-"That's why we are here."-I ended my explanation.
-"We don't have a choice, do we?"-The girl who appeared to be the leader of others sighed.-"We will assist you, but I hope you can also help us save other students."
-"We can do so as long as it won't interfere with our main mission."-I nodded.-"But before that, I hope you can introduce the sniper who observed us for some time."
My words caused the five girls to show some surprise, but before they could respond, a crisp sound of military boots hitting the floor came from the side. I looked toward the source of the sound, and my eyes widened in surprise.
The person who entered was someone not only familiar, but also someone I was looking for for some time. A young woman with deep red eyes and hair like a flame, with an aura no weaker than Ch'en's, and a stern expression of an experienced soldier. She looked at all of us without much of a change in her expression, but when she noticed me, her eyes visibly widened as a glimmer of recognition appeared in them.
But she quickly collected herself and acted as if nothing had happened; after all, she could tell that I didn't want to be recognized, judging by my outfit. As such, she turned to Ch'en and spoke with her.
-"I'm Fiammetta, Executor of Notarial Hall on a special mission."
-"Special mission?"-Ch'en glanced at me, but then returned her attention to Fiammetta.-"Are you here because of the Laterano-Ursus war?"
-"You can consider it so."-She nodded.-"But my mission is none of your concern, Lungmenite."
-"Indeed."
-"Ehem."-One of the student girls stepped forward.-"Can we focus on the situation at hand?"
-"Sorry, Sonya."-Fiammetta smiled slightly.-"A few days ago, we encountered some problems due to Reunion sending more people to this city plate. During the fighting, we got separated from part of our allies, so we hope you can help us find them."
-"With more people on our side, we'll have greater chances."-Ch'en agreed to help them.
-"Good. Give us a few minutes to gather more people, and we'll depart."
Ch'en nodded and watched them leave before approaching me.
-"Can you say what she's about?"
-"She was dispatched before I returned, so I'm not aware of the details of her mission, only what was in the documents."
-"You, the Son, not knowing what your underlings are doing?"
-"I'm not a tyrant, as long as it won't harm Laterano or me, I don't bother with some hidden actions happening around me. Mostima and Lemuen are people I trust, so I won't micromanage them."
-"Trust, huh? I envy them then."
-"Wei?"-I asked to confirm her meaning.
-"Who else?"-She rolled her eyes.
-"While I won't say he is a perfect leader, at least he cares about you."
-"I know, it's just…"-She looked at the blade at her side.-"I can't accept staying under his protection, not after he abandoned her."
I patted her shoulder to reassure her.
-"Now you have the chance to remedy his failure."
Ch'en nodded; she didn't need me to convince her to do just that.
A few minutes later, we left the building with about forty more armed students. While they couldn't be called veterans or even professionals when it came to fighting, after surviving those past weeks here, they at least knew how to use the weapons in their hands. Only their leaders were worth remembering, especially the girl who was called Sonya.
From the way she moved and used her weapon, I could see that she was familiar with fighting long before the riots, yet she didn't possess the bloody feeling of a gangster, meaning she never fought for fighting itself. At some point, she seemed to notice my gaze as she turned to me.
-"What?"
-"I'm just surprised by your strength."-I told her directly.
-"Oh? Direct, I like you."-She smiled slightly.-"I'm just a commoner, I believe you can understand what that means here, in Ursus."
-"I do, and by the respect other commoners have for you, I can see that you are not just a commoner, but rather someone who can stand up to the nobles."
-"You're right."-She nodded, but I could feel some complicated emotions when I praised her like that.
-"Let me guess, even while Reunion was massacring everyone, those rotten nobles tried to push you around?"
-"You…"
-"I'm a Caster, consider my ability to feel your emotions."-I shrugged at her surprised expression.-"I won't stand for those nobles, nor will I condemn or condone you. If you want someone to speak to, I'll listen; if not, I won't meddle."
-"This…"-She looked at the axe in her hands.-"They tried."
-"As expected. How bad was it?"
-"As bad as it could."-She sighed as pain appeared in her eyes.-"They ruined two girls just because someone from their families was infected."
-"My condolences."
