﻿\setgamedatatitle("Kiros  \nCapital Barat Horn 1")

\text("Kiros Soldier")
We've confirmed the appearance of the Demon Lord's army! It
looks like they're heading straight for us...!
\endtext

\text
When that report came in, Glace was seized by a strange
feeling.
\endtext

\text
She didn't feel much fear or panic about the invasion or the
prospect of this Barathorn becoming a battlefield.
\endtext

\text
She fully understood that, no matter what, the people would
never be caught up in the fighting with them.
\endtext

\text
Still, she couldn't shake this sense of unease.
\endtext

\text("Glace")
How is the evacuation of the people going?
\endtext

\text("Kiros Soldier")
It's already begun, but... I'm not sure if we'll make it in
time...
\endtext

\text("Glace")
Hurry as much as you can. Do not let the people get
involved.
\endtext

\text("Kiros Soldier")
Yes, ma'am!
\endtext

\text
Once the soldier left, Glace's mind was filled with thoughts
of Caym.
\endtext

\text("Glace")
(He shouldn't come... I just have a bad feeling...)
\endtext

\text("Maid")
Glace-sama, it's all right. I'm sure Commander Gunther
will...
\endtext

\text("Glace")
What do you mean? Why Gunther...?
\endtext

\text("High Priest")
Excuse me, Your Majesty. I've come to escort you.

\endtext

\text
At that moment, the High Priest of the Winga faith appeared.
\endtext

\text
In that instant, Glace felt a chill run through her, her
hair standing on end.
\endtext

\text("Maid")
...What do you mean by 'escort'?
\endtext

\text("High Priest")
The preparations for the ritual are complete. The Demon
Lord's army is coming as well... Let us hurry to the 'Throat
of Winga.'
\endtext

\text("Glace")
Huh...? N-Now...?

\endtext

\text("Maid")
Wait. We haven't heard anything about this. Besides, a
ritual at a time like this...!
\endtext

\text
The maid stepped in front of the confused Glace and pressed
the High Priest for answers, but the High Priest's smile
never wavered―
\endtext

\text("High Priest")
I'd appreciate it if you didn't interfere.
\endtext

\text("Maid")
Ah...!?
\endtext

\text
He drew the sword at his waist and slashed at the maid's
leg.
\endtext

\text("Glace")
High Priest...?
\endtext

\text
She understood what had just happened before her eyes. But
Glace simply couldn't comprehend why he would do such a
thing.
\endtext

\text
And unable to understand, she could do nothing but stand
there frozen.
\endtext

\text("High Priest")
Take Her Majesty away.
\endtext

\text("Follower")
Yes, sir!
\endtext

\text("Glace")
...Don't come any closer...!
\endtext

\text
Acting on instinct and a sudden sense of dread, she refused
them without thinking.
\endtext

\text
But as Glace did so, the High Priest's face went cold and he
spoke with icy severity.
\endtext

\text("High Priest")
If you don't do as I say, I'll kill this woman... Are you
okay with that?
\endtext

\text("Glace")
Ah...
\endtext

\text("Maid")
...What are you after...?
\endtext

\text("High Priest")
It's obvious. To destroy the Demon Lord and purify the
world... There is no other reason.

\endtext

\text
And so, as the Demon Lord's army advanced, the Winga Church
began to move as well.

\endtext

\text("Subordinate 1")
Um, are we really just supposed to do nothing?

\endtext

\text("Adolf")
For now, yes. That was the commander's order, wasn't it?

\endtext

\text
Günther's subordinates voiced their worries as they peered
out at the city from the barracks window.
\endtext

\text
Even if they weren't present, Günther's direct subordinates
were also considered a threat by the church.
\endtext

\text
So they were sent to the front lines, where fighting was
sure to break out first, to defend.
\endtext

\text
But as a result, surveillance on Adolf and his group had
become extremely lax.
\endtext

\text("Adolf")
Whether the Demon Lord appears... or the church shows its
true colors, we must not move no matter what happens.
\endtext

\text("Adolf")
Remember what you saw in Adonai. If it's the Demon Lord's
army, we'll be fine.
\endtext

\text
As he finished speaking, the door burst open with a bang.

\endtext

\text
A soldier appeared, out of breath. In his hands were several
sheets of paper and an illusion stone.
\endtext

\text("Subordinate 2")
Haa... ha... What about the Demon Lord's army?
\endtext

\text("Adolf")
Currently, they're advancing toward Barathorn. So, how did
it go?
\endtext

\text
At Adolf's question, his subordinate grinned triumphantly
and spread several documents out on the table.

\endtext

\text("Subordinate 2")
Just as the commander predicted. Since we took control of
the military, the church's security was full of holes.

\endtext

\text("Subordinate 3")
Well, there's no need to hide it anymore.
\endtext

\text("Subordinate 2")
Right. And here is the evidence of embezzlement and
misappropriation. They were skimming off everything from
crops to taxes.
\endtext

\text("Adolf")
Hmm... What's this? Looks like some kind of transaction
document.
\endtext

\text("Subordinate 2")
That goes with this illusion stone. Apparently, they picked
a few people from the tributes to Winga and had their own
fun with them.
\endtext

\text("Subordinate 2")
They recorded those scenes on illusion stones and sold them.
After a few years, they even sold them off as prostitutes...

