Part 89: Damn you...You will not escape!

-Tetracyclic Tower-



Oh, woooooooow! It's so big!
He's so handsome, too! It's a shame he's asleep. I hope he wakes up soon!
I told you, girl, if he wakes up we're in trouble.
Still...helluva creature.



Hmm. 'Incredible' hardly does it justice.
Estelle!
Heheh, you guys came too, huh?
Your Highness...it is dangerous out here. Please, I must ask you to return to the cabin.
Haha, I'll be fine, General.
Besides, seeing it up close...it truly is magnificent.
Is it really asleep, though?
We've confirmed a heartbeat, so it isn't dead.
Even so...we pumped enough tranquilizers into it to stop an army of normal monsters. It will be down for a while.
Cool, that's good, then.
Speaking of things being good...Does anybody see that Leonhardt-Loewe-whoever guy around?
Hmm. I doubt he could be hiding.
Loewe held the Gospel, which was the linchpin of this experiment. If he is not here...does that mean they have abandoned their quest?
According to the patrol ships that chased the dragon in, there was never a rider visible. I'd say it's very likely he wasn't present to begin with.
Hmph. Not surprising.
He probably learned of our plan and fled. Typical of his sort of criminal element.
Hmm. I dunno, he doesn't seem like the kind of guy to just turn tail and run.
Indeed. We shouldn't let our guard down just yet.
Incidentally. Where ARE you taking the dragon after this?
For the moment, the plan is to tow it to Leiston. After that, we'll need to discuss it with Her Majesty and Cassius first.
I see.
Huuuh?
Dorothy?
Did you find something?
Hmmmm...Maybe it's just my imagination, buuuuut...Is there a bump on his forehead?
Wha...



She's right. There's this little bump.
There's a slit on it, actually. Maybe it's like an eye or som--

-Silence-





No!
The Gospel! It's here!



...!
Hm?!

-Ancient Makes-















Damn you...You will not escape! Schwarz! Get us in the air!
Sir!











Helmsman Lux: Damn it all, we can see the heat signature right there, too!
It must be jamming our missiles somehow...
All right, then! Give it a taste of the main guns!
Sensor Operator Echo: The target is increasing speed! 2300 selge per hour...2400...2500, 2600...?!
Tch. What a monster. None of the patrol ships will be able to pursue it...
The Arseille's engine can keep up with that!
All hands!
We will now accelerate to flank combat speed! 3200 SE/H! All hands, brace for g-force shock!
Wh-What does THAT mean?!
The massive acceleration and thrust will feel like it makes us heavier! Crouch down and brace yourself!
Okay!
Flank speed, ENGAGE! DO NOT LET IT ESCAPE!
Helmsman Lux: Aye, ma'am!















Sensor Operator Echo: At this rate, we'll lose visual.
Keep going! Do not lose it!
Tch! How can we still be in a cloud?!
Wait! Where is this?!
What do you--



The Nebel Valley...!
Could we already be in the mist?!
Hmmmm...



Sensor Operator Echo: 1100, 1000, 900...Dragon...lost, ma'am.

-Silence-

Tch!...
Julia...
So we lost sight of it?
...We did.
The northwestern part of the Nebel Valley...the place where the fog is deepest.
Can we dock the Arseille in that old fort?
No, the Arseille is too large.
I see.
The operation is over, then. All operation ships are to patrol the Nebel Valley region.
The Arseille will return to Bose.

-Crushed and Scarred-





It's the part of the valley that's hardest to traverse, and it's covered in deep fog, being further in than the bandit base was.
In other words, scouting by airship will be difficult?
Hm. 'Difficult' at best...
There's really no option but to dispatch an expedition on foot.
But wait a second! If you send a whole army the dragon will just run away!
She has a point.
I think it would be better to try and strike at him with a smaller group while he's still vulnerable.
Meaning you'd like for us to leave it to you.
Well, we are more used to investigating something on difficult terrain than most of your troops.
I would say we're the right people for the job.
Hmmmmm...
Do you have any idea of HOW you would 'investigate' this? As I recall, there is no real road into that section of the valley. Simply wandering over and praying to Aidios that you'll find something could take days...at a minimum.
Er, well...
Man's Voice: Leave that to me.

