Part 87: A Familiar Face

Shoki is defeated for good this time.

*clap* *clap* *clap*



Impressive, as expected.
Now you're going to tell me where Nicolai is.
Hm.



I sensed Nicolai in that monster! First, you take the Émigré Manuscript! Then, you take Nicolai! I'm here to put an end to this!



It has nothing to do with you.



Not good enough!
Get any deeper into this and your very soul is in danger. Leave Japan at once!
No way!



Someone in this capital is pulling the strings, and I plan to find out who.
No matter what?



That lousy coward! He's hidden away while millions of lives are ruined! I won't let him get away with that!
.........


Hien and Raiden jump between Kato and Yuri. I'm not sure why they're doing it now, as opposed to when Yuri first started yelling at Kato.

The Army's Hojo Research Facility. That's where you'll find Nicolai.
He's still alive?
Of course. But the minute you step foot in there, they'll use all their power to stop you.



Sounds good.
Very well. I'll be waiting.


I like how Karin just looks at Yuri at the end without saying anything. It's like she thinks he's crazy or something.





Hm, is that right? ...So you came all this way to find this man you call "Nicolai"?
Yes.
A leading member of a secret society and heir to the Imperial throne of Russia? And now Ishimura has him.

Oh, for the love of... We've been over this, he'd only be heir if ALL the legitimately born children were dead, and probably all of the current Emperor's brothers and sisters were dead as well.

Ishimura?
Foreign Minister Kantaro Ishimura, the one who truly controls the Cabinet.
So that's Kato's boss?



Correct. He wields tremendous influence here. Recently, he's even formed his own army called the Iron Soldiers to consolidate his power. He also controls the Hojo Research Lab.
That monster...and the Mutant Apes, too?
That monster was probably an experiment that somehow managed to escape.



That laboratory has been conducting suspicious experiments for years. Always involving new weapons research.
It looks like Ishimura somehow plans to use Nicolai against Russia.
Against Russia?!
That's correct. He may even open up a new front in the war.
He's that crazy?



He may be a bastard son, but there is no doubt that he is the prince.



If we are not careful, Ishimura will use him as his pawn to seize power in Russia.
No way...
Do you think he can really do it?
It's been done successfully many, many times in the past.
If this war gets any bigger, a lot more people are going to die.
What's truly scary is that he is willing to unleash his monsters on the world.
Uh, but then...
Hm?
I just don't believe Kato's capable of it. He wouldn't just blindly follow orders from someone like Ishimura. I'm sure...he's planning something else.
Why do you think so?



He's got a good heart. In Shanghai, he protected your daughter all the way until the end. But even so, I can't see why he'd come all the way to Europe to help Sapientes Gladio get the Émigré Manuscript.
Huh? Émigré what?
The Émigré Manuscript. A magic book that brings back the dead.
So far, everyone that's been after it has been trying to use it for evil purposes. Last time it caused a hell of a mess!
I don't believe it! I owe that man a great deal for bringing back Yoshiko's body all the way from Shanghai.
I can't really believe that Kato would use that book to pursue evil ends.



Hm...
What is it? Did you just remember something?



That woman named Ouka...
From the Mutant Apes? What about her?
You don't think she's prettier than me...do you?



When I heard her voice, I thought it sounded kinda familiar.
Yuri, have you ever met her before?
No, that was the first time.
Well, so what?
She sounded like...Lt. Col. Kawashima!



What?!


Naniwa clutches his chest and staggers to his feet.

My...Yoshiko...!


How many more old men must you kill before your bloodlust is sated, Yuri?!


Some time later...


Kurando comes out from the house.

Is he all right?
Yes. He's resting at the moment.
It scared me when he fainted like that.
You'd faint too if you heard that your dead daughter was still alive.



But...do you really think that Ouka person is Lady Yoshiko?
I didn't see her die with my own eyes, so I'm really not sure.
...Couldn't we find out by paying a visit to the laboratory?
What?
*sigh* Yeah.



There's an idea! We'll just go right out and ask her, "Are you Yoshiko Kawashima?" It's easy! Why didn't I just think of that?



A-Are you sure?
Of course!
.........