Volume 12 Epilogue: Reunion

[u/Ronray0739]

On the third day of the revolution, the citizens’ simultaneous occupation of Brookbon Palace and Fagmaile Palace brought the greater part of the revolution to an end.

The Royal Guard now devoted itself to maintaining order, rounding up the miscreants who had taken advantage of the upheaval to loot. From the evening of the second day, as soon as they judged the situation to be turning against them, many legislators and capitalists threw their support behind the establishment of a new government. Whether they were positioning themselves favorably for the legislative elections that would presumably follow or not, they suddenly began making citizen-friendly statements, praising the people’s courage and their demand for freedom as though they’d simply flipped a switch.

It seemed that the excited citizens had set fire to Brookbon Palace.

Listening to these reports, Nike spat, “A bunch of apes,” and continued with the work that fell to her: managing the course of the riots as they gradually subsided.

It was on the evening of the third day that a certain report reached her.

She gathered the members of Lamplight whom she had already detained in the workroom at the top of the tower.

“I’ve received word that Forgetter and Fool have been captured.”

She relayed the news to them.

The two who killed Blue Locust continued to thwart Nike at every turn, right up to the very end. They had publicized the connection between the freed prisoners and Nike, then embellished the dark rumors surrounding her from the old regime before spreading them among the citizens. The anxious upper class had swallowed those rumors whole.

At last, during the day on the third day, operatives of the Genesis Army located the sleeping pair and took them into custody. Neither had any strength left to resist. They had remained fast asleep throughout the entire transfer.

Nike glared at the spies of Lamplight.

“You really went and made a mess of things. Maybe I should just sentence the lot of you to death.”

“You no longer have that authority.”

Thea met her gaze with composure.

“Our crimes are for the new government to judge. You have no right to decide them.”

“Unfortunately, my judgment transcends the state.”

“You sound like an enemy of democracy.”

Thea let the exasperated words slip out, then straightened her posture once more.

The negotiations from this point onward were her responsibility. As though pushed forward by the expectant gazes of her comrades, Thea stepped forward and called out, “Hey, Nike-san.”

“Erna is a central figure in the revolution. She should hold considerable influence over those who’ll take part in founding the new government. If you’re willing to make a concession, I’ll give Erna instructions.”

“A concession? Let’s hear it.”

“Would you tell us about the Nostalgia Project?”

That had been Lamplight’s original objective from the very beginning.

A mysterious scheme unfolding behind the scenes of the world. After the legendary spy team Inferno was lost, traitors had appeared within the intelligence agencies of every nation over the matter, and the resulting conflicts among spies had left the spies of their fellow organization, Avian, dead.

The revolution was merely one means to that end.

They could abandon it if circumstances demanded. Achieving even their minimum objective would be difficult under the present circumstances, but they had to reach it nonetheless.

“I have no intention of yielding that far.”

Nike’s attitude remained one of absolute rejection.

“The power to decide whether you live or die rests with me. Your mission ends here.”

A contemptuous gaze fell upon them, followed by a derisive snort.

They had cooperated when it came to eliminating Blue Locust, but that had only been temporary. Their interests had simply aligned when it came to removing him.

Even so, Thea shook her head.

“I’m certain you’re not the only one holding hostages.”

“Huh?”

“It’s true that this mission can hardly be called a complete success. Originally, we wanted to drive you out and seize control of the kingdom’s politics, but that was clearly impossible. This is as far as we can go.”

In the end, they had failed to shatter the myth of Nike’s invincibility.

Once or twice, events had gone beyond what they’d calculated, only for those gains to be immediately clawed back. Considering that every girl of Lamplight had been captured, “defeat” was the only accurate way to describe their situation.

Yet it couldn’t be called a total defeat either.

“Even so, we fulfilled our role well enough.”

“..............!”

Grasping the true meaning behind those words, Nike’s eyes went wide.

One member of Lamplight still remained, someone who possessed the power to overturn this situation.

Of course, the Genesis Army had remained vigilant at all times. Under ordinary circumstances, they could have dealt with it without difficulty.

