Okay, so that was everyone that they needed to remove out of the way before there was actually a problem... and now Ciradyl was being taken hostage! She could probably get herself out of it, at least Miina hoped so, but that was something awfully precious at risk if they didn't help. The problem was that as much as she might want to sneak up... she had to ask questions, which didn't go well with a stealthy approach.

Then, who wouldn't attract attention immediately? Esben, good choice or not, was immediately out because he had drawn attention by getting in a fight. Same for Eliane, although she seemed so unsuited to a stealthy approach to begin with... and Galahad was armoured and had come through the floor. Right... Eve and Robin didn't even seem like they understood the meaning of a subtle approach, so it couldn't be either of those, either. Izayoi was even more out, arguing with Mizutani and all.

That left Arton and Rudolf, and Arton was armoured. Rudolf it was, then. Did this seem like favouritism? They'd even gone out looking for her brother just a little bit ago...

Still, he was the best option available. Creep up the stairs, stick close, prepare that not-quite invisibility once again but exclude herself... she could hold this for a little while. Hopefully the push on his back would be interpreted right (and the muttered "g-go", if he heard that), otherwise... well, someone else would have to do something.

Being loud wasn't her specialty, but Miina could do it! Deep breath and... jump forward.

"E-Excuse me!" Bright red, raised hand... that ought to be enough to get Mizutani's attention, right? "I kn-know we're in the m-middle of something, but I've g-g-got a question! Y-You worked with m-my brother, right?" Well, 'employed' was more accurate, but that was a minor detail, "Z-Zeke Malina? Umm... c-can you tell me w-why he left?"

She'd ask where he went, but it didn't seem like the person that had been looking for him would know any better. Knowing why he left might get her something! Or maybe she'd get an angry tirade, that was just as useful.

And hey, she was providing a distraction. That ought to help, too.

Rudolf’s little gambit worked, the hairless dolt couldn't discern friend from foe as he wasted ammunition, effort, and most importantly, attention to kill what was already dead. This blunder exacted a most terrible cost as Miina's upward thrust sent him on a bloody journey to the afterlife. For Eve's part, though she still thought this whole operation was a pointless farce, she could at least take pleasure in personally watching these scum die in agony, the dimwitted gunner being the latest entry in her ever-growing list of culled pests.

With their greatest obstacle neutralized, the Kirins moved forward with all the haste they could afford; Esben ingeniously slipped through three of Mizutani's best henchmen, making a fool out of them, and more practically, setting them up to be easily picked off by his comrades. One found his end at the end of Eliane's gunblade barrel, another was subjected to fatal impalement courtesy of Galahad's halberd, and the last of the three stooges was reminded for the final time why Izayoi was the Emperor's champion instead of him.

Finely executed, all of them. Eve couldn't help but let a small smirk cross her face, she was once again assured that her encounter with the Kirins was fated, thrust upon her by the Dragon King himself so she could put a stop to Valheim's desecration of the natural order.

However, it still didn't mean she'd conform with each and every single decision they had made. Thus, when the way into the traitorous rat's study was cleared for the rest of the group, Eve... casually ascended the steps and simply stood back while the others handled their business with Tane or whatever her name was. The Pseudolon had nothing to do with the crime lord other than what Captain Bikke demanded, and she didn't believe for a second that Ciradyl was ever in danger; she was a Bard and the second best espionage operative in the group, anyone who couldn't see that she was merely playing the oh-so-helpless hostage was a delusional fool, which Tane was.

"... ... ..." The False-Dragon leered with palpable unamusement at the whole commotion; all the melodrama of unrequited love, misplaced jealousy, and right, the interrogation. When Miina began stuttering out her questions, Eve rolled her eyes as she leaned her back against the study's doorframe, keeping watch just in case a foolhardy goon or two followed them.

While doing that, she procured a vial from one of her cloak's inner pockets, the transparent tube filled to capacity with liquefied ether, her literal lifeblood. With a quiet, exasperated sigh, she uncorked the thing and began quietly sipping its contents, out of sight, out of mind.

---

@VitaVitaAR

---

He had almost been looking forward to a fight with Tane's most skilled guards, although between the gun fire he heard down the stairs, Galahad's sudden arrival, and both the final guard and the crime lord's attention being immediately drawn to Izayoi on her arrival before she cut the last one down, there wasn't anybody present for him to actually fight. With his and Galahad's own words going unacknowledged—and the chance he'd though to give Ciradyl going untaken with the sudden flurry of activity—he sheathed his sword once more, choosing instead to observe the walls in this corner of the room.

Artwork; some stolen, undoubtedly, and probably the better pieces. Those that he figured were actually bought legitimately...he could only assume that there was a link between the sort of mind that appreciated such pieces and chose to become a crime lord for an occupation. Unfortunately, other than its occupants, the only things of note in the room were decorations and fresh corpses.

He had a sinking feeling that any sort of office or the like, containing any of the documents he might have liked to get his hands on, were further below. Hopefully not among the destruction that would have been wrought by Eve and Éliane; regardless, there wasn't much time left to try and find such. The other part of his goal had been entirely derailed by their target not being quite where he'd expected, their path forward blocked until the rest of the team caught up to them after all.

As Miina finished with her questions, he turned back to the farcical hostage situation playing out in the middle of the group. Given the utter dismantling of all of her defenses, it seemed that lady Mizutani Tane was starting to deteriorate before their eyes. "I rather think you're about to be hers," he observed, just loud enough that the panicking crime lord could likely hear...and just ambiguous enough given all the people in play that she'd probably be more confused by the statement than tipped off as to what was really about to happen.

He turned back around, descending the stairs quickly—one hand latching onto the collar of another of the group as he did.

"I think they've got things handled well enough up there. Want to help me hunt something else down back on the lower floors, Robin?"

---

The muscles in her hands tensed as the Kirins spread out and she desperately tried to keep an eye on the most immediate dangers. The red-headed girl grabbed her attention and she paused, exceedingly wary of being led into a trap. Disdain and panic flashed in her eyes as she listened to Miina before she dropped the name of her brother. Mizutani's eyes sparked as if she had figured something out "This little situation had my mind occupied, but ensure my safety and I should remember." She wasn't going to just give an answer away when she could leverage it to her benefit.

There was a glint near Ciradyl's leg followed near instantly by a spary of red.

Mizutani had flinched so when her finger reflexively tensed at burst of pain it shot the pistol off towards the ceiling. The stilleto, with a finger-length blade, in Ciradyl's hand thrust into Tane's stomach just above the thigh where she had first stabbed. Cane's grip loosened enough that Ciradyl was able to turn herself around to face the shocked crime lord. A vicious anger had twisted the normally serene and calm face of the Faye.