-"Thank you, I already avenged them."-She looked at me.-"Do you think I was right to…"
-"Kill them?"-I matched her gaze.-"While I won't say that revenge and justice are the same, would they receive the punishment they deserve through the Ursus' justice?"
-"No."
-"Then do you regret what you did?"
-"I'm not sure…"
-"Then take your time."
-"What if I don't regret it?"
-"They don't let shadows of evil people stop you from living on. This tragedy is coming to an end, don't be its victim long after everything ended."
-"Victim, huh?"-She looked at the other students around.-"You are strange. I don't know you, but just speaking a few words to you, I feel like I can tell you everything I tried to hide."
-"Just consider it my charisma."
-"Sure."-She agreed, but didn't buy my explanation one bit.-"Are you from Lungmen?"
-"Not exactly. Why ask?"
-"After everything ends, can I join you?"
-"We just met, yet you want to follow me?"
-"It's not like I have a future here, in Ursus."-She rolled her eyes.
-"Why not follow Fiammetta, or Ch'en?"
-"Fiammetta is a soldier; she can help us, but won't be able to take me with her. As for that dragon lady… She is too focused on her tasks to waste her time on me."
-"Then why do you think I would take you?"
-"You looked at me so much before, and now you talk with me like that, I bet you have some little thoughts about me. While I don't know you, it's not like I can do much alone, so finding someone to take care of me and help others is a good idea."
I looked at her blankly, not knowing how I should feel.
-"… I would love to know how you arrived at such a thought in your head."
-"What? Am I wrong?"-She looked at herself.-"While I'm somewhat young, after a few years I should be quite a beauty."
-"While I don't doubt that, I'm not interested in you like that. I will help you no matter what, after all, I promised to do so, but you should respect yourself a little more."
-"Then I'll work on myself so that you change your mind."-She nodded and started to walk faster, planning to help at the front.
I looked at her back, dumbfounded, wondering whether I had some strange charm on me.
-"Sorry for our boss."-One of the other leaders spoke to me.-"She just wants to do what's best for us."
-"I'm not angry, just…"
-"Just?"
-"Am I getting old? How come I never knew that students were so open and direct now?"
-"Pffff…"-A third leader tried not to laugh at my question.
-"Just different environments. Ursus' people are more direct than those from Yan."
-"It would seem so. You are?"
-"I'm Rosalind Tatyanovna Larina, this is Lada. Those two out there are our friends."-She pointed to the remaining two leaders, but they were not worth remembering to me, being barely better than other students.
-"Nice to meet you. I'm Eno."
-"Oh? Are you a believer in the Lateran Church?"
-"My parents definitely were."-I wouldn't admit to being a believer in myself.
I talked with two of them and Sonya, who returned at some point, getting to know them as well as some things that happened here. To be honest, I didn't know if I should consider them lucky or not. On one hand, they were treated as entertainment by Mephisto, forcing them to survive his sick plays, but they also survived due to not being hunted by his people.
But I couldn't spend much time thinking about that, as we entered the central part of this city plate not long after, causing us to face the main Reunion forces present here. So, Ch'en and L.G.D. agents took the front, while the students assisted them as they could, and I fully acted as a Caster, fighting from the back with my Banshee's Arts.
Thanks to that, we managed to break through the enemy forces without any casualties, with only some minor injuries occurring. Sadly, we had no time to rest and recuperate, as not far from our position, another fight was taking place. So we moved quickly to provide assistance, quickly supporting the group of students defending themselves in one of the buildings.
Like before, we were able to repel the Reunion after a few minutes of fighting, but while we were in a rather good state, this couldn't be said about the group of students we saved. More than thirty people were injured and needed help, with at least ten severely, not to mention about fifteen people further back, with no sign of life left.
I quickly healed those I could heal, but I could do much for those who had already passed. I could only mourn them and save those who are left. I looked at Sonya so that she could decide what to do with them, but she shook her head and pointed to a woman who was crying quietly not far away.
-"It's her decision."
-"She is?"
-"Young Lady Natalya Andreyevna Rostova."-Sonya didn't hide her dislike of the noblewoman.-"Don't let her appearance deceive you, she is our age, not some teacher."