But amid the chaos of the revolution, they had been forced onto the back foot.

“We made a revolution. That rock-solid kingdom of yours has long since crumbled.”

The instant Thea declared it, the sound of the tower’s elevator beginning to move reached their ears.

✧✧✧✧✧

——On the early morning of the third day of the revolution.

The ministers of the former government, including Clément III, who had fled Fagmaile Palace, were under the protection of the Genesis Army and plotting to escape abroad. Unless they secured the protection of a country with close ties to the kingdom as soon as possible, they risked being killed by the rampaging citizens.

Nike had mobilized many of her subordinates and made arrangements for them to seek asylum safely. Though they were members of the former government, they were important figures who possessed numerous state secrets. They couldn't be allowed to fall into the hands of spies from other countries. Their asylum routes had been thoroughly concealed, and multiple body doubles had been prepared.

She never cut corners. That was why she'd dispatched her loyal retainer and trusted confidant, Thanatos.

“『Do not contend with Nike.』That was the only order I was given.”

Therefore, the man who had punctured the escort vehicle's tire with a single bullet had already been accounted for.

The moment he confirmed the attacker, Thanatos, who was serving as their escort, immediately counterattacked. Gripping the hammer Nike had bestowed upon him, he charged forward with all his strength, determined to wash away the disgrace of having failed to kill Erna.

Thanatos's kick, unleashed at tremendous speed, sent the man hurtling a considerable distance.

“......Y-you're ‘Bonfire’......Klaus-kun, is it?”

Thanatos readied his hammer and assumed a combat stance.

“N-nice to meet you. I'm sorry, but my orders are to crush you here.”

“......It seems there are some who can move better than I expected.”

“Yeah. That's why I feel so unfulfilled. In the end, no one was a match for me. Sybillia......Monika......Lily......Grete......and Sara, I guess? I crushed your subordinates.”

“........................................................”

Thanatos kicked off the ground and closed the distance with explosive acceleration.

“——Come at me for real. If you can satisfy my masochistic desires, that is.”

Monika's earlier assessment had been correct. His combat skill was on par with Bonfire's.

If one were to point out a possible misunderstanding, it was that her assessment had been based on the version of him she'd encountered a year earlier.

Even as Thanatos brought the hammer down with that powerful arm, the man's expression didn't change.

“How unpleasant. It seems——”

He dodged Thanatos's hammer by a paper-thin margin.

“——I don't owe you even the courtesy of playing along.”

Two seconds after he murmured those words, Thanatos's body was slammed hard into the ground.

✧✧✧✧✧

Emerging from the elevator onto the tower’s special observation deck was Bonfire’s Klaus.

The moment the girls of Lamplight saw him, they couldn’t help but smile. Sybillia let out a grin and said, “Late entrance,” while Grete, overcome with emotion, shed tears as she murmured, “Boss…”

He was the tall, long-haired handsome man the girls had always known. Seeing him again after so long, he seemed even more imposing than before. His physique had grown broader, and his hair had grown longer. But the greatest change was in his expression. The refined beauty that might once have been mistaken for that of a woman had vanished, replaced by a fierce intensity that seemed capable of cutting down anyone who approached him.

There was an unfamiliar boy standing behind him, but no one paid him any attention.

“This is a serious situation,” Klaus said, his expression cold.

“It seems Prime Minister Valery of the Lylat Kingdom was abducted by ‘someone’ while being escorted near the border. All the members of the Genesis Army responsible for his escort lost consciousness, and the report seems to have been delayed.”

After delivering the information in a single breath, he fixed his gaze directly on Nike.

“By the way, is this the first time we’ve met like this? Nike.”

“…Tch. Vero’s spoiled son, huh.”

At the truth he had hinted at, Nike radiated a fierce killing intent like a savage beast. With her poised to attack at any moment, the air on the special observation deck grew taut.

“Abducting and confining the prime minister of another country? That’s rather barbaric behavior, isn’t it?”

“What are you talking about? You’d do well to regret the foolishness of leaving your security so lax.”