Ciradyl tackled Mizutani to the ground and onto her back where she resumed her assualt. Tane barely redirected a thrust from her heart and was stabbed in the shoulder instead. Ciradyl ripped the stiletto without wasting a single movement and struck her plunged it towards her throat. The blade instead pierced through Mizutani's hands as she desperately tried to prevent it from ending her life. The Faye was clearly stronger, however, as the pointed blade began to push closer and closer to her throat.

The once beautiful dresses of the two women were soaked in blood as Mizutani desperately looked towards the Kirins present for help.

@Ithradine@Raineh Daze@Click This

Well...

In sum total inventory of damages, that was his cloak and hat both officially marked down as noble sacrifices, KIA in furthering the cause of the broader war effort. He'd remember them fondly, tearfully even, for how well they brought the initial ensemble he called his own together— but their loss came in the wake of far more important successes. The gun line cleared, the turret distracted for the crucial moment.

Near the back of the throng ascending the stairs, he watched the other Kirin's make haste towards what had no doubt turned into some kind of hostage situation up their, with Ciradyl likely behind the last remains of Tane's "honor guard" on retinue. If there was one thing he'd been taught lately, it was that he wasn't quite the glib orator he'd hoped he could be under pressure, regardless of his many hours of study beneath the tutelage of actual diplomats and the like. Esben was already up there, as was Galahad, they were surely better hands at the tense negotiations they'd be making—

Not to mention the sneaking suspicion he was gaining, ever since that day they fought the Revenant, that his mere presence was beginning to set people on edge more and more.

So instead of racing up to match the frontrunners, he instead came to a stop in line with Eliane, currently busy eyeing the turret that the penultimate goon had set upon them halfway up the final flight, spewing lines of hot lead like the breath of a Midgari dragon. To his eyes it was an almost alien thing, brutal, sleek, all metal in its' construction and finish— undeniably far more advanced than any firearm he had seen domestically. A hand crank to rotate through the set of twelve barrels encased within a steel drum, a belt feeding what had to be the cartridges into the internal machinery, no breech to load he could find, the cannonesque wheels it was set atop...

He was keen on picking apart the structure. That much was true, as it should have been of any proper soldier— but they were on a time crunch, as the bead of sweat down his brow and the thick taste of smoke on the air quickly reminded him. He looked to the Dame Commander.

"If you can identify all the non-essentials, I should be able to lug it down," he offered, reaching out to judge the heft from how it responded. Even beneath his low opinion of himself, he knew he was stronger than he looked, and trained hard every day. "Whatever we can leave here to compromise on space and balance should make it easier. I think if we at least get it off the whee—"

A palm on his back interrupted his train of thought.

The soft, "g-go." reaching his ears put a pin in it.

And his arm disappearing from view completely disoriented him right the hell off of it, as the diminutive Mystrel turned the placement into a push toward the stairs, further up.

He waved his arm, trying to ignore that he suddenly didn't have his nose on the insider corners of his vision. His eyes were having trouble reconciling not having to block it out— more importantly, he took note of how his form shimmered more readily as the speed increased— That spell she used wasn't a perfect obfuscation of form. He'd need to move with care... and from the sounds of things above, he was short on time to do so.

"...I'll get back to you on that." he murmured, before bounding further up in a low crouch.

The scene he arrived to had already gotten pretty tense. Ciradyl, who he'd watched handle herself as comfortably as any of them against the Valheim and Blightbeasts, had a gun all but digging into her temple as Tane clutched her like a dog guarding a kill, eyes bloodshot and certain to keep everyone up there in her field of view.

On that note, Izayoi had already pulled her gaze off towards the side she clutched their Faye acquaintance at something like a 45 degree angle... and been convinced to plant there, glaring daggers. The rest had largely bundled up to the front, where Mizutani was sure to keep her peripherals in line— that left the opposing flank free. Use it?

No. She was jumpy. Wary. Expecting the jaws of a trap to snap shut... and if he was willing to bet, expecting it from that direction. The moment she sensed movement from there, all bets would be off. He could make better use of this cloaking.

As Miina began to parlay, trying to coax out information about Zeke from one of their two real leads, Rudolf instead circled rightward, in a careful creep along Izayoi's path. Simple logic. She had already grown accustomed to having one of her bigger threats checked there, with the Limbtaker's feet firmly planted, so once her active attention shifted over to Miina, she'd not be looking much harder for any sleight of hand than watching the samurai's own movement. Once he was in a better position, he could—

—Never finish up his on-the-spot plan, as those never survived contact with enemy nor ally.

A flash of silver, one that those that lived by the sword were all too familiar with. He abandoned the idea of stealth, unseen eyes wide as a helpless cry of "Hold on—" escaped his lips, rushing forward. Too late, even as quick as he was— much like Izayoi had determined, there was still enough time for a bullet or blade to strike before they could get there.

The spray of blood painted his partially-obscured frame warm and red as the two women tumbled to the ground, Ciradyl's rictus snarl painted over her once-graceful features as though possessed by a demon. She was stabbing, stabbing, the stiletto painted red as he, forcing the needle down like a vengeful stinger through the crime lord's palms, towards her throat in a murderous drive.

"Dammit, not yet, Ciradyl! Let's at least—"

This wasn't a struggle. Ciradyl was by a league stronger. If he wasted time, they would lose this opportunity. Miina would lose it, and be back at all but square one. He had no grievances with her wanting vengeance, not really. He knew what it was to hate. To have your heart overcome your good sense. In a way, his was, even now—

But he couldn't let it take Mizutani. If it did, it would tumble over into Miina's chances, and wreck them immediately. He couldn't stand by. If the Faye hated him for obstructing vengeance like this, so be it. He understood.

Better him than one of the rare friends he felt like he might have still been able to make around here.

He drew up to them, and Ciradyl would find her dominant arm stopped cold by a vicelike grip, every bit as strong compared to her as she was to her prey.

"Learn something—"

Not a breath later a sudden force pulled her back, away from Tane, towards the direction of her own back as Rudolf sat his weight down and wrenched her into him, right arm clamped onto her clavicle from above the opposite shoulder to keep the neck high, other snaked beneath the armpit to elevate and isolate the arm.

"—Before we lose the chance!"

His legs were equally quick to work, forcing into the floor to scoot them further before wrapping around her waist, attempting to simply clamp on in lieu of isolating the legs by lacing his own into the back of her knees. It would have extended her out good and immobile-like, but the dress was in the way— and he and it both had been painted red enough already.

Red.

