Part 83: As the one mercy I can offer you, I'll end this quickly.

-Town Where The Lights Went Out-



Sister Rosa: I do not think her life is in danger, but for now, all we can do is pray for Her mercy.
Sarah: I can't decide what we should do for dinner without Lila! Aaaaah! Oh, please, Lila, wake up!
...



Now I need to arrange a full investigation of the damage to the market, and put together a plan to rebuild it and order materials...
And after that I need to...to arrange to have aid and repair materials sent to...to...Lila...
Get it together, Maybelle! You have a mountain of work to do! How is the city supposed to function if you sit around moping?! Father would DIE of shame!
I have a mountain of work to do. I can't waste time being depressed...



Manager Lechter: Thankfully, we'd already started preparing plenty of soup for those who evacuated here. Nothing helps to calm the mind quite like a warm bowl of soup.



Alta: It reminded me of the Hundred Days War...I'd heard it then, too. The city was filled with that terrible, terrible sound. The sound...of buildings collapsing...



Lyndon: A DRAGON! One of the legendary creatures said to have lived since before the Great Collapse over a millennium ago! I knew I was right when I theorized they still lived! I-I need to get testimony from the witnesses and draw a sketch and...



Barlowe: In accordance with Mayor Maybelle's request, our hotel has opened its rooms to provide shelter for the merchants, but...If that monster reappeared, what could we do...









It's awful!
I think...for the moment, the best thing we can do is try to find the village elder. He should, hopefully, know what happened to the dragon and Agate.
Yeah...let's look.



Emile: The fires may be out, but the damage to the orchards is...It's just terrible. We won't be harvesting a thing this year. I wonder if Ravennue can even survive this...



Heeey, Lewey.
Thank Aidios...I'm glad you're safe.
Lewey: Y-Yeah, I'm fine. But, but...the orchards...
Aww, you tear up so easily...
Don't worry, it's okay! We're all together, and we won't let the dragon do anything else bad.
Lewey: R-Really...?
Really.
So just listen to your dad and be a good boy, okay? Just for a little longer!
Lewey: Okay...I will! You be careful too, miss! The dragon's really big, after all.
Fran: But everyone's saying I can't go outside because of the mean dragon. Are dragons really that scary? In the stories, they're all nice and good and help the Goddess...I guess dragons have different personalities, just like Lewey and Vince, huh?



Limon: We took care of it through the rain, the wind, and yet...It was all torn down and burned to ashes in a single moment. The symbol of the village, and everyone's pride, ruined in an instant. I'm so frustrated and angry I can't even cry!




Melony: He introduced more efficient machines, carefully crossbred trees to be shorter so that harvesting would be easier...He's done so much for the orchards. They're his passion. But now...now...What can I possibly say to make things better?



Vince: The orchards...The orchards are ruined! It even got Pesca's tractor...Damn you, dragon...Damn you!



Figaro: He used that huge sword of his to cut down some burning trees, roots and all. Thanks to that, the fire didn't spread any farther. I'll admit, all I could do was just stand there and stare in awe! Last thing I expected him to use that sword for was to chop down the trees, though...



Lore: My wife and son are in Bose. Once we're done cleaning up here, I'm going to rush over there as fast as I can.



Elder Reisen: Hmmm...? I remember you. Have you come all the way from the guild in Bose?
Yeah, that's right...You remember us, sir?
Elder Reisen: Yes, you slew those monsters for us, and you helped with the bandits as well! It'd be hard to forget you after all that.
I see...
Oh, no, never mind that! Where did the dragon go?!
And, um, um, Agate! Where's Agate?
Elder Reisen: Ah, um, yes...After burning the orchards, the dragon flew north. Agate showed up right afterwards and helped put out the fire...but when it was over, he simply...vanished.
Agate!
Are you sure he didn't go off to find his sister? She lives here, right?
Elder Reisen: His...what? I see. So that's what Agate tells people, is it.
Pardon...?
Um, um...What do you mean?
Elder Reisen: I did check earlier. Agate is...not with Mischa. He's not at his house, either.
I see...
So he must've gone after the dragon, then.
North of here...That would lead to the old Ravennue septium mine.
Hmm. Sir Elder! Is there anything we can do to assist you?
Elder Reisen: Oh, no, you don't need to fret over us. We managed to get the fires out, so all that's left now is cleaning up. More importantly...please, help Agate. When he's in...this sort of state, there's no telling what he might do.
G-Got it!
Everyone, come on! Let's search the road leading to that mine!
Okay!



Birnette: Oh, mercy, everything from ten years ago's come rushing back. It took but a single moment to lose everything we had.



