Does the mechanical girl dream of the Messiah?

After seeing Gian Batista off, the group crossed the second isolation wall at the same time. They did not go to the isolation wall to meet Regia. Since the latter was monitoring the situation inside the wall, it was impossible for her to miss the group crossing the isolation wall. This could be regarded as a unilateral greeting, and then they continued to go deeper into the northeast area.

The third wall is considered the "final line of defense". If it is breached, it will develop into a very serious situation. Therefore, although there are three walls, no one will regard the cordon outside the wall as their bottom line - the bottom line is here, in front of the second wall that is strictly guarded. For this reason, many houses that are usually vacant were built between the second and third walls. According to Galezo's explanation, in an emergency like now, these houses will be used as camps for the city guards to ensure that the troops are concentrated and the soldiers can get enough rest at any time.

The camp, plus the makeshift armory, and even a wooden platform that looked like a podium, seemed to have been prepared by the city guards before Lunisia and her group arrived. The soldiers who were replaced were probably resting in it, and their figures could be seen reflected in the lights. This place was like a town between two walls.

After crossing the second barrier wall, what appeared in front of Lunesia and her group was—

There were no trenches, roadblocks or bunkers. After passing the heavily guarded main gate of the second isolation wall and reaching the first isolation wall, apart from the wide stone road between the two gates where soldiers occasionally passed, the only thing left on both sides was a huge abyss with no bottom in sight.

Lunicia pointed to the abyss on one side of the road and couldn't help asking, "What is this? It looks like... a moat?"

Ella added: "There was a strong magical reaction down there."

"As you can see, that can indeed be considered a moat." Galezo nodded, "Before I took over... a long time ago, there were only two walls in the northeast area. The current second wall was originally the first wall, and the current first wall was newly built later." Galezo's face became a little ugly when talking about this matter, and then he said: "The part of the 'moat' you two see now was originally a construction area, but a serious 'lights outage accident' occurred at that time, resulting in the loss of this relatively safe area in front of the second wall. Later, with the cooperation of the church, the military and the sages, the current first wall was built, and the ruins of the building were also removed, turning into the two... moats now."

"What's down there?" Ella asked. "Is it confidential?"

"Nothing secret. There's a plasma magic trap underneath."

"Plasma...what?"

Ella could understand these two words separately, but it was a little confusing when they were put together.

"To put it simply, anything that falls in will trigger the magic trap, and then be burned to ash by the plasma that is ejected. The legendary wizard who built this trap was the famous 'Lady in Extravagant Clothing'. At that time, she found a corpse dragon as the experimental subject. After the corpse dragon fell in, it didn't last more than three seconds."

“…That does sound very creative.”

This is the only evaluation Ella can give.

"The next step is the front line."

As if giving some kind of forewarning, Galeazzo said this before passing through the gate of the first isolation wall.

Neither Lunicia nor Ella cared about it. They were not rookie adventurers, so even if they were suddenly asked to prepare for battle, it would not be a big deal.

In fact, it was true. The corpses in the front that were shot into sieves by water-cooled machine guns did not cause any fluctuations on their faces. At most, Lunicia could not help but show some compassion - those corpses were originally ordinary humans, but were possessed by some evil spirits after death and turned into pioneers of death. From this point of view, they were also innocent - this made Galezzo feel that he had wasted his efforts.

"Ah, Lieutenant--your nose is still red, don't you want to put some ice on it?"

"The blood from my nose froze inside. Does that count as ice application?"

"About that."

"Cut the crap out of me, Leopold, what's going on now?"

Galezo looked around and it seemed that there was a gap in the enemy's offensive. The soldiers were rushing to clean up the bodies that could still be cleaned up, preparing for the next wave of attack.

"It's OK. There are no casualties so far. The mobile squadron and the first infantry squadron have been withdrawn and are resting in the camp. The second and third infantry squadrons are still inside. Let's see if we can rescue a few people."

"Shouldn't we all evacuate? It's already night." Galezo frowned. "Strengthen the defense. It's too dangerous to go in."

The current situation inside the Northeastern District is equivalent to a lightless area - or rather, it is actually a lightless area. Perhaps looking through the veil of "disharmony", it seems that there is no difference between there and during the day, the lights are on normally and always within a safe range, but that is actually just an illusion like a mirage. If you really step into it without any preparation, you will immediately encounter danger because of stepping into the lightless area. It is pitch black there, and the lights that were originally on have all gone out for unknown reasons. Only the light sources that were brought in later can support a safe zone in it.