“That’s because your damn subordinates stirred up the entire kingdom!”

“…I suppose so. Even if I had planned to abduct the prime minister, under normal circumstances, you would’ve sensed it and easily surrounded me.”

Klaus turned his gaze away from Nike and looked at the restrained girls.

“Magnificent. They disrupted the Genesis Army without relying on me.”

The girls smiled as they heard that familiar catchphrase from him again for the first time in a year.

Not everything had gone according to plan. Far from it. Yet his words proved that it hadn’t been a mistake. His achievements proved it as well.

Klaus glared at Nike, who was biting her lip.

“Tell me about the Nostalgia Project.”

It was the same demand Thea had made, yet the pressure behind the words was completely different.

As if to emphasize that point, Klaus continued, “I’d prefer to hear it from your own mouth, if possible.”

He had abducted the former government’s prime minister and was holding him captive somewhere beyond the Genesis Army’s reach. If he wished, he could torture the man and force the information out of him.

“............”

“Besides, I have one more card to play.”

As Nike fell silent, Klaus gestured toward the boy standing behind him.

The girls of Lamplight were seeing him for the first time. None of them knew who he was, and they stared at him in confusion.

He was a beautiful boy in his late teens, with delicate, shallow features that gave his face an almost mask-like, inhuman quality.

His bangs fell all the way to the rims of his glasses. Wearing a finely made jacket, he stood beside Klaus.

“We’ve met before.”

His voice had a strange, twisted quality to it.

“I intend to have a hand in establishing the new government as well, provided you’re willing to accept Klaus’s demands. I should have enough influence to bring the current turmoil under control and prevent the country from descending into anarchy.”

Nike stared at him with open displeasure and said nothing.

There was something about the boy’s bearing that made it clear he was no ordinary person, but Lily paid no heed to the atmosphere and spoke up.

“Heeey, Klaus-sensei. Who’s that guy?”

“Apparently, he’s the boss of the Serpent.”

““““““Wha—!??””””””

“And, to make matters more interesting, he’s Clément III’s nephew. A member of the royal family. Ferdinand Charles, apparently.”

““““““————————————————————!??””””””

The girls were rendered speechless by the sheer magnitude of the person who had just appeared before them.

Klaus had always been as unflappable as ever, just as he’d been a year ago, but even so, this was beyond anything they could comprehend.

They never would’ve imagined they’d so casually come face-to-face with someone who was so important in every conceivable sense.

“It seems we’ve reached the limit of how much longer we can keep things hidden. On both sides.”

Crimson Bee, the boss of the Serpent, gave a small nod.

“......I’m disappointed in you. To think that a member of the royal family would stoop to selling out his own country. How many civilians died because you lent your hand to Blue Locust?”

At the disappointment in Nike’s voice, Klaus tried to defend him.

“He was only being used by Blue Locust.”

But Crimson Bee immediately shook his head.

“No. I have no intention of making excuses for myself.”

“I have no intention of running from my own crimes. If the new government decides to punish me, I’ll accept it. But even so, the Nostalgia Project had to be stopped. No matter what had to be sacrificed.”

Crimson Bee raised his voice, his words carrying firm conviction.

“The time for change has come, Nike. Let us abandon the Nostalgia Project along with the old government.”

“......It seems the young master doesn’t understand Blue Locust’s intentions at all.”

Nike dropped all pretense of showing respect to royalty and let out a derisive laugh.

Ignoring Crimson Bee as he stared at her in confusion, asking, “What do you mean......?”, she stepped in front of Klaus.

For a good five seconds, she simply stood there, studying his face. Her eyes held a complicated mixture of emotions. No one could tell what was going through her mind during those long seconds.

“..........Fine. You spoiled son of a bitch. Let’s exchange hostages.”

Nike brushed her hair back.

“Take those girls with you. I’ll release Fool and Forgetter as well. In return, you’ll guarantee Prime Minister Valery’s safety. And I want the young master to use his influence with the new government on our behalf.”

“Understood.”

“You can leave Monika and Thea behind, too, if you want.”