\endtext

\text("Adolf")
...Well done.
\endtext

\text
He ground his teeth in frustration.
\endtext

\text
At both the Winga Church for doing such things in secret,
and at themselves for not noticing.
\endtext

\text
But this is where it ends.
\endtext

\text("Adolf")
Once we confirm the Demon Lord's army, we abandon the
defensive line. 'Just as planned,' we turn against the Winga
Church!
\endtext

\text
................
\endtext

\text
............
\endtext

\text
......
\endtext

\text
――Meanwhile, Glace had been brought to a certain place.

\endtext

\text
A cave a little north of Barathorn.

\endtext

\text
Deep inside is the so-called 'Winga's Throat,' where Winga
is said to reside.
\endtext

\text
Glace was flanked by a spy and the high priest, watching the
scene unfold.
\endtext

\text("Glace")
High Priest... what is this...?
\endtext

\text
A trembling voice, squeezed out.
\endtext

\text
She couldn't comprehend the reality before her at all.

\endtext

\text
This is Winga's Throat... It should be the sanctuary where
the Spirit King Winga resides.
\endtext

\text("High Priest")
Isn't it obvious? This is the ritual.

\endtext

\text("Glace")
Ri...tual...?
\endtext

\text
A stench so foul it made her nauseous. Human bones scattered
everywhere.
\endtext

\text
Girls collapsed, drained of life. At the center, 'someone'
was toying with a girl who no longer moved, like a doll.

\endtext

\text("High Priest")
And over there is our Lord Winga.

\endtext

\text
That 'someone' noticed them and turned their clouded eyes
toward Glace.
\endtext

\text
In that instant, an indescribable disgust crawled up Glace's
spine.
\endtext

\text("Glace")
No... that's not Lord Winga...!

\endtext

\text("High Priest")
Heh... So you do feel fear, after all.

\endtext

\text("Glace")
No... Let me go! That... that thing is...

\endtext

\text("High Priest")
Don't worry. You won't suffer the same fate as them.

\endtext

\text("High Priest")
I simply want you to become a tool to defeat the Demon Lord.

\endtext

\text("Glace")
A tool...? W-What are you...
\endtext

\text("High Priest")
Let me put it simply. I want you to fight the Demon Lord and
die.

\endtext

\text("Glace")
...
\endtext

\text("High Priest")
Originally, you were to be offered to Lord Winga as planned.
The result is the same. Your role is finished.

\endtext

\text("Glace")
What do you mean...? I did this for Kiros...

\endtext

\text("High Priest")
What nonsense. It was the Winga Church that has always
supported and sustained this country...

\endtext

\text("High Priest")
No, it's the Rasfa Church. And with your death, this country
will become ours.

\endtext

\text
That's the only reason you've been kept alive. The High
Priest sneers.
\endtext

\text("Glace")
You... tricked me...?
\endtext

\text("High Priest")
...Can I leave the rest to you?
\endtext

\text("Spy")
...Yes. Now, this way, Your Majesty Glace.

\endtext

\text("Glace")
Ah...
\endtext

\text
Glace's arm is yanked roughly.
\endtext

\text
Her body has no strength left, and she can't even muster the
will to resist.
\endtext

\text
――Why have I been living all this time?
\endtext

\text
She feels completely empty. In that moment, Caym's face
flashes through her mind.

\endtext

\text("Glace")
(Caym... I...)
\endtext

\text
The monsters charge through the city, roaring as they go.

\endtext

\text
The defense force is still made up only of followers, and
they're putting up no real resistance.
\endtext

\text
It's a bit unsatisfying in its own way... but once they
break through here, Glace will be right in front of them.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Caym-sama, after we take Kiros Castle, we'll head to
exterminate Winga.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
You know where Winga is, right?
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
It's the cave north of Barat Horn, called Winga's Throat.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
Good. Our enemy is Winga. Crush anyone who gets in our way!

\endtext

\text
The monsters roar in response to Caym's rallying cry.

\endtext

\text
That thunderous sound shakes even the capital and reaches
all the way to the royal castle.
\endtext

\text("Priest")
Hey, what about the defense force... What happened to
Gunter's dogs!?
\endtext

\text
The priest grows anxious at the Demon Lord's army advancing
faster than expected.
\endtext

\text("Follower")
It seems they've abandoned the defense posts along with the
military...
\endtext

\text("Priest")
What... At a time like this, what are they thinking...!

\endtext

\text
Even a priest with little knowledge of battle can see that,
no matter how many they gather, they're at a disadvantage.

\endtext

\text
Even if reinforcements from the Rasfa Church arrive, it's
meaningless if they don't make it in time.
\endtext

\text
Glace feels the same way.
\endtext

\text("Follower")
Eek...!
\endtext

\text("Priest")
We can't let the Demon Lord's army do as they please!
Prepare to intercept!
\endtext