Main Scenario/An Honorable Battle

Thorn Railway Episode
40-1	Commander's Instrument
40-2	"The Thorn Railway"
40-3	Unexpected Departure
40-4	Natural Lift?
40-5	The Weight of a Sword
40-6	Shoulder to Shoulder
40-7	An Honorable Battle
40-8	Samantha and the Altar
40-9	Obstacles That Stand in the Way
40-10	Iridescent Light of Absolution

Queensway	"The atmosphere here suddenly changed. It feels eerily oppressive."
Versailles	"Perhaps the otherworld Poison is thickening. I'm sure we're getting closer to where we want to go."
Queensway	"I don't think that was the end of the machine soldiers either. Let's keep our heads up."
Railway Seeker	"Come, the Divine Child and his knights who clear the Mist."
Queensway	"Railway Seeker...!"
Versailles	"This is a Railway Seeker? I feel a different kind of power from demons and machine soldiers."
Queensway	"Yes. It is a dangerous being with an indestructible body. Moreover, this individual speaks and controls demons. Please be careful."
Conductor	Railway Seeker. If you can speak the language, then you can answer our question.
Conductor	ーーWhy do you cooperate with the Mistism cult?
Conductor	The Mistism are humans. Although they have acquired special powers, they are no different from ordinary sorcerers and mages. They are not the kind of people that you and your kind should be working with.
Conductor	So why and for what purpose are you with them? Are you not the ones who are with the Giant Tree and the Giant Tree Guardians?
Railway Seeker	"You all are not to proceed..."
Railway Seeker	"Keep going back out of the thorns. Then you can be part of the World of Mist. You won't have to wander in the in-between worlds."
Conductor	I see... That answer is sufficient.
Conductor	You are not Railway Seeker, but that woman... The Mistism cult leader, aren't you?
Railway Seeker	"We Mistism and Railway Seeker are now one and the same. The Misty World will embrace us and the Giant Tree will be ours."
Yoshino	"You are still obaka-san. If that line of thinking were true, Mistism would not be in the same position as Yoshino and friends."
Vivienne	"Yoshino is being difficult with sentences again. Please explain what you mean in simpler words."
Putra	"I have totally no idea."
Vivienne	"Of course you don't. That's okay."
Yoshino	"Been wondering about this for a while, but the Mistism has a lot of mousou. It's not good to be delusional about things so selfishly."
Railway Seeker	"You're the one who doesn't get it, Nishiki's animal. You know it too. You know that in this world, there are people who can live in the Mist."
Yoshino	"Karamachi is who you want to bring up, right? Understandable, but we are not talking about that now."
Vivienne	"Indeed."
Putra	"That's great Yoshino, keep it up."
Yoshino	"Mistism is just like the SSS and Youko. We all were looking for a way to get inside the Steel Tree. Nobody's special."
Yakutsk	"If we were accepted into the World of Mist, that means we can go to places we couldn't go before."
Yoshino	"If Mistism has made Giant Tree their own, wouldn't that mean they can coexist with the Samantha? And the Samantha won't get angry? And Samantha will listen to the Mistism?"
Railway Seeker	"It will change with the guidance of the Giant Tree; if the Samantha are entities of the World of Mist, they will follow us."
Yoshino	"The Samantha doesn't follow anyone though, not even now..."
Yakutsk	"Forget it Yoshino, there is no point in talking to an idiot."
Railway Seeker	"We shall be lords over the World of Mist. The lord is not merciless. I will give you a reprieve. If you turn back now, we will not move a step from here."
Queensway	"You want us to turn back? The SSS will not yield to the threat of the Mist."
Versailles	"If you insist on interfering, we will force our way through."
Railway Seeker	"Why are people so stupid to approach the Giant Tree..."
Yakutsk	"Well now, she's there as well."
Yoshino	"It's like that 'the one and the same' gag that doesn't work at this point."
Mistism Cult Leader	"The Children of Sunshine do not understand the language of mercy. Due to their shallowness, they are leading the world to ruin and seeking a false god called Iridescence in the clearing."
Mistism Cult Leader	"The Giant Tree you worship is no more. What are you trying to do now?"
Queensway	"The Giant Tree is not dead. It is just Poisoned."
Mistism Cult Leader	"It has only returned to its original form. Its previous form was false. The Giant Tree Guardian must have influenced it to take on that form before. After all, the Giant Tree you all worshipped is a human creation."