The stabs. One in the shoulder, one in the abdomen that he could see. Maybe a third somewhere in the thigh. The hands. All bleeding profusely. Given the length of the weapon... Shit, that second was gonna be bad, real bad! Mind racing, he barked out what he could.

"Before she goes into shock over there, hurry! Her abdominal wall's probably punctured! Keep her talking!"

---

The situation was handled. Even with Mizutani waving around a pistol, this situation was all but handled- the crime lord wasn't a warrior like the rest of them, so Galahad doubted she could do much with the firearm. The others seemed to have a similar idea as a few of them began to disperse, Eliane with her newfound toy and Esben taking away Robin. Galahad merely stayed in the room to hold an imposing presence, heavy armor and weapons had a tendency to do that. They'd gotten to Mizutani, and now Miina could get her questions answered, then they could dispose of her and be done with this dirty business. At least, that was the plan, right?

It was incredible how quickly plans could unravel- by this point, Galahad should've hardly been surprised, but he was still caught by surprise nonetheless. Galahad had a feeling Ciradyl had come here for more reasons than just a cup of tea in the middle of the night, but stabbing her while another of their group was trying to get answers wasn't exactly what he had expected. "Grab her!" Galahad bellowed, but Rudolf was already on it. Galahad quickly slid across the floor to grab Mizutani in turn. His hands moved to her wounds, putting pressure on them. He had no particular need care for the woman- after all she had just sent an entire building's worth of goons on them, but Miina's questions deserved answers- that was the main reason she was out here with them, after all.

"Etro above! Ciradyl you damned fool!" Galahad cursed her. Could her revenge have not waited ten godsdamned minutes? It wasn't as though they couldn't have lied to Mizutani about ensuring their safety. Sure, lying wasn't exactly in Galahad's wheelhouse, but there were plenty of folk in their group that probably would have had fewer scruples regarding such a thing. It wasn't as though Galahad didn't understand the desire for revenge- it was as common a motivator as any that anyone could find. But honestly? It wasn't as though Miina had been keeping her need to find her brother a secret. Ciradyl at the very least was aware of such a thing, but couldn't find it in herself to even let the girl find answers before exacting vengeance for whatever reasons she had. She knew they were here to kill Mizutani anyway- she could've gone with them and her vengeance likely would've been sated one way or another way. Instead, she let herself in while letting the rest of the party bumble around through dozens of goons.

"Rudolf. Keep her there." Galahad growled, pointing at Ciradyl with his halberd before gesturing to Miina, "Come, I won't be able to stop the bleeding without magic."

Glancing down at Mizutani in his arms, Galahad's look offered no pity. One arm kept the woman restrained, in case she tried anything funny, a broad hand holding both of her wrists like a vice. Setting down the heavy halberd, the Galahad's other hand rested on the grip of his hunting knife on the small of his back. "New deal Miss Tane. Miina is the only one in this room capable of keeping you alive. I'd be trying to get into her good books right about now- first by answering her questions."

Obviously, Mizutani wouldn't tell her anything off the bat—in her shoes, Miina doubted that she would do much different, it only made sense that the woman was trying to bargain for her safety. That was fine, she didn't mind being a bit cruel and giving her false hope, she was a crime boss—

Of course someone had to go and ruin it. Oh, sure, Ciradyl had some excuse in that she was being threatened, but they were all here to kill her; there was no need to get all stabby before she answered any questions!

Rudolf and Galahad had jumped to intervene in time, though, so the possibility of getting any answers wasn't entirely lost. Not that this meant Miina was entirely calm by the time she rushed over to apply some emergency healing, letting out a frustrated hiss at Cyradil.

Right, just enough healing to keep her alive, give her incentivve to co-operate in the hope that she might even be spared in the long run...

---Honestly, as much as she'd have liked to try her skills against the gunner, Robin couldn't help but be a little glad he'd been taken out like that. Certainly, she wouldn't have backed down, but at the same time she didn't really know how to approach an enemy like that. She'd wanted to try and clash with the ronin, as well, to protect her allies and cut down the sort of people who would sell their services to a crime lord.

But it seemed as if that wasn't going to be necessary either.

Still, Robin felt it was important for someone to bring up the rear and cover the others. Charging in first was heroic, but so was defending your allies from any last-moment threats while they tried to get crucial information from an enemy.

So, it was quite a surprise for the swordswoman when she suddenly found herself being pulled back down the stairs.

"Ah? Er, are you certain?"

They had everything handled? Robin swore she heard some commotion, but that probably didn't mean all that much given the situation they were already in. While she wasn't sure if hunting something downstairs was of equal importance and standing guard for the others, returning to the lower levels could allow her to prevent any possibility of attempts to ambush her allies from below.

At the very least, it made sense to Robin.

"In that case, I'll come along with you."

@The Otter

---

If the pair descended down the stairs back into the room that had contained the gunner, they would catch sight of Arton with his back towards them guarding the stairwell. There were no new corpses but Arton's breathing appeared to be a bit labored and beads of sweat tricked down his face from time to time. Smoke had begun to permeate through the entire structure but it had not completely engulfed the the two floors they were on yet. His focus was so honed in on where they enemy might emerge that he didn't notice the footsteps of his allies behind him.

His skin tingled with a unpleasant but not painful sensation and his chest-plate felt restrictive around his chest. It was similar to something he felt a couple times before and there was enough distinction to convince him it wasn't a simple panic attack. He gritted his teeth to help recenter his attention on the stairwell they had used to get into this room. This...condition that had started to affect him was why he had elected to remain behind as they rest moved into the room with Ciradyl and Mizutani. He really should have asked the sage Cid for assistance but his issue seemed minor at the time.

How foolish. It was not as if a white mage powerful enough to help him would just be lying around the next corner. When he had started this journey with Team Kirin, Arton was confident he could bring this issue up with Neve when the time came. The fact he hadn't properly slept since they returned to Kugane likely wasn't helping either. Now his neglect of his personal health had the potential to burden the rest of the party. He inhaled deeply, held it for a couple seconds, and slowly released the air back out. Tonight he was going to rest fully after a hearty meal.

---

---

---

Their voices had been drowned out when she had started to press her blade down towards Mizutani's neck. Every instance of abuse by her hands flashed in her mind as the silver metal drew closer. She wished she had the willpower left to resist the murderous urge that engulfed her. The idea that Izayoi and her new friends might learn of what she had done to secure Hien's position terrified her. Individual rivals to Hien's rule that were carefully taken out. Resistance cells with incompetent fighters and weak leaders given up to Valheim as an offering. Pretending to be Mizutani's little pet to manipulate her into working towards Osprey's interests instead of her own. Ciradyl had to silence any chance of that happening or...or whoever she was before would be completely lost.