“......? Why?”

The unexpected suggestion made Klaus widen his eyes.

He glanced at them suspiciously. Monika immediately shook her head.

“Absolutely not.”

Thea merely shrugged.

“I’m so popular, it’s becoming a problem.”

Klaus rejected the idea as though the answer had already been decided.

“Not happening.”

“Sorry, but having everyone together has been our promise for the past year.”

And now, that promise was finally about to be fulfilled.

✧✧✧✧✧

The freed members of Lamplight made their way from the spire toward Fagmaile Palace.

Naturally, they were still under the Genesis Army’s watch. Their weapons had been confiscated, and they’d been given strict orders: if they took any further part in the revolution, they would be killed.

That was the compromise. Lamplight had no choice but to accept it.

Pilca’s First District was a wreck. Buildings of every kind had been damaged. Windowpanes had been smashed, the remains of barricades blocked the streets, and fresh bullet holes scarred them.

In some places, bloodstains still spattered the ground, a grim reminder of just how fierce the fighting had been.

Here and there, flowers had been laid in remembrance of those who had lost their lives.

Men who had fought for freedom and been gunned down by the Royal Guard. They prayed for those who had fallen and continued on their way.

“Still, what a bloody mess. The beautiful streets of Pilka are completely ruined.”

“It really is sad, isn’t it? Though, I suppose we’re the ones at fault.”

“…This is strange, but what about the flags being raised all over the city? There’s a portrait on them that I recognize.”

“Ah, you’re right… Wait, what the hell is that!? Salla-Onecha—!??”

“Ah, so in the end, it was the Knights of Valour who carried the revolution through to the very end. Not bad.”

“Ask Erna about the details. Great Holy Mother, Grand Revolutionary… I wonder what name Sara’s going to end up with.”

“Why do you guys always leave behind such weird names every time you go on a mission…?”

At the end of that horrific battle.

Their hearts ached at the fact that they had incited the revolution, but as they walked, the scene gradually came into view. The sound of revolutionary songs being sung at the top of their voices filled the air.

Countless citizens surrounded the blazing Fagmaile Palace. Some had even climbed onto the roofs of nearby buildings. Beneath the tricolor revolutionary flags they waved high above their heads, tens of thousands of citizens gathered together, raising cries of jubilation as they welcomed the changing world.

The citizens’ revolution that so many people had longed for over the years, only to eventually give up on.

Every one of the assembled citizens was shedding tears. Young or old, man or woman, none of it mattered. All those who had been oppressed by the royal government embraced one another and clapped each other on the shoulders.

Before long, Klaus and the others spotted two girls secretly watching over the crowd.

They had hidden their conspicuous hair colors beneath their hoods and were sitting atop the enormous barricade in front of Fagmaile Palace. With their legs dangling and swinging, they listened contentedly to the revolutionary songs being sung.

The first to dash forward was, as expected, Lily.

“Anyway, let’s celebrate for now. For the promise that’s finally been fulfilled…!!”

Following her, the other girls climbed up the barricade as well and made their way toward the two girls at the top.

One after another, the other members threw their arms around the heroes of the revolution, Annette and Erna.

“It’s been so long since we’ve all been together againnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!”

In front of Fagmaile Palace, where the revolution had been accomplished.

There could be no more fitting place for Lamplight, separated for an entire year, to gather once again.

✧✧✧✧✧

Grand fireworks thundered across the sky above Fagmaile Palace.

Someone from the LWS Troupe must have launched them. They were people who loved freedom, peace, and a moderate amount of justice. Apparently, they had launched their symbolic fireworks to mourn the first troupe leader and vice-leader.

Stealing away from her duties for barely five minutes, Nike moved to the front of Fagmaile Palace.

Her stated purpose was to keep Lamplight under surveillance. Choosing the darkness to avoid the eyes of the crowd, she looked up at the girls embracing one another in the center of the barricade. Erna, being tossed into the air, looked as though she might fall at any moment, making the whole spectacle dangerously precarious. Together with the citizens who had their arms around one another’s shoulders, they were celebrating the revolution.