Mistism Cult Leader	"You have no idea how wonderful the Steel Tree is. You call the power of the Steel Tree as 'Poison' and continue to turn your backs on it."
Queensway	"You have no idea at all. Do you know how many people have suffered from the Steel Tree?"
Queensway	"Now, please get out of my way. If you don't, I will force my way through."
Mistism Cult Leader	"You're being too shallow, Child of Sunshine. Do you have any idea what the word 'force' means?"
Mistism Cult Leader	"We are not an organization of only humans. The Children of Mist are welcome in the world of Mist. We are allied with beings that are beyond the power of man."
Vivienne	"Machine soldiers!?"
Putra	"There are so many. There are more than before. They are completely blocking our way."
Vivienne	"Don't tell me that the machine soldiers were led by the Mistism cult?"
Putra	"Last time they were just leading an army of demons. Why would the machine soldiers join their side?"
Mistism Cult Leader	"Children of Sunshine, your time spent is of mere folly. In the meantime, the power of the Steel Tree will be released. The other Giant Trees will soon be replaced by Mist-producing steel."
Mistism Cult Leader	"Then the world will be completely engulfed in Mist and belong to the Children of Mist."
Queensway	"Hold it!"
Railway Seeker	"........."
Yoshino	"The Railway Seeker, seemed to have stopped speaking."
Yakutsk	"The Mistism cultist must have ran far away. It's only been speaking for her until now."
Queensway	"But it didn't back down. It looks like we still have to fight the Railway Seeker..."
Yakutsk	"We have no choice. We can't retreat here either."
Railway Seeker	"......"
Railway Seeker	"You can't win a fight with me now..."
Queensway	"It spoke...!"
Railway Seeker	"Burning your lives is good. But to lay down your life is a fool's errand."
Versailles	"We'll never know unless we try!"
Queensway	(She's fast! She's instantly on her bosom!)
Railway Seeker	"........."
Versailles	"I see... I figured the presence was weak, seems like it's an illusion."
Yakutsk	"It's gone..."
Versailles	"It seems she had no intention of fighting from the beginning. Maybe she used the Railway Seeker to buy time."
Queensway	"All these tricks... Unforgivable. That Mistism cultist should definitely be arrested here."
Versailles	"Yes, for the sake of St. Iris, we can't let them get away with any more selfishness."
Versailles	"Everybody, the battle is on! Mademoiselle Queensway and I will break through one point first. Then we'll form a pincer attack and destroy the enemy!"
Yakutsk	"Hold it both of you, there are so many of them. We have to maintain our formation..."
Versailles	"Let's go, Queensway!"
Queensway	"Yes! I'm with you!"
Yakutsk	"That idiot... I thought she was a bit more mature these days."
Yoshino	"Versailles is getting Queensway fired up into flames."
Euston	"......"
Versailles	"It feels great, having Queensway next to me makes my sword lighter. Above all, I feel excited."
Versailles	"Mademoiselle Queensway, let's increase our pace a bit."
Queensway	"Acknowledged. I'll take care of enemies on this side."
Versailles	"Then let's get this point secured as soon as possible."
Just as Versailles stepped out to increase his speed,
... Machine soldiers jumped out from a blind spot.
Queensway	"!!"
Versailles	"An ambush!?"
Versailles noticed, turned her body around to help Queensway, and leapt.
However, the machine soldiers' attacks are definitely going to land on Queensway faster than Versailles.
It is only but a few steps away. But it was so far that it felt like an eternity. The distance felt of utter hopelessness.
Versailles	"QUEENSWAY!"
Versailles shouted as she struggled to reach out her hand. In front of Versailles' sight is of a machine soldier's deadly hand. A hand about to slash Queensway's throat open.
Euston	"YAH!"
In the nick of time. Euston jumped into line between the machine soldier and Queensway, just as its attack was about to hit Queensway.
Euston pierced the machine soldier with a thrust of her spear, and with the force of her pull, she reversed direction and swung away at the next machine soldier immediately with the hilt.
It was as if time had stood still for a moment, and before we knew it, all the machine soldiers, of which there must have been several, had turned into wreckage and were lying at Euston's feet.
Euston	"Are you safe, Miss Queensway?"
Queensway	"Y-yes... Thank you so much."
Versailles	"My apologies... Thank you very much, Sir Knight Euston."
Euston	"Versailles."
Versailles	"Yes..."
Euston	"What does annihilating enemies mean to you?"