A frustrated scream left her lips as she was lifted off the target of her wrath. She did not have the strength to resist Rudolf as she was quickly pulled off the bleeding Mizutani and restrained. The crime lord looked at her with wide, betrayed eyes not saying a word as the distance between them grew. Ciradyl squirmed in Rudolf's arms praying for the slim chance his grip might be loose enough for her to get one more shot at Mizutani's life. It was no use. The stiletto bounced on the ground next to them as his hold set in. Its faint ding as it hit the floor proved a trigger for the tears to start flowing down her cheeks.

She had struggled and fought so hard to give Osprey a future in the past year. Ciradyl had given everything she had to give in setting up a resistance that could take back their country. Her efforts had bled her dry and now she felt completely empty. The muscles that had been resisting Rudolf's hold relaxed knowing that there was little else to be done. The trust she might have held with the members of Team Kirin was certainly eroded. What value was there in a person who deceived even their friends and allies?

Mizutani stared blankly up at the ceiling as Galahad put pressure on her wound with Miina arriving soon after. She tilted her head slightly to look at the tall man listening to him speak and nodded weakly. Her sweet and timid Cici...what had happened? Mizutani had used the girl to gather intelligence on Opsreans working against Valheim so that she could turn them in for favor and rewards. She even had her cozy up to some of the Valheim officials to learn about their interests and skeletons she could exploit. That was at least what she had believed. Now she was going to die by the hands of her most cherished pet.

@Ithradine@vietmyke

"That's the plan!" Rudolf grunted in response to Galahad's orders, clamping down a small increment tighter as Ciradyl thrashed to try and free herself from his grip. The stiletto in her grip flashed as it clattered to the floor, thankfully not sinking into her captor's frame— he'd have grit his teeth through it, of course, but with one eye drenched in Mizutani's blood he couldn't have really seen it coming.

"Please, just stay put," he pleaded through a grimace, wrenching her back an inch further as he felt her, finally, go slack. "I don't wanna hurt you."

She wasn't fighting him anymore. He, as much as anyone he grew up in the crucible of Edreni martial culture, knew how to determine the difference between a pause and an end in resistance when grappling. The Faye bard had gone slack, felt that he wasn't budging. Safe. He'd gotten her to see reason, or at least give up on the idea. Provided Miina still had it in her to perform her white magic, they had slid home safe.

And then her breath began to hitch.

Had her reason returned to her? Had she broken when she realized her goals and theirs were in opposition, and couldn't overcome them on strength? Hell, was it Miina pulling that pointedly feline hiss out that had brought her down to earth?

He... couldn't say.

Her sobs were thus far silent.

Quietly, she was crumbling.

Well...

"Look, I get it." he breathed, already ceding the task of questioning to those that were there, moving to Mizutani's aid. Maybe he had things wrong, but going by feeling, and by experience, he'd been here before. Where she was. "I get feelin' desperate."

She wasn't resisting, but his grip didn't loosen. One part of that was insurance, on the off chance that sudden release might prompt her to try again. He didn't believe that, even if the possible reason she had broken down was having her sought vengeance denied. Galahad's orders had brooked no dissent.

"I get feeling like your only option left is the most drastic one. Like the goal's worth everything."

But, more than that.

The part that reminded you of the old saying. "No man is an island". She had just burned everything to get at this woman. Gone against her precious friend, in Izayoi— whose life he had saved in part just because he'd seen how much it pained Ciradyl to have lost her. She had employed all of their services to her cause by now, and had repaid that labor now with... well, he had caught the scathing look Galahad had pinned her with. That alone had a way of cutting into you through the ways you went behind his back. For the need to see Mizutani die to overtake her good sense with all of them right there in the first place, who knew what the hell else she'd done, that would have seen those she cared about resent her?

He had no right to judge, of course. He'd turned his back on the Mothercrystal. He'd hidden it from the rest of the Kirins. Had he not listened to his fear, pain, regret, and anger, neither of those things would have been true. He wouldn't have marked himself a danger to good people. He wouldn't have been able to to begin with.

"But when we throw everything away, we throw out some things we can't get back. People we can't get back."

His voice was solemn. Distant.

For a moment, the tears that had fallen onto his skin weren't warm, but cold. He wasn't high at the top level of a burning estate, but on a low, cobblestone road, in front of a heavy, closed gate. A storm overhead, thickening smoke rising from beneath... all the same, an inky haze that obscured one's view of what lie beyond. They light they sought, choked by darkness.

In a way, that was like those desperate wishes, which swallowed up and obscured what was right in front of you, of what reality would leave in their wake, once they had ceased. One way or another, the clouds would see you lost, stranded, until you were so far from who you were before you never found your way back.

So,

from one hopeless, damned fool to another, imprisoned by rash, desperate choices... some words of advice.

"Believe me. Life's a battlefield. It's hell to fight alone."

---

It was clear that the situation was more or less managed, at least from what Éliane could see. Although the mansion was starting to burn down, it was still gradual enough. With the rest of her team crowding around the criminal of the house, an extra body was not going to do anything else but to get in the way of what needed to be done in that room.

And Éliane hadn’t really wanted much to do with this mission, anyway. The fact that there was a beautiful crew-served weapon of her dreams right in front of her did much to alleviate the sour taste that remained, and she continued to scrutinize the gatling gun to see how best it could be taken with the group. She was already imagining mounting it in the wagon for Goug to use, either for fire support or for self defense that was very much overkill…

Seeing Rudolf stop briefly to take a look at the gun for himself as well, she nodded at him. “We should be able to take all of it. It’ll be very… useful…?”

She tilted her head as he was urged on, and shrugged. Still not needed, she continued to dismantle the gun. If she pulled her arms through the removed wheels and hung them on her shoulders, and then carried the rest, then maybe it could be done…

It didn’t take long, but Éliane had the thing dismantled soon enough. Someone else needed to grab the full ammunition box, but as it was now, she was carrying it. With her arms through the wheels looking like ridiculous shoulder pauldrons, a belt of ammunition across her shoulder, and the actual gun just barely held with all the rest of the bulk, she looked as ridiculous as she expected as she finally moved into the other room to see how things were going.

“…what in Artimis is happening here?”

She knew it, she knew and called it, really, it wouldn't take a clairvoyant, nor a seer to predict this outcome. Ciradyl the Spy-Bard, from the very beginning, her goals had aligned with the rest of Team Kirin, however, like Eve and unlike Miina, she didn't need any interrogation to take place first before the execution. Still, as Eve witnessed the scuffle, even she could see that whatever animosity Ciradyl had with Tane, it was personal. The sheer hateful rage she put into each strike, those weren't the bodily expressions of a calm and collected assassin, nay, twas' the actions of a slave who had enough and snapped...