Communications will also be interfered with under such high concentrations of pollution. In order to prevent abnormal situations, soldiers who dare to set foot in that inhuman area must arrange at least three spare communication devices for each team, bring devices to enhance the signal, and everyone must be equipped with powerful lighting equipment. Only in this way can the most basic safety be guaranteed.

"That's up to you. I'm not the commander-in-chief here."

"Notify them to withdraw."

"Row."

This task was handed over to the signalman. Galezo and Leopold did not need to move in person. They only needed to give orders. The last wave of attacks had retreated, and the next wave of attacks had not yet arrived. The signalman's shouts, the responses and murmurs from the communicator, the whispers between the soldiers, and the orderly footsteps of different teams when they arrived and left, these background noises did not disturb Lunicia, Ella, Leopold, and Galezo. Apart from the sound of breathing, there was only a silent silence between the four of them, waiting for someone to say something first.

There is so much to say, and we need a beginning.

"——Requesting support! Requesting support! This is the second squad of the third infantry company! We have encountered——"

Then, the sound was buried by a violent electrical noise, and the human voice coming from the other end could no longer be heard.

Lunicia and Galeazzo looked at each other, and with just one glance, they understood each other's thoughts.

"Let's go."

Lunicia took out the giant sword from her back and said to Ella.

"Leopold, come with me."

"Where's the commander?"

"Leave it to Jian."

Galeazzo also drew the pale scimitar from his waist.

"I will tell you about 'that ceremony' on the way."

That was the forgotten history of the beginning of Muirand that Galezo came across by chance.

Chapter 59 Day 2: Lonely Notes

"Suspended business...?"

His fingertips lightly brushed across the glass door, looking at the spacious, bright and magnificent hall behind the door. He rarely admired this very familiar place from this angle. After all, compared to the main entrance, he walked more often on the small path for employees. The lights were on. Yes, the lights were on all the time. The dragon crystal supply of one main energy source and two backup energy sources was enough to ensure that there would never be no light here.

As a result, light cannot directly determine the operating status within.

The main hall from this angle felt unfamiliar to him. Even so, he could still easily tell where the front desk was, where the public lounge area was, and where the path to the depths of the building led. There was a sign saying "Closed" on the door, and the front desk was empty. For the largest and most prosperous theater in Muirand, this was an unprecedented situation.

Is it unprecedented? Yes, at least for me, it is unprecedented.

Perhaps the same situation may have occurred here even longer ago, before I was born, before my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were born, but so what? What does it have to do with me? It is just a past story. I don’t need to care about it, and I shouldn’t care about it.

But today, for me today, it is hard to let go.

"what……"

It's not incomprehensible.

On the second day of the holiday, the streets were deserted. Occasionally, citizens would be seen running by, with lingering panic and anxiety on their faces. No one would pay attention to me, who would cause a sensation whenever I appeared in public, even if I was wearing a split-leg dark black silk dress, with many jeweled hair accessories on my head and many earrings on my ears.

I am not upset or sad about this matter, after all, it is just because the performance was cancelled.

Her inseparable companion was not by her side, and she didn't know what had happened yet. She just followed her own wishes to ask about what had happened and the next arrangements, but she didn't know that she had already figured out everything. If she knew, she would definitely not be willing to do this, after all, it meant exposing herself to danger alone, which was something she would never allow.

Is this love? Is this feeling that binds us together something called love? I don't know, I don't want to know, and I don't want to know. If I knew, it would seem that my perfect state of mind would be cracked, and my solid faith would become mottled and rusty. So I can't think about it, I can't ponder it, I just have to accept it. Is it all right if I just accept it?

——What is justice? Is what I follow and what I do justice? Justice is good, and what I do is good, but is what I devote myself to good?

There was a change in the Northeast, and because of this, not only the originally scheduled performances, but also various celebrations scheduled in other places seemed to be suspended. The market was still open, and the cathedral, library and museum were not closed. I guess they didn't want to cause panic among the citizens. This seemed to prove the legitimacy, justice and correctness of their own behavior. It seemed that someone was whispering in their ears, "What you are doing is the right thing", "So, just do it", which made people feel dazed and hard to refuse.