Versailles	"An act necessary to do justice. An act that must be done if necessary to keep the peace."
Euston	"What does a knight's duty mean to you?"
Versailles	"......"
Euston	"Is it the duty of a knight to destroy the enemy?"
Versailles	"It is not..."
Euston	"Did you respond appropriately to the situation just now? Would you say you fought a battle that was necessary?"
Euston	"For those members of Versailles Corps who are no longer with us... Did you fight a battle you can be proud of for them?"
Versailles	"......!"
Euston	"Can you say it was a great fight!? How dare you say that!"
Euston	"You fought at your own pace, and you put your friends in danger. If it weren't for me, Miss Queensway might have lost her life, did you know that?"
Euston	"A person might have made it through alone. But had it been two people, one of them might have lost their life. You must know that such a battle exists, right?"
Euston	"And also, that there are enemies that can only be defeated by two people."
Versailles	"Yes..."
Versailles	"I understand all that. I am so sorry."
Euston	"To stop the Mistism cult, we defeat the machine soldiers. That is not wrong. It is also true that, by teaming up with Miss Queensway, you have been able to use your full strength."
Euston	"However, the objective of us SSS is to pave the way for the infantry unit led by Miss Islington to enter the Steel Tree. In order to carry out this operation, it is essential that we all work together."
Euston	"Not a single person must be left behind. That includes yourself."
Euston	"Did Sir Conductor give you the order to 'charge'?"
Versailles	"N-non..."
Euston	"You have just acted on your own to destroy the enemy, not heeding the call to stay in formation. As a result, you put Miss Queensway's life in danger."
Queensway	"Niss Euston, it was my carelessness that..."
Yakutsk	"Queensway. That's enough."
Queensway	"......"
Euston	"There is a difference between the result of annihilation, and the purpose of annihilation. The swords of those who have forgotten their purpose will become rusty and dull."
Versailles	"I'm sorry..."
Euston	"Also, you were trying to coordinate with Queensway, but were you properly paying attention at Queensway?"
Versailles	"That's of course. To have Mademoiselle Queensway next to me made me felt easier to fight..."
Versailles	"Queensway is a very competent person, and we worked well together because we both can synchronize each other really well."
Euston	"You didn't synchronize, she tried to."
Euston	"Miss Queensway was breaking her own rhythm to match your movement speed."
Versailles	"Is-Is that true?"
Euston	"I noticed it right away when I was watching from behind. Queensway was not able to use her fighting style that was her specialty, at all."
Euston	"That's why she was a moment late in noticing the ambush that she normally should have been able to notice."
Versailles	"Oh, was that so, Mademoiselle Queensway?"
Queensway	"The problem is that I can't keep up with Miss Versailles' speed. I have to work harder to keep up with you."
Euston	"Miss Queensway. It's not good for either you or for Versailles to be humble there."
Euston	"Working together means we have to know each other well, and to get the best out of each other."
Euston	"So I think we should drop our modesty here, and discuss aplenty about what each other can and cannot do."
Queensway	"I agree... You are certainly right."
Queensway	"Miss Versailles. It's difficult for me to keep up with your speed now. There are times when I can take advantage of your speed, and times when I cannot. I think it would be better for the two of us to think about this a little more and act together."
Versailles	"That's right... I also do this when I fight with Miyako. I wonder why I didn't understand something so trivial..."
Versailles	"I, I didn't see it at all. And yet I said that my sword was light... I am so truly sorry."
Versailles	"I pushed you too hard to accommodate me. And because of that I put you in danger."
Versailles	"I will see to it that you can wield your sword with strength this time."
Euston	"That's what we talked about on the train just now. You are not yet strong enough to think while fighting."
Versailles	"Oui. I'll keep that in mind."
Queensway	"I, too, will learn... Miss Euston... Much appreciated..."
Euston	"I know you girls can do it. Think again about what you are fighting for and wield that sword."
Euston	"What's your response?"
Both	"Yes!"
Euston	"Now... Shall we move on, then? I'll leave you two in the lead next. Leave the rear to me."

Thorn Railway Episode
40-1	Commander's Instrument
40-2	"The Thorn Railway"
40-3	Unexpected Departure
40-4	Natural Lift?
40-5	The Weight of a Sword
40-6	Shoulder to Shoulder
40-7	An Honorable Battle
40-8	Samantha and the Altar
40-9	Obstacles That Stand in the Way
40-10	Iridescent Light of Absolution