Indeed the very thing that doomed a certain research facility.

As the Pseudolon's ruby eyes took in the sight of Rudolf desperately trying to restrain the enraged Faye, how the crime lord bled and gasped within an inch of her life, and the efforts by Galahad and Miina to salvage the situation, Eve found herself... smirking, a small barely-perceptible one, but a smirk nonetheless.

You're enjoying this, aren't you?

The petite black mage blinked, her sneer replaced by a frown.

She deserves it.

Truly, anyone who couldn't see that was a fool.

But the fact remains that you relish in suffering, in death and destruction, for their own sake regardless of what pragmatic excuses you used to justify them; you are - after all - made to destroy.

No, she didn't like these thoughts, mother told her that she was so much more than what the empire wanted her to be, that she was her own person, with her own goals, aspirations, and fears.

That's not true... not true at all...

Not true? Then why do you still wish to end the hunter's life? Even after the little... pact you made?

B-... because he-...

Deserves it? There it is again. You're a smart girl, you must be, otherwise they'd not have bothered creating you, an intelligent self-operating weapon.

SILENCE!! I'm not like that!

You always have an excuse, an oh-so-logical reason for each and every single murder you've committed, but... beneath it all, be honest, Grayscale, the fact is... you feel most alive when others lay dying before you. The reaper at the eve of their demise...

... ... ...

Eve trembled and gritted her teeth, shutting her eyes and tearing her gaze away from the commotion, her lips pursed, trying to say something, anything just for this whole farce of a mission to be over, so they could leave.

"Nothing but lunacy." The Pseudolon snapped back at the gun-lugging Dame Commander, perhaps with a tad too much enmity than Eliane deserved, alas, she was simply a victim of circumstances.

The situation had tangled very, very quickly. Izayoi's response to Ciradyl breaking free and stabbing Mizutani was an exasperated sigh, as Rudolf had been close enough to restrain the Faye so that Izayoi hadn't needed to intervene. Nevertheless, she stalked forward as Miina and Galahad made their inquiries, fixing Ciradyl with a pointed stare.

"We will discuss this later. For now, wait. You are complicating the situation at the moment."

All the while, Mizutani laughed bitterly as Miina healed her wound, shaking her head.

"You might be sincere about keeping me alive, but I already know I'm a dead woman." She spat, her eyes flickering towards Izayoi. At that, the samurai gave a thin smile, her katana held at her side.

"Answer the question, wench. It will make the difference between a painless death or a drawn out one. And I would far prefer the latter." Izayoi's gaze had an unholy glint, showing far too much pleasure at the thought of a slow death for the crime lord.

"Hah! I knew it. But fine, I'll tell the little bitch here what she wants. Your useless brother was a little trophy for me at first. After all, he was a mage. Who else had one in their employ? Then it turned out the little shit barely had anything past parlor tricks. Took ship to Costa del Sol. He owes no few people no small amount of debts. Satisfied, kitten?" Mizutani giggled madly, her inhibitions cut loose by her impending death.

"A bit of a...bonus. Cici...Ciradyl, is the reason Valheim took control so easily. She infiltrated rebel cells and gave me their intel. Valheim might have had more of a fight without her help."

Izayoi glared at Mizutani, walking up and gently taking Miina aside before turning to plunge the tip of her sword into her belly.

"Perhaps you may be telling the truth. Perhaps you are simply trying to sow discord as one last act of spite. Regardless, I will not give you the satisfaction you seek." Izayoi kept her expression locked in a rictus of hatred for the woman before her as Mizutani howled in pain. She wrenched her katana free, flicking the blood off before sheathing it and turning around.

"Rudolf. Release her." Izayoi knelt down to pick up Ciradyl's stiletto and walked forward before planting the dagger into the floorboard in front of its owner. "Finish what you started. If you will not, I will. The rest, we will discuss back at the safehouse."

One way or another, Mizutani Tane's head would be taken on this night.

___

Esben and Robin's path downstairs was unbarred, the majority of Mizutani's goons either concerned with putting out the fire or simply looting as much as they could before fleeing. Eventually, however, they would come across the basement, where a treasure trove awaited the two.

It seemed the basement was Mizutani's personal office, where she kept no few valuables, as well as a sheaf of documents. A cursory glance through them revealed the depth of the underworld's collaboration with Valheim, to say nothing of Ciradyl's involvement in destroying several rebel cells while working with Mizutani.

Even disregarding that, between the jade, gold, and silver kept around the office, there was enough loot here to keep the Kirins' quest funded for quite some time should it be resold. That, or redistributed to the resistance or the needy of Kugane as the looters willed.

___

The entirety of Team Kirin returned to the safehouse rather late that night. Bikke was back on his ship and wouldn't be roused until morning, and Izayoi didn't bother to wake Hien before leading everyone back into the meeting room.

"I believe we have much to discuss, Ciradyl." She said, her tone dripping with genuine irritation. "To begin with, considering we had the exact same goal, this entire debacle could have been avoided. Secondly, Mizutani's last words. How much of the truth was within them?"

She didn't want to believe it. Hell, Izayoi had no reason to believe it. Mizutani was a scheming, lying, glorified bandit. But considering Ciradyl had evidently ingratiated herself with the woman over the last few years, something was wrong here.

Costa del Sol...? So if she had just stayed put that would have let her reunite without any fuss. But her other hand was already moving, grabbing the knife where it rest against her hip. Ah, she wasn't going to put up with some egotistical bitch talking about her brother that way. Parlour tricks? She might not have been certain of everything her brother could do, but the youth that had taught her wasn't that incompetent.

Just because you weren't worth showing, didn't mean that was all that someone could do.

If she managed to get anything out about Ciradyl before the red mage cut her throat—well, that wasn't really her problem, and Miina hadn't been thinking about it. Or even paying attention, really.

Hmm, it was a shame they didn't have more time here, she'd love to go approach any possible debt collectors about working on their behalf... well, it was too late now, and they'd probably be scrambling after Mizutani died. She should just make sure to clean up tonight, she didn't want to stain her nice clothes with crime boss blood, not like the cheap ones she'd had last time.

---

"Would I ask you if I wasn't certain?"

Given everything that he could see was about to happen, it was best to keep the girl away from the mess happening with Mizutani, lest her willingness to work with the group be rapidly diminished. Certainly, she knew that the plan was to kill the crime lord and gather up her head...but such things were rarely so simple, and the sound of the altercation behind him only made that point more obvious. It had the added benefit of keeping her out of the way herself, in a situation that was full of chances for things to go even more wrong than was already bound to occur.