(Wait a second...! Mischa...That's the person the elder talked about a bit ago...)
What is it, Estelle?
N-No, it's nothing.
(I'm really curious now, but we need to chase after Agate first.)



-Rock on the Road-













The door's open. Do you think...



Estelle! Look! The chain's been cut! It looks recent too...
I knew it!
Agate's work, I'm sure. He must have gone inside.
We have to hurry and catch him!
Come on!
Okay!

-The Enforcers-



*ROOARRR*



...





Hmph. We'll need a bit more time to gather the necessary data. Of course this is the sort of job he'd shove off on me...
Havin' a bad day?



You're that red lieutenant from before, aren't you? You've got that same golden sword. Been a while...you bastard.
Agate Crosner, the Heavy Blade. Bracer rank C.
Ah, no, you were promoted to rank B after the coup.
No surprise that a former member of the Intelligence Division would already know that.
You were always sneakin' around in the shadows like a rat back then...Decided to get a bit more showy this time, huh?



Well, whatever. I ain't interested in arrests or anything nice like that today. I'm just gonna slice that smug look right off your face.
Confident, aren't we?
I wouldn't call what happened 'showy,' personally. It was certainly nothing compared to what you saw ten years ago. I've had a look at the records of every bracer in this country. Heh. You and I are very similar in some ways, Agate Crosner.

-Silence-

...
Heh...Similar, huh?

-Silver Will-







On top of that, I have a dragon at my disposal.
So what could possibly drive you to engage me alone?
You think I give a damn about my 'chances of winning'?
I can't stand you. I'll take any chance I can get to kick your ass!
Unbelievable. This is the extent of your power? I won't even need the dragon.
What?!





That being the reason we take up our swords.
The hell are you--
I wield mine to discard my humanity and walk the path of ruin.
You only wield yours in a desperate attempt to fill the emptiness within you.
...
Swinging that lump of iron fills the void within you. For a brief moment, your rage lets you flee from your grief.
But in the end, you're only deluding yourself.
...Shut up...
Should you continue to hide behind your delusions, you will never move forward. As you are now, you are neither fit for enlightenment nor the path I follow. You will always remain incomplete.





The way it's echoing...I think he must be in the big open mining pit!
Come on! Let's hurry!



Um, Estelle, what's wrong?
This way should lead right into the mining pit...Why is it blocked off by rocks?!
Perhaps the dragon did something that caused the passage to cave in?
Um, okay, then! I'll use my cannon! Stand b--
No, don't, Tita. An explosion could just make it collapse further.
But, but...!
Tita...I know how you feel, but stay calm, okay? Let's see if we can find another way around.
O-Okay!



This bridge was broken the last time we came here.
It must have been repaired in the interim. Perhaps by the Royal Army, or local miners?
Maybe...










Careless.
As the one mercy I can offer you, I'll end this quickly.



Tch!

-Silence-



Guh...





I should alter the Gospel's control style while I still have a moment.
Just a...damn second...

-In My Heart-



It's not...over...yet!



AGATE!



Tita!





NOOOOOO!



Shortstuff...The hell...are you doing...?
I, um...! I-I was worried about you, Agate, so I came here with Estelle and...
TITA!







*GRRRGH*









You idiot! You think 'please' will work on him?! Just run already!
The granddaughter of Zeiss' Professor Russell, Tita Russell...I'd heard you were a child genius, but no genius would behave so recklessly.
In truth, I'm not fond of harming women or children.



Still, I'll do what I must. Now, be a good girl and move.
You son...of a bitch!
I...I won't move!
I won't! Agate's always saving me, so...I have to help him back! I have to...
No...That's not it. Not just it.
He's blunt, and he always looks annoyed...He always treats me like a kid and calls me things like 'shortstuff,' but...He's really very nice, and he's always watching out for me!
He means so much to me...I love him!



So I won't move, no matter what!
Tita...
Heh. You're a very brave little girl.
Though I can hardly believe you care that much for such a blockhead...



It seems you aren't the only ones who wish to challenge me, so I'll take my leave for now.
Eh?

-Silence-



-A Lurking Shadow in the Wilderness-









Now we can begin the final experiment.



Ah!
W-Wait, you...
Don't forget, Agate Crosner. So long as you continue to delude yourself, you won't amount to anything. Nor can you protect anything you deem important.
Tch...
W-Waaaaait!



I am SO not letting you get away after all that!
Estelle Bright. You, too, should take this to heart.
Huh?
Once this experiment ends, our plan will enter its next stage. If you fail to keep your wits about you, I guarantee you will come to regret it.







All hands, fire! FIRE! BRING IT DOWN!





Let us go...Ragnard the Ancient.