Of all those who set out, Loughshinny was among the first to arrive in Duke Windermere's territory. Among the senior figures accompanying her were the Radiant Knight Margaret Nearl and the Flawless Knight Maria Nearl. Both supported Loughshinny's vision of building a new Tara, one that would carry forward the principles of Tomorrow's Expeditions and create an era in which the Tara people and the Victorians could coexist in peace, just as a new Kazdel had been forged.
This bright and resolute path drew many who were willing to fight for her cause. The vanguard numbered over a thousand, only the beginning. More reinforcements would follow to Duke Windermere's domain. Most were adventurers, along with many infected knights from Kazimierz. Perhaps it was the influence of the Radiant and Flawless Knights, or perhaps Loughshinny's own efforts in persuading them, but all were determined to stand at her side.
The territory they chose was not, strictly speaking, Duke Windermere's residence, but an infected city abandoned by the previous generation of nobles. A past natural disaster had left half the city encircled by calamities. The nobles had long since fled, leaving only the infected residents behind.
The city was a burden no one wished to claim. Whoever took responsibility for it would inherit endless trouble. Even Duke Windermere, who had always shown a relatively tolerant attitude toward the infected, regarded it as a difficult problem. After consulting with Felix and Loughshinny, she offered the city to them as the foundation for tomorrow's development. No, not merely development. It would become the capital of the Queen's New Tara.
Loughshinny gazed at the lifeless city before her. Although the Originium fragments and crystals had been cleared away, the cracked and unrepaired walls showed that this mobile city had yet to recover from the scars of past catastrophes.
"Dusk Valley."
That was its name.
Loughshinny let out a quiet sigh. Along the way, she had seen no travelers or merchants, only infected residents laboring in the fields. Their frail bodies could not endure long hours of work. From time to time they paused, wiping sweat from their brows before forcing themselves to continue. This was their only source of food. They could not afford to stop.
Years of neglect had reduced the city to a no-man's-land. Nobles would not approach it. Caravans avoided it. Londinium, now leaderless and under Theresis's control, had no interest in it at all.
Faced with this, Loughshinny could only sigh as she entered the desolate mobile city with her operators.
"Maria, take a small team to the city center and check whether any government officials remain," Loughshinny ordered. "Margaret, lead another team to survey the residential districts. Do not alarm the Victorian or Tara residents."
The two sisters acknowledged the command and departed.
Loughshinny understood that even under such conditions, there must once have been some form of governing body, or at least a leadership group. All she could do was speak with whoever held authority now. If communication proved impossible, she would withdraw and seek opportunities elsewhere. She refused to bring further fear to these residents.
Maria returned swiftly, her expression grim.
"I found no government personnel," she reported. "But I did find the bodies of executed officials hanging from a telephone pole. I also learned that a coalition of bounty hunters now controls Dusk Valley. With their armed strength, they force the infected in this city to serve them. They burn, kill, and plunder without restraint."
"The images transmitted by the Clever confirm Miss Maria's findings," said Itanaru, an Aegir player and one of the adventurer squad leaders accompanying Loughshinny. He manipulated his Clever to scan the city. "There are over two thousand bounty hunters in total, divided among several groups. The largest is called Hound's Fang. Its leader goes by Fierce Fang. He has committed ten murders, seventeen aggravated assaults, and thirty-eight robberies. There's a substantial bounty on his head in the black market."
At this, several players' eyes lit up.
Loughshinny gave a faint nod. Shortly afterward, Margaret returned and delivered her report.
"The bounty hunters have occupied the Upper Town, where the Victorian aristocracy once lived. The ordinary Victorian and Tara residents have been driven into the former Tara slums."
"This situation has persisted for six months. At first, the Victorian residents struggled to adapt, but in order to survive, they endured. There were frequent arguments and clashes with the Tara residents. Now, after half a year, both sides avoid one another whenever possible."
"I see…"
Loughshinny sighed softly. "Disaster reveals people's true nature. It would be ideal if Victorians and Tara could set aside their prejudices. But expecting them to reconcile in such a short time is unrealistic."
"Your Highness Loughshinny, what should we do next?"
Loughshinny was still unaccustomed to that title. In her heart, it belonged to only one person, and she did not believe herself worthy of it.
Having studied under His Highness for so long, however, she quickly formulated a plan.
"Our arrival has likely already been noticed by the bounty hunters," she said calmly. "Before they can respond, we must make contact with both the Victorian and Tara residents and select representatives willing to resist. At the same time, the adventurers must remain as discreet as possible. Once Margaret sends word that preparations are complete, we will eliminate the bounty hunters' stronghold in a single strike."
"Yes!"
Everyone moved at once.
Margaret returned to the residential districts and went straight to the leaders of the Tara and Victorian communities. Without preamble, she said, "We can free you from this situation. In return, we will take over this city. I assure you that life will not remain as it is now. Are you willing to move forward with us?"
Her words left both leaders uneasy, as if one predator had barely departed and another had already arrived. Though Margaret explained that they were from Tomorrow's Developments, the name meant little to residents who had never left this mobile city. They could not grasp what she was proposing.
Only after she revealed Loughshinny's identity as their leader did the head of the Tara community readily agree.