"Come on, then, we'll have to be quick about it!"

A rapid search of the building—except for where the combustion and its destruction proved enough of an obstruction that they couldn't get past—led them quickly down into the basement, and Mizutani Tane's personal office. The documents on and in the desk were swept up rapidly, Esben not giving Robin a chance to see anything more than that they existed, folded and slipped into a pocket on the inside of his cloak, before he turned back to the more obvious valuables strewn throughout the room, grabbing at the goods at random and slipping them into all his other pockets. "Well, now, what to do with all of this? I may get Arton to come down this way and help carry some more of it out. Make sure to grab as much as you can, ja?"

---

On his way back up the mansion to reconvene with the others, he'd had a few moments to scan the records that Mizutani had kept by the now-abundant firelight. Business records, mostly, both legitimate and not; but there was a wealth of other information present. Missives from Valheimer officials, more personal dealings, various reports, even a few pages that were written almost as though they were meant to be for a journal than for records such as these. All together, they painted a fairly clear picture of everything that Mizutani had been involved with, including with the occupiers—and implicated Ciradyl in a large portion of it.

Obviously, she'd had something to hide; now it was obvious what.

Once they'd re-entered the safehouse he was able to start delving deeper into them, tracking down more names. Valheimer officials, other local criminals of some repute, rebel leaders and personnel of other cells that were either given up to the occupiers or otherwise rendered unworthy of note...some names that he could recognize, both from news and study of the recent wars and from far more recent events than that. Unsurprisingly, however, the rest wouldn't allow him any time to piece the rest of it together for them before deciding it was time to interrogate Ciradyl over it.

Ah, well. It can't be helped.

As everybody more or less resumed their spaces from earlier meetings in the same room, with noticeable space between them and the Faye that had drawn their scrutiny, Esben broke from the pack. His cushion was kicked over past Ciradyl's, where he sat down, his back against her own as he stretched his legs out and used her to balance against. He lazily flipped through the sheaf of papers he had back to where he'd last been reading, though not without leaning his head back over Ciradyl's shoulder and whispering in a low tone:

"Be honest, would you? Otherwise we'll have a much harder time dealing with all this than we ought."

@Psyker Landshark@Ithradine@Click This

He had quietly listened in after making his plea, logging what details the interrogators had managed to pull from Mizutani while he maintained his restraint of the other bloodstained Faye. Izayoi was quick to reestablish herself, her smirk like the blade of a knife in open air— a reminder that no matter how much he was tearing down the demon of battlefield mythology, she was still someone whose ire he never wanted to earn.

Still, it seemed the promise of an undue mercy in swift departure was enough for the crime lord to acquiesce, feeding Miina the bulk of what she had to say regarding her brother. Little of it was concrete, beyond what they already knew. A debtor. A mage. Skipping town for cleaner waters and green land.

But... at least it was one chapter closing. They could, with confidence, say they hadn't left any stone they'd gathered unturned. That wasn't nothing.

And soon, Ciradyl's would close too, before she'd stepped beyond the pale. He'd made the difference. He'd done, by whatever stroke of—

Mizutani's mouth opened again. The boy caught one final, withering glare, aimed just ahead of him. Even as he held Ciradyl back, he felt something suddenly looming over him. Leering. Like a well-fed tiger.

A dark, heavy gaze, inside looking out.

The wheel of fate, which had spun so merrily... jammed.

My, my. Isn't it fitting, kid? You truly know your own.

"Rudolf. Release her."

He gazed into the middle distance, complying numbly, mechanically at the stimulus of Ciradyl's stiletto burying into the wooden floor.

He said nothing.

He rose, backing away.

There was no logical reason to buy into this, spiteful words from a dying saboteur, criminal, and evident all-terrain underworld fiend in search of petty revenge after double-cross. Hell, with how possessive she'd been, maybe even "jilted suitor" was on the table. Her words were as wind, in the face of even her actions he'd witnessed, let alone those he'd been informed of. There was all likelihood she was making her last act a wedge between the one she had loved, and the one she had surely hated.

And yet.

Stop. Not now. Not you now. He had done so much work to pull this from the brink. He couldn't let shock beat good sense.

Good sense? Rudolf, you know that isn't the game you want to play. Your attempts at rationalizing it won't get you anywhere you're looking to go. Rationality left the picture when she flung herself at Tane, and when you flung your half-baked 'advice' at her. Empathy tells all between people, not logic. Do you think all those conclusions you were jumping to, just now, were "rational"? Was believing that you had a shared struggle "logical"?

He turned, away from the scene, with nothing more to say. With his upbringing, he was far from squeamish at executions, whether he'd ever wanted to be or not. He didn't flinch at the sound of steel slicing trachea.

The "logic" you seek says this. There's no way that woman could so fully believe Ciradyl so wrapped around the palm of her finger without ages of positive reinforcement. There's no way to fake the betrayal in her eyes. The confusion. The terror, as one thing she was certain she could trust tried to tear her apart.

Even so, his voice was tight as he wiped the mob boss's blood from his brow with a sleeve, shuffling away to meet the salmon-haired Skaellar in the entranceway. He seemed to wish he was anywhere else, barely even taking pause at the Dame Commander's nonsensical sihlouette.

"Looks heavy. Lemme help you offload some stuff, Miss Eliane. I promised."

... He had to get his mind off this.

---

He had spent much of the egress from the burning manse in a tense, pensive silence. There wasn't much in the way of idle chatter to distract, after the revelations of the night raid, and internally he had tried to busy himself between managing the heft of Eliane's plunder and taking and retaking inventory of his casualties from the dispatch. A knife. The swords he had plundered, save one. Hat. Cloak.

By the time they returned to the meeting room and he had taken his seat, his hands were steepled in front of him, elbows on the knees as he flickered between studying the floor, and looking up his brow at the woman in the spotlight.

Much like Izayoi, he didn't want to believe what he'd heard, saw no reason to...

But the cold voice below his inner world wouldn't shut its damn mouth.

You shouldn't kid yourself. You're perfectly willing to be blinded by illogical shocks— when they serve you. Or is it because they serve a pretty lady? A pretty lady that has amassed an entire covert network of her own saboteurs, informants, ninja, and resistance fighters in the span of this occupation? Easily squaring off your entrance to Kugane, obtaining troop movements, the location of the dignitary held deepest within the oppressor's clutches? How do you think that happens, without Valheim beginning to sniff out the threads? How does a cabaret minstrel really obtain that much pull, without drawing healthy suspicion?

"..."