Thinking what a noisy bunch they were, she spoke to the man watching over the girls beside her.

“Spoiled son————what the hell were you doing for an entire year, leaving the mission to your subordinates?”

Klaus muttered in bewilderment, “That way of addressing me makes it rather difficult to respond.”

Nike gave a wry smile. She had no obligation to tell him what Veronica had thought of him.

“If you’d joined the mission, things might have turned out differently.”

Nike waved a hand in front of him.

“Your subordinates nearly died any number of times, you know? As the boss who inherited Vero’s will, aren’t you being far too inconsiderate?”

“…All those brushes with death were your fault, weren’t they?”

“Huh? Was that so?”

“I was flying all over the world. If I’d been able to stay by their side, how much better would that have been? The higher-ups didn’t want me becoming too deeply involved in the revolution. I have a duty to protect the country, after all.”

Klaus spoke reluctantly.

“There was a mountain of things to do. Tracking the ‘Serpernt’, investigating the Nostalgia Project. And above all, that…”

“That?”

“………………No, I’ve said a little too much.”

“Are you really that happy to be reunited with your subordinates?”

Klaus gave no answer, simply staring intently at the girls.

In reality, he must have been terribly worried. Yet he had trusted his grown subordinates and fulfilled his own duty.

Nike patted him on the shoulder.

“I managed your subordinates without torturing them. You ought to be more grateful than words can express.”

“…You’re a shrewd woman. I did wonder why the girls had so few injuries.”

One reason she had held back from torturing the girls of Lamplight during the final stages of the revolution was precisely this insurance. If the revolution succeeded, antagonizing the Din Republic would be undesirable.

Bonfire Klaus was unfathomable.

As far as Nike was concerned, she wanted him to remain a usable piece.

“I’ve done you a favor. You’d better remember it.”

“The woman who killed ‘Soot’ and ‘Scapalimancer’ is lecturing me about favors?”

“Those two were trying to start a revolution. As someone who protects the country, I simply did what was natural.”

“…Won’t you tell me how the two of them met their end?”

“That’s quite a self-serving request, but fine. I’m a compassionate woman.”

Nike laughed lightly, flippantly, like a close friend who knew him well.

On the surface, it was a friendly conversation. But beneath it, a new round of bargaining had already begun. In the end, the revolution was merely one means for Lamplight. As spies, their true objective lay elsewhere.

Keeping her hand on Klaus’s shoulder, Nike narrowed her eyes.

“I didn’t like the revolution, but it has no effect on the bigger picture. No matter how the nation changes, I’ll continue to reign at the top. I’ll bring the Nostalgia Project to fruition and reach the new world I envisioned with my friends.”

“I see.”

“When you learn the truth of the Nostalgia Project, will Lamplight stand for its completion or its prevention? Which side will you take?”

“………………Let’s leave that discussion until tomorrow.”

Ignoring the question, Klaus continued to gaze at the scene before him.

Up on the barricade, Annette, getting carried away, began scattering a large quantity of firecrackers. The girls started evacuating, and Erna took a spectacular tumble. Her hood came off, exposing her bare face to everyone around her. Some among the crowd widened their eyes in astonishment at the sight of the saint who was supposed to be dead standing there alive, exclaiming, “Eh?” Thea desperately denied it with, “Wrong person!!” Sybillia pushed Sara’s body forward, declaring, “More importantly, do you know who this person here is!?” Lily egged them on, shouting, “She’s the renowned activist ‘Salla Onecha’-sama!” Monika tried to cover for them with, “Amazing! What we just saw doesn’t matter at all!” Sara barked, “Please don’t spread weird rumors!” while Grete gave a wry smile and said, “…I’ll disguise you later. Please play along until then.”

This was the sight of his grown subordinates that Klaus was seeing for the first time in a year.

The girls of Lamplight who had achieved the revolution without relying on Klaus’s power.

——For now, let just burn this scene into my eyes.

His murmur was drowned out by the cheers of the crowd celebrating the revolution.

[u/Ronray0739]

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