My fingertips lightly touched the glass door, and a light mist appeared at the junction of my skin and the glass.

——I really don’t want to leave.

Snow started falling from the sky.

Not big, but very noticeable. It seemed that the snowflakes had been floating since last night, falling on my exposed shoulders. Looking out from the terrace on the second floor of Beatrix Mansion, the nighttime Muirand was full of dazzling lights, like the swaying stars on the earth, dotted with flying snowflakes, becoming more beautiful, whiter... and more poetic. The coldness would make people reluctant to leave the warm bed, leave the arms of their companions, but everything outside the window was urging me to get up quickly, to draw the curtains quickly, to open the window quickly, and to look out. White coated everything with a thin layer, like a new world that made me feel strange.

There was not much snowfall in Muirand this year. There were only a few snowfalls since the beginning of winter, and they stopped quietly in less than one night, and there was no snow accumulation left. As a result, the sparse and ordinary snow scene seemed rare, and even my mood became cheerful.

Happy and excited, even if I know it is the poisonous white mark, I will not change.

——Where should we go?

Go to the Bard Academy, find your old dormitory, and reminisce about your student days? Go see the old principal, the teacher who taught you, or the head of the grade who is serious but very good at reciting heroic martial arts? Go to the Stone Cellar Library and read those heart-moving and exciting historical and heroic stories, or your favorite, the legend of the great hero Schitzberg? Go to Ipatto Civic Square, find those small shops run by veterans, buy a cup of hot herbal tea, sit on a bench, and meditate on the sculptures of heroes? Or go to the Cathedral of Alexandria, sit in meditation, pray, communicate with the priest, and confide your doubts to the God of Alexandria?

I don't want to think about any of them. These are not things I want to do. Although they are all good ideas, I am not willing to put them into practice at all.

Perhaps I should return home, return to the courtyard where I used to be confined, return to that small half-plane that has long been abandoned and perhaps has given birth to some strange and terrifying things, and walk in that unknown jungle, looking for a memory that belongs only to me. Memories... reminiscing about the past... before my body rots, let my spirit rot in the past. In this way, I can ensure the firmness of my will and the purity of my beliefs, rather than becoming a defective product with contradictions and entanglements.

Justice, justice, why is this word so annoying?

Sure enough, there was only one thing I wanted to do from beginning to end.

I wanted to push open the locked door in front of me, walk in, pick up my own instrument - violin, cello, French horn, trumpet, or lute - walk past the VIP boxes, past the seats for the audience, walk down the stepped stands, walk onto the stage, walk into the center where all eyes are focused, and announce to everyone: "Witch Rosalin is here!"

There has never been anyone who fought against blood like her,

There is no one like her who refuses the mission,

No one has ever mocked fate like she has.

She is the one who offers love, and she is the one who betrays love.

She is the one who escapes from the hero.

It was she who refused the end, and it was also she who placed herself at the end.

She is a witch who loves but cannot be loved. Who turned her into a sword that pierces my chest, and uses her life to turn into poisonous wine and vines that bring death? If it is the trick of the dark king, who gave me the despair that is equal to happiness when I realized it, I would ask the gods why they deprived me of that fleeting happiness and left me with only despair?

God, you who are high above the clouds and majestic and immortal, please listen to the words of a mortal like me!

I offer you my strong wrist, which cut off the head of the corpse dragon and freed it.

I would like to offer you my strong legs, which once climbed over the tower of the gearwheel and walked into the courtyard of the sages.

I would like to offer you my sharp eyes, which have looked into the eyes of the black god and seen the trajectory of the stars.

I would like to present the hammer in my hand, which is my father's legacy and the beginning of my journey.

I am willing to offer my fate, Godona's gold! The gods gave gold to the corpse dragon to maintain her past glory. I am willing to offer the gold that coexists with life to return the glory to the gods. I will use this body as the final sacrifice, cross the long wind, fulfill the distant oath, today, here, and here, calibrate the scales of justice again!

In obedience to an ancient oath, I will give everything I have in exchange for -

"——In exchange for the continuation of the witch's fate..."

Why? Why must we do this?

God did not respond to your call, but gave you a better choice. But at that time, you were really willing to give up everything that belonged to you, weren't you?