Why do you think you felt like she had thrown everything she needed to away? You were practically moving before she was. When the plan you wanted to fight for was turned tits-up, why were you reaching out? You bore a weak part of your soul to someone who had just potentially shat all over your "friend"'s reason to even be part of this mess. Why not rip her apart for it? What was it that made you choose mercy?

... She and I...

You're the same fuck-up. Willing to betray any faith, any creed, any loyalty to get what you want. That was your feeling. It overpowered everything, and compromised your prized good sense. She needs a helping hand, she needs to be set off the path, something about her is like you. You knew what you believed.

And look at what that means, if you think you're right. Look at the SEED, leafing through all the evidence your illogical empathy didn't even need. Listen to him, advising honesty. You made a deal with one devil. She made a deal with a million. The empty know their own, time after time.

You've thrown in with a conspirator.

---

The pressure around her was supposed to iron chains to restrain her from taking any more foolish actions, but she found them closer to warm blanket. How many times had she pleaded to the gods that if what she was doing was wrong for someone to stop her? Rudolf spoke to her like a kindred spirit and she believed him. The simple idea that there was something else who might feel the same kind of hurt was enough to send her into a second round of sobbing. Ciradyl didn't care about what he revealed in the desert. Not now. Now she was desperately hanging on to his sweet idea that maybe...just maybe she wasn't alone in the world just yet.

It was always donning one mask after the other, ditching the ones that no longer suited her needs. At some point she had lost herself in the pile of discarded personas. The songstress Ciradyl was a liability and her true feelings were a danger. Now the masks she wore were ash in her hands, leaving behind only the original only...it was in pieces and she didn't know how to put it back. She had put all that she was and all that she had on the line....and she had accomplished her goal. Hien was now in charge of loyal, devoted resistance and a network that infiltrated all aspects of the invaders organization command. There was simply nothing left on the table for her to take back.

"Believe me. Life's a battlefield. It's hell to fight alone."

After hearing this, Ciradyl not only stopped resisting but in fact clung onto his arms never once looking back at him. The words were different but it was something close to what her father had once said to her during one of their hunts. Ciradyl had those under her command, including the capable Chisaki, but strategically it had been her against Valheim. She had been fighting in hell for an entire year. That was perhaps why she just couldn't see the Kirins as true comrades, even Izayoi. They would eventually leave for their quest and she would be left behind, alone once more.

"We will discuss this later. For now, wait. You are complicating the situation at the moment."

Those words from the friend she should have cherished most stung, especially as her delusions of love began to fade. How truly useless she was in this state. The intense crying from earlier had started to calm down, turning into sniffles and occasional tear. Ciradyl feel more exhausted in this moment than she had ever felt in her entire life. Mizutani's regained voice did not help this matter and she felt herself tighten up once more. Miina had at least gotten something out of the wrench.

Her chest felt like it might implode as her greatest fear came to fruition. She might have been able to keep a poker face and pass it off as the last, desperate words of a psychopath. Alas, Ciradyl had no energy or desire to do so. Izayoi stabbing her sword into Mizutani's abdomen came only a brief relief. Her expression went blank and the last of her tears dripped onto the floor like the last gasp of life inside her had gone out.

"Rudolf. Release her." "Finish what you started. If you will not, I will. The rest, we will discuss back at the safehouse."

Cirady's vacant gaze looked up at Izayoi as she had approached and then at the stiletto in front of her. Mint-green eyes red from her tears lingered on the silver blade, at her reflection through the splattered blood. Her attention was so focused on her stilleto that she hadn't even spotted Miina finishing her task, only finally reacting to the morbid sounds. Mizutani was dead, just like that, and a hollowness overcame as she finally took the stiletto into her hands. Silently she tucked it away where she had hidden it earlier and struggled to her feet.

She took a good look at Mizutani's corpse before she followed behind Izayoi.

---

Ciradyl was sitting down as Izayoi began looking like a shell of the imposing, serene figure she had been. Izayoi's words startled her from her daze and she flinched. Now would come the reckoning she so rightfully deserved and there was no resistance to be offered. There was hardly a friendly face she could turn in the room...except for one. Esben's sudden approach caused a brief interruption in the melancholy she had been experiencing. Her eyes followed his movement and even let out a small gasp as he insisted on sitting behind her, leaning on her back for support. This casual and nonchalant attitude had taken her completely off guard as did his words. She simply nodded in response saving her energy for what she was about to say.

"It is the truth. The deaths of a number of our countrymen is on my hands." She spoke dryly, though her eyes betrayed her regret and sorrow.

How much did they want to know? She could go on in detail about every little move she made following Valheim's occupation of Kugane. The regret she felt was that there had been little other options. No one had seen the fervor of its citizens when Edren drew closer. The country had been left almost destitute after the war. She had decided shortly after Valheim began its invasion she would resist in their stead. That lead to the removal of trouble warriors and officials that would rally the commonfolk in a suicidal attack. Hien's resistance was strong and loyal thanks to her efforts but now it was time for her to hand it over. There were a number of personel that would not bow to their new lord while Ciradyl was present so...much like she did to others, she would have to disappear.

---

"TRAITOR!" Arton growled the words taking a step towards Ciradyl with his fists clenched, nails digging into the base of his palms.

He had assisted with carrying the parts of the gatling gun back to their safehouse and had gotten the gist of what had happened. The swordsman had refused to believe the words of someone like Mizutani when Ciradyl had been so accommodating. Now that the confirmation came from her own mouth it fueled an intense rage inside him that he could hardly control. A different face flashed over Ciradyl for a moment and he nearly lunged for her throat. Instead, he dug his nails deeper into his fists to the point they drew blood.

"Do it...if it shall make you feel better." Ciradyl's voice was faint, weak but she would get no pity from him.

A heavy fist slammed into the table in the center and split it in two at the impact. "I won't do you the kindness of taking some of that guilt away. You're just pathetic."

"I'm sorry for the table." Arton took a few steps back to where he had been standing before.

It was true that they hadn't heard exactly what Ciradyl had been responsible but the idea she would betray her countrymen for an advantage infuriated him. Was Team Kirin next? Would Ciradyl turn them over as one of her ploys to gain leverage or power? He didn't care what explanation or reasoning she gave. The only reason he even considered her worhty of life was she was Izayoi's friend and thus far assisted them. Team Kirin would be leaving shortly anyway and he would never have to stare at her face again.

"Arton, control yourself. The time for opinions can wait." Izayoi fell back into old habits, the general she had once been reasserting itself in her cold tone.

"Ciradyl." If Izayoi had been irritated before, now she was nothing but a pillar of stone, her expression unreadably blank. "Explain yourself. Now."