-Dancing With The Wind-



Oh!
Agate! Tita!
Yo! Sorry to butt in.
Um, pardon us!
What're you doing here...
A-And more importantly! Are you sure you should be up and about?!
Like I told Tita, this is nothin'. Just a buncha scratches.
Tita. Is he serious? Estelle Stare, Tita. Estelle Stare.
Um, y-yeah...I don't think Agate's really pushing himself.
I see...Well, okay then, I guess.
Hmph. You have plenty of energy, if nothing else.
You said 'leave it to me,' but do you even know what we're talking about?
Yeah, Lugran filled me in on the details. That overgrown lizard's disappeared into the northwest corner of Nebel Valley, right?
Yeah, but what can you--
I know a man who knows a lot about the area. If we ask him, we should be able to find a way to get into that corner of the valley.
Oh?
Who is this guy, exactly?
A tough old-timer by the name of Whemler. He lives on the eastern side of the valley. He bragged to me once that he got across the ravine that divides that part of the valley from the rest.
Oh, right, right! That old man living in that little hut!
Heh, impressive. Your constant hunt for information has borne fruit, you might say.
...
Even if you find the dragon...what do you intend to do? It is not what I would call a trivial foe. Do you intend to slay it yourselves?
There's a Gospel on the thing's head, right? Job one is to deal with that.
Hmm?
It does follow that the reason the dragon has grown violent is due to that Gospel. The Gospels have been responsible for all sorts of bizarre phenomena before now, after all.
And if we nullify the Gospel, perhaps we can put an end to the dragon's rampage.
Sounds like a good plan to me.
When you say you'll 'break the Gospel,' you remind me of what Father Graham did.
He hit the Gospel with an artifact and shorted it out, but we do not exactly have a surfeit of artifacts...
Yeah, we don't have time to fiddle with stuff like that. We're just going to smash that thing to bits, frame and all.
What...?
Whoa, hang on a sec! Can we really break a Gospel that easily? Whenever I handled one, it always seemed like it was really sturdy!
Let's just say we've got a solution to that little problem.
Take a look.





Your sword!
There's something fitted into the...Oh, now I see.
Russell tossed me a new gizmo of his in the mail.
It's a little something for breakin' Gospels.
For real?!
Hmmmm...How is it meant to work, exactly?
Ooh, I'll explain!
The unit on the hilt applies high-frequency vibrations to the blade that will help it break a Gospel's frame. Because of the vibration, the motor will break after a few hits...
But Grandpa is sure that if you hit a Gospel cleanly with a vibrating blade, the Gospel will break!
I, uh, don't think I quite get it all, but it sounds incredible!
Heh. Liberl's greatest living genius comes through once again.
I got Tita to attach it when it arrived, and it seems like it works. All that's left now is to find the dragon and give him a good one on the forehead.
So, Mister General, how's that sound for a plan?
...
If Russell's given you a fighting chance, I suppose I have no choice but to agree.
So, then...
You'll let us take a crack at it?
Yes...Do everything you can.
However, I will have airships around the valley, on standby. They will be able to respond if...or when...the dragon slips past you.
Heh, sounds like a challenge. You just tell them they won't need much ammo.



Once you've discovered the dragon's location, please contact us.
Roger! Leave it to us!
I'll have Sieg carry a message once we find it. If I'm not with them, I'll ask him to stay near Estelle.
Screee. ♪
Your Highness, if you do accompany them, please take the greatest care.
Estelle Bright. Agate Crosner.
Huh?
...What?
If the dragon escapes the valley, the army will move to contain it with everything we have. We will not allow the people of Liberl to come to harm again.
So...do everything you can. Don't worry about protecting others. Focus on your mission and leave the rest to us.
General...
So, basically, 'I got your back'? Never thought I'd hear that from you, General. What brought that out?
Nothing but politeness, Mr. Crosner.
Captain. Get us in the air.
Sir!







Yeah.
More importantly, though...
Are you really tagging along, Tita?
Heehee, of course!
If the vibration unit breaks, I can fix it right then and there! I think my cannon can lend a hand against any flying monsters, too.
Tch...Fine, whatever.
Just don't slow us down, shortstuff.
No problem!



Estelle? What is it?
What's with the look?
Oh, nothiiiing. Much. How do I put it...? I was just thinking that you two seem a lot closer now.
Ah, the proud Raven wears his white armor openly at last! It moves a man to tears! ♥
Wha...?
The hell are you going on about?
Ahaha! Look at that blush!
But seriously, it looks like you've got your feelings all sorted out, huh?
Yeah...Yeah, I do. I ain't gonna run off alone and get wrecked like a chump anymore. If I do, I'm gonna have a certain little someone guilt-tripping me with her pouty face again.
Awww, Agate...
Ahaha, I see, I see.
Okay, then! Let's hurry to Nebel Valley!
Yeah!
Let's move out!