Every time I recite those familiar lyrics, I feel puzzled.

But today, I don’t dwell on this.

In the past, no matter which time, my own performance had never been cancelled for any reason. This was probably the first time in my life. It was also because of this that the feeling of loss became particularly strong and particularly difficult to accept. Today is the second to last day, isn't it? Tomorrow is the last day, isn't it? Everything is about to end, a story is about to draw to a close, so is God going to play such a little prank?

Only when I am on the stage, dancing, singing, playing instruments, only at these times, will I inadvertently think that maybe there is more than one way of living that is set for me, and maybe the concept of "myself" can only be established on the stage. Let me experience that feeling again, from early morning to late night, from the beginning to the end, it is longer than ever before, and probably more tiring than ever before. On such a stage, perhaps I can feel it particularly clearly, and only in this way can I make a comparison at the last moment, a comparison that only exists in my heart.

I have always existed, right?

……

"No one……"

"No one is here."

"Don't lose heart, Lady Luna. There must be another way."

"Whether there are other ways is another matter, but at least this idea is ruined."

It was good that Ashlee was willing to say something unpleasant, at least this way Lunicia could be sure that she was really energetic now. Although Ella had always been like that, not only was she willing to protect Lunicia everywhere, but she was also very proactive and hardworking when doing things. However, I don’t know whether it was because she was shy or she couldn’t think of how to maintain her relationship with Lunicia, there seemed to be an inexplicable distance between her and Lunicia.

Of course, this was also true for Lunicia - it seemed that as long as she got too close, she would recall that strange feeling on her lips, making her feel torn.

Today is the second day since arriving in Muirand, or it can be said to be the "eighth day" for Lunisia.

Last night, she fought with Galezo de Barbacro and Leopold de Liario in the northeast area. If possible, Lunicia didn't want to recall the feeling at that time, and it would be better to forget the "last" battle under the Cathedral of Alexandria. The feeling of being in a strong sense of disharmony, as if even the air around her was alive, was too disgusting. The monsters that appeared after nightfall were much more difficult to deal with than those crawling corpses. It was really a very hard night.

After learning relevant information about the ceremony from Galezo, he did not say where he got the information from. Leopold, a local, naturally preferred Galezo over Lunicia and his party, and naturally would not tell Lunicia such inside information for no reason. However, the party did not care much about this matter, as long as they knew the final conclusion.

But that conclusion is a bit too heavy.

Of course, the problem still needs to be solved, so after a good night's rest last night, Lunisia and her group arrived here early, to the entrance of the Muirand Theater - and successfully discovered that there was no one here.

"Not only the theater, but the streets seem to be completely empty. Are people sleeping at home during the holidays?"

Lunicia looked quite puzzled, not only puzzled, but also depressed - after all, this battle plan was originally proposed by her, but in the end it could not be completed, so naturally she was the most distressed.

"There seems to be an announcement here. Would you like to take a look, Lady Luna?"

"Of course... eh?"

The temporary handwritten notice clearly stated that due to unusual movements in the northeast region, in order to ensure the safety of the audience, the Muirland Theatre would suspend operations and the performance of the opera "Sitzberg" would be postponed, with the specific performance time to be determined.

"Can this still happen?"

Lunicia couldn't help but be stunned - she had never considered that this would be the reason.

According to Lunicia's idea, if the incident could be ended before the direct battle, it would be a good thing for both parties: the four major families would not have torn their faces apart, Galezo would not have to do anything out of line, Lunicia and her group could survive until the third day to prevent the ritual from being completed, and Colette herself would not have to lose her life. It would be a happy ending for everyone.

So in order to make this good thing come true, Lunicia came up with the idea of ​​-

It's very simple. Just kidnap Colette before the ceremony so that the four major families can't find a usable sacrifice. That's it!

Although the four major families still have the rapier named "Rest", which was recast with the weapon "Pendulum" of Sitzberg, it seems that it can offer things other than Colette as sacrifices to make the ceremony re-established, but after analysis, Ashlee believes that even if the "Rest" is used, the choice of sacrifice is not unconditional. Otherwise, in the "last" battle, they only need to make Lunicia a sacrifice, why add Ashlee?

In general, kidnapping the sacrifice in advance can at least greatly interfere with their actions.