She knew her old friend. People changed, but not enough for this sudden shift. Not enough to ally with the woman who wanted her as a trophy, if there wasn't a salient reason behind it. Yet Ciradyl stayed silent, to Izayoi's frustration. Before either woman could say anything further, a few sheets of documents were silently passed Izayoi's way by Esben. She picked them up and began to read. Her frown deepened.

"This..." Izayoi began to say after a minute. She knew many of these names. She wouldn't be mourning the majority of them. "This would absolve you, in my eyes. I have committed larger wastes of our people's lives. My presumed final stand was little more than a temper tantrum on my part that got many more killed uselessly."

Izayoi placed the documents back on the table, free for Esben to elaborate on. That one did like to talk, after all.

"Why do you not defend yourself?"

"That's something I'd like to know too." A voice proclaimed from outside the room. The door slid open, and Hien shuffled in, bleary-eyed from an apparent lack of sleep. "What?" He shrugged in the face of Izayoi's questioning glance. "All the commotion awoke me. Regardless, let's hear it, Lady Ciradyl. I believe we all deserve that much, at least."

---

Esben turned, glancing at Ciradyl as she confirmed what Mizutani claimed...and offered no further words to explain herself. Arton's outburst went almost immediately ignored—even if he didn't listen to Izayoi, the others would be enough to contain him—as he pulled out a few of the papers he'd been reading, holding them back over his shoulder towards Izayoi, who read them over quickly and came to what sounded like much the same conclusion he had.

"She still feels guilty about it all, why else?" he replied in response to Izayoi and Hien's questioning. "A popular musician turned rebel leader, forced to make all the sorts of decisions that one of you learned to later and the other has been raised from birth to make? It can't be an easy thing."

He held up the rest of the papers in his hand over his and Ciradyl's shoulders. "Certainly not having to work with someone like Mizutani Tane to get the work done, but that's beside the point. General Hakamichi was one of the first to perish in Valheim's invasion, but his lieutenant, Mikado, managed to avoid immediate death. Neither one was particularly known for military prowess, even as far south as Skael, but Mikado started gathering together whoever he could with the goal of making another push against Valheim or dying in the attempt. A waste of lives, much like Izayoi described her own presumed last battle. Better to siphon away those who weren't fanatics and let the others waste themselves, it was early enough to expect such as Valheim was cementing their rule.

"Or one of the provincial governors, Ikezawa, who had been one of those during the war with Edren calling on the common people to be ready to take up arms and fight to the last, fostering fear and rage in equal measure, and primed to do just the same as Valheim came to her door. She'd sooner scorch the earth and wipe her people out than swallow her pride and fight for the future. Better to have her poisoned and claim what resources could be recovered before she committed everybody she had to a pointless death. Ibarazaki and Tezuka, both known for their rivalries during the war with Edren, who were attempting to each play Valheim against the other while trying to consolidate their own power bases...and were sacrificing villages' worth of innocents to do so. Drug them, kidnap them, and hand deliver them to Valheim while rescuing those who could prove actually useful to the cause, and let the rest run into hiding or waste themselves in singular efforts as they saw fit. General Satou—"

"That one shirked his duty to the Emperor and the nation during the war," Izayoi cut in, disdain evident in her tone. "I do not recall him commanding in the field." Esben nodded once, before continuing, almost certain he'd be interrupted again, "And his lieutenants, Setou, Mutou, Nakai, and Shirakawa—"

"Useless city samurai, the lot of them. Unworthy to command, much less fight." Esben was almost certain he'd caught the hint of a nod from Hien at that interruption, as Izayoi's disdain passed into outright derision. "Ja. All five had seen fit to declare themselves rulers all their own, attempting to carve out their own little fiefdom where Valheim's rule was weakest. Certainly, the citizens of the area welcomed local rule, but they didn't know what they were going to be dragged into had such ill-formed plans been given any time to come to fruition. If such ill-formed rebellions as those were left to proceed as they would, then Valheim's shackles might instead have been a noose on the populace." He tapped Ciradyl on the head with the papers in his hand, turning slightly to look at the rest over her shoulder.

"Instead, a certain singer who was known to the general managed to gather information on his and his lieutenants' troop movements when they had yet to drag too many others into their insanity, and leak that intelligence to the new governors at a party hosted by a local, ah, businesswoman. It all comes together quite nicely, and there are names of others in here who are working other jobs in this safehouse right now, or out hunting down other scraps of information and gathering up as many useful people as possible, and it all allowed Ciradyl to ingratiate herself enough with the occupiers to guarantee a measure of safety for all of those to operate within...or to learn Hien's fate and work to avert it."

Of course, there was more than just that all that Esben had been able to piece together from the details in Mizutani's papers, though he figured that should be enough to illustrate it for the rest. Mizutani had thought much of it came down to her benefit, with enough of those that were rescued from a sure death in other ill-advised resistances set to work as moles within the crime lord's own network. It was a well-orchestrated plan, not without its own hiccups, but completed well enough to ensure that someone with the actual skillset and understanding to see it through to the end could take the helm.

"Now, Valheim contents itself with harsh taxation, strict curfews, and occasionally making an example out of criminals not normally severe enough to warrant the effort. Stricter now after what we've done, of course, but that couldn't be helped. Under the guise of a collaborator and with the help of those she pulled around her who did know this world before the occupation, she managed to keep the citizenry relatively safe, and secure one of the rare leaders left in this country who understands the politics as well as the battle. I have little doubt that any of those I just mentioned would have left Hien to die for nothing more than their own egos, not for any worthwhile reason. Any others in these pages that might have attempted a rescue were likely too incompetent to meet with any success in the effort or to try and use the death to their advantage when they inevitably failed. Their records in the war with Edren suggest as much."

He glanced to Izayoi, who nodded back, having spied some of those others the same as he had. Of course, her views on the competence of those already mentioned were much the same; even as useful as some of them may have been in war proper, they weren't built for the sort of work that a resistance required. Neither was Ciradyl, if he had to guess. "Regardless, though, that's quite a bit to have weighing on the conscience for someone who didn't already have years of preparation for making these sorts of choices. As easy as it might be to understand, logically, why Chisaki's occupation exists and that most of the nobility don't have anywhere near the virtue their titles imply, it's another thing entirely to have to dive head first into that world. Most people aren't cut out for it, and usually castigate themselves over it quite a bit." His eyes narrowed looking down at the paper on the top of his now-truncated stack, before he let out a short laugh of appreciation.

"Ah, planting evidence against some of the local nobility who were actual collaborators, ensuring that Valheim removed them for you? That had to be Chisaki's plan, yes? Old trick. Always love it."