. ¡°¡­Please, raise your head. Who are you?¡± Major Travas did as he was asked. ¡°The one you suspect me to be.¡± ¡°I see¡­ so it¡¯s you. The one Father and Mother always spoke of.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°The true Hero of the Mural, the Magician who saved Mother, Allison¡¯s trustworthy subordinate, and¡ª¡± ¡°Did they tell you that much?¡± ¡°¡ªLillia¡¯s father, Wilhelm Schultz. I knew I saw a resemblance. She has your eyes.¡± ¡°Ah, so that was why¡ª¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I am happy to hear that.¡± Wil picked up his cup, blew on it, and finally began to drink. ¡°This tea is delicious. It¡¯s the first time Lillia¡¯s ever brewed tea for me.¡± Treize silently emptied his cup. When he placed it on the table, Major Travas said quietly, ¡°I came here today because I was told you came to the Capital District. I¡¯d wanted to let you know about me.¡± ¡°I see. ¡­I will protect your secret with my life.¡± ¡°Thank you. But your life comes before my secret. You must protect yourself, and¡ª¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°The one you love.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Treize and Major Travas continued to quietly chat over tea, making sure to occasionally glance down the hallway. Major Travas asked about Treize¡¯s family. Treize explained. That his mother Queen Francesca, and his father Benedict¡ªwho had left the Sou Be-Il military to help his wife¡ªwere both doing very well and were in good health. That they were so relaxed that they could often go back and forth between the royal palace in Kunst and the valley. That the only hard worker in the family¡ªhis sister the princess¡ªwas left to grumble about how it was all up to her to get things done. ¡°Meriel thinks she¡¯s the older sister, but I think she¡¯s the younger one. We argue about it every time we meet. Being twins sure is a bother. But Mother was right to choose Meriel. I like being able to come here like this.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Major Travas replied, an amused smile on his face. Treize asked how Wil was able to gain Sou Be-Il citizenship. Although he added that Major Travas did not have to answer, Travas told him. That, upon graduating from Confederation Capital University after three years of study, he became the adopted son of a trustworthy Sou Be-Il aristocrat. That he attended university in Sou Be-Il for about two years under the tutelage of a distinguished individual. That, as planned, he took on the job of clearing up international problems at the embassy. ¡°It was quite painful to kill ¡®Wilhelm Schultz¡¯, but I did not wish to get an innocent person involved.¡± Major Travas confessed, his eyes narrowed. ¡°You mean Lillia?¡± Treize asked for confirmation. Major Travas nodded. He then explained that he had fewer dangerous missions now, and that thanks to that, he was able to spend more time with Allison as her ¡®boyfriend¡¯. ¡°One day¡­ will you be able to tell Lillia the truth?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Would it be best to tell her, or keep her in the dark? What do you think?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± Treize answered, mirroring Major Travas¡¯s answer. At that moment, Lillia finished changing and came out of her room. Major Travas also noticed that she had come outside. They ended the conversation they had as their true selves. ¡°Please take care of Lillia.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Placing a hand over his chest, Treize quietly but firmly nodded. Then he added, ¡°Although I have no idea what she wants of me¡­¡± -End-