"You!" The Victorian official rose to his feet, trembling. "You… are you followers of Eblana?"
"I will clarify once more," Margaret replied patiently. "Loughshinny is Eblana's sister, but she is not affiliated with her. Her Highness Loughshinny represents New Tara. Our goal is to build a society where Victorians and Tarans can live in harmony. That is our purpose."
"Harmony… peaceful coexistence…"
The Victorian leader bit his lower lip.
The Tara leader stood and bowed deeply to Margaret. "I guarantee that the Tara people in this city will faithfully follow Princess Loughshinny's orders. As for the Victorians… that is their decision."
He gave a cold snort and glanced at the Victorian leader. "Someone is offering to save you, yet you refuse simply because they are Tara. Isn't that foolish?"
"Silence!"
The Victorian leader's voice lacked its former strength.
After a moment, he gritted his teeth. "If you can drive the bounty hunters out of this city, I will ensure that the Victorians follow your command. However, if you favor the Tara over us, I will lead my people away."
The Tara leader scoffed openly, his displeasure plain.
Margaret inclined her head. "Please trust us. Trust Tomorrow's Developments. Trust Princess Loughshinny."
The message that contact had been successfully established was swiftly relayed back to headquarters. Upon receiving it, Loughshinny immediately ordered the assault on the bounty hunters' hideout.
The players' long-suppressed anger erupted. Weapons in hand, they stormed the aristocratic residential district and administrative buildings now occupied by the bounty hunters, striking down those who failed to react in time or were too weak to resist.
Using the bounty list compiled by the perceptive player, they launched precise strikes against specific individuals and coordinated attacks against entire groups. Aside from a few petty thieves who had taken no lives, the rest were either captured or killed when they resisted. The players acted with ruthless efficiency, while the operators of Tomorrow's Developments followed behind to handle the aftermath.
The leaders of the Victorian and Tara communities approached Loughshinny, who stood upon a broad balcony. Across from her lay the noble district, where the sounds of battle rang out. The Victorian leader's face was pale. The Tara leader was no less pale, yet his eyes burned with fervor.
"What are your names?" Loughshinny asked.
"My name is Nolan."
"Your Highness, my name is Eir."
"Nolan. Eir." Loughshinny turned to face them, a faint smile touching her lips. "Please gather the Victorians and the Tara residents. Tell them that the shadow looming over them has vanished and that they may continue to live in this city."
She looked back toward the cityscape.
"New Tara will begin here. As its leader, my wish is for our two peoples to live together in mutual support. I ask for your help in making that a reality."
"Yes, Your Highness!" Eir replied without hesitation, bowing deeply.
Nolan considered it carefully and concluded that the proposal would be acceptable to the Victorians. At last, he nodded.
Less than two hours after their entry, the city changed hands. Loughshinny formally assumed control and began reforming it in accordance with the standards of a Kazdel mobile city.
As more operators arrived, Loughshinny renamed the city from Dusk Valley to Silver Court, declaring it the capital of New Tara.
Among the four future kings of Victoria, Talulah alone stood apart. She had her own path to walk. In earlier discussions with Felix, she had concluded that she was best suited to the role of a Ranger Guild operative. She did not wish to rely on easily obtained power to change the world. Now she understood herself clearly. She could not lead a vast organization, much less govern a nation. If her childhood mentor had been Felix instead of the Black Serpent, her fate might have been entirely different. Of that, she was certain.
Her mission was to carry the banner of Tomorrow's Developments within Victoria as a member of the Ranger Guild, navigating the shadows of its illegal trades while aiding the oppressed and restoring to them the freedom they deserved.
The ambition sounded grand, yet the reality was harsh. The greatest obstacle lay in the current state of Victoria's aristocracy. Every mobile city was a nest of predators that devoured lives without hesitation. The native Victorians suffered under relentless exploitation, while the Tarans endured even greater misery, trapped between survival and despair. The Infected stood at the very bottom.
"Which mobile city will we target first?"
Ch'en Hui-chieh stood before the unfolded map, clad in a sharp uniform with the Chi Xiao Sword at her waist. "We should begin with a minor noble," she said. "Their cities have limited garrisons. Newly established mobile cities would be even better. Their control over the lower districts is not yet entrenched, so our intervention would face less resistance."
Talulah studied the map of Victoria in silence. Though she had long cast off the identity twisted by the Black Snake, certain habits remained ingrained within her. Not all of them were harmful. In fact, most operators considered them strengths.
She was not cunning, but she had grown wiser. She thought like a captain, approached problems tactically, and no longer allowed emotion to dictate her actions. Yet she also knew when to set aside pride. The change from her former self was not dramatic, but it was steady and undeniably positive. The operators often joked that her greatest improvement was in her fashion sense.
Some former Reunion members who had joined Tomorrow's Development after the defense of Chernobog even gave her an approving thumbs-up. The Talulah who once endlessly adjusted her worn military coat had finally agreed to wear a skirt.
Of course, when entering battle, she still donned her uniform, projecting authority and dignity.
Her gaze swept across the shabby office before settling on the clerk, Alina. She gave a decisive nod.
"Our first target will be the Duke of Wellington's mobile city."