-"Is that so?"
-"What? I'll grow in time."
This time, I ignored her and instead walked to the crying Natalya."
-"Natalya, right? While this might sound somewhat insensitive, we can't stay here."
She looked up at me, her eyes red from crying.
-"Thank you for saving us."
-"You should thank your classmates."
-"I will."-She nodded, collecting herself.
-"What about…"
-"Can we take them? To bury them far from this place?"
I nodded and waved my hand, hiding the bodies in my Azure Dream.
-"Thank you."
-"Let's go."
She nodded and followed me. I could feel that her state of mind was not great, or rather, it was as bad as it could get; her thoughts constantly oscillating between suicidal and self-loathing. None of the students around were in a good mindset, with PTSD and trauma present in almost every one of them.
All their emotions were clearly conveyed to me due to my Empathy, and while I won't be influenced by them, it was still not a pleasant feeling. Sadly, most of the methods that could help them would only treat symptoms, not the trauma causing everything, and so, I was a little troubled about what to do. Ignoring them didn't sit right with me, especially as I was trying to redeem the person who was one of the greatest contributors to their plight.
-"Feeling bad about their situation?"-Otto's voice appeared in my head.
-"You can say so. While I won't change my mind, I'd like to help them, even if it's just to lessen my guilt."
-"Then allow me to help you later. While Arts can't clear trauma, art has always been known to invoke emotions, helping people in the most desperate moments."
-"Thanks."
-"Don't mention it."
After a short rest, we continued on our way to the center of the city. We were, of course, continuously fighting off groups of Reunion on our way, but they appeared disorganized, almost leaderless. This was contrary to the information we had, as we were sure that each of the city plates had a leader present. But there was no need to dwell on it now, as we were about to enter the control center for this platform.
And so, as we climbed into the control tower, I was expecting to see resistance, but there were no Reunion fighters here. Only when we entered the central room did we encounter someone from Reunion, but at first glance, I could see that his state was tragic.
-"You are here."
-"Faust, am I right?"-Ch'en looked at him, her hand on the sword, ready to strike at any moment.
-"Yes. No need to worry about me attacking you, as you can see, I'm in no state to fight you."
-"What happened here?"
-"Does that matter?
-"No, it does not."-She nodded and approached the console that controlled the movement of this city plate, but she quickly noticed the problem.
-"Burns?"
-"Our leader didn't wish to see you succeed, though she also didn't wish for our cause to do so, too."-Faust laughed, though it sounded ironic to me.
-"Then your state…"
He just shook his head and showed me the burns on his body.
-"I see."
-"FrostNova is with you, right?"
-"She is."
-"Then can you do something for me, treat it as my dying wish?"
I nodded.
-"Please, don't let Mephisto fall into the abyss that that woman wants to push him into. Even if we both end in hell, at least give us a chance to repent, not… Not what awaits him if he does as she wants."
-"I do what I can, but I won't go out of my way to help my enemy."
-"That's all I can wish for."-He nodded, slowly closing his eyes.
I could feel the last breath of his life leaving his body, another victim turned perpetrator dying due to the greed of empires playing with lives as pawns. War and politics are one thing; I can understand that sometimes lives need to be treated as a resource of the country, but playing with people's beliefs to this degree truly disgusts me.
With my power existing on the faith of the Laterano, I knew the value of things like faith and morale, yet there was no reason for that snake to desecrate the hope of the infected like that. Seeing someone who truly believed in his cause, yet died knowing it was all for naught…
I sighed lightly and took his body into the Azure Dream, planning to bury him somewhere later. I walked to where Ch'en was trying to get control over the city plate. I put my left hand on the burned console, closing my eyes and focusing on the internal circuits of the machine. Soon, Originium crystallized into a new circuit, restoring the basic functions to live.
Ch'en noticed my actions and breathed a sigh of relief after seeing that the console was working again. She quickly stopped the platform and contacted Lungmen to report the success of the mission. In a few hours, Lungmen reinforcements will help the remaining people evacuate and clear the Reunion, but we had to get moving, as there was one more target we needed to deal with.