7
Trying to get a close look at the princess, people gathered all though the night to fill the slopes surrounding the stage. Burning here and there, the light of the lamps created a suggestive scene before the daybreak. Those who were late lumped before the screens that had been placed at regular distance around that area, and the waves of people kept coming to this venue packing themselves to the point that no empty space could be seen when looking at the surrounding hills.
*
"Don't worry, Claus will surely come."
Sophia tried to encourage Lavie and Al before she stepped up to the stage.
"Listen everybody, we have very good news. The reports from our settlement say that the wheat brought from Anatoray to the new world sprouted safely and grew abundantly."
People's expressions softened at the princess' first words. Sophia was going to kindly speak about the new world and the bright future awaiting those people.
Vincent, right there, was keeping a wary eye on the crowd.
*
"True, many people still reside there who, excluded from the Exile plan, left behind on the planet during the environmental upheaval, resisted and and survived for all this time.
Princess Sophia spoke earnestly.
Beneath a grimy cloak, Coccinella stared with narrowed eyes.
"Fake princess."
"At the start of our return, it is likely that our claims will cause clashes. But we will eventually come to understand each other as we are all human beings. I firmly believe so."
Sophia then began speaking about the beautiful water that filled the Grand Lake, as well as all of the countries surrounding it.
"Now, let's begin."
Apis took off his hood. With a signal, assassins who were standing in the crowds cast off their cloaks and began running.
Vincent's sharp senses picked up the sudden, murderously-intent movement.
"One, two-- six figures."
Like white winds, they aimed for the stage from all sides. And with a simple glance from Vincent, the escort guards began moving.
The guards stepped up to engage the enemies without hesitation, but the assassins knew that the soldiers could not use their guns among the crowd. The young assasin boys started killing the guards without slowing down their pace. People who were listening to the princess' speech barely even had time to notice the soliders starting to die a hair's breadth away.
"Lavie..."
Hearing Alvis' completely anxious voice, Lavie was now on the alert.
This child has been watching Miss Sophia so far, now she is looking at her back and is frightened. What is that? This wind.
The moment Lavie grabbed Alvis' hand, white shadows jumped onto the stage, like thieves bursting in.
"Sophia!"
Vincent jumped in-between to protect her with his his body. He pulled out his gun and repelled the enemy's blade with the gun's barrel. Attack and defense repeated over and over, lighting up the stage with sparks. Eventually Vincent, although having dodged the tip of Apis's sword actually aiming at his neck, was hit in the shoulder.
Fresh blood gushed, as that silouette stood in front of him.
"Indeed you are strong ... not like those soldiers"
"You monster, they were my friends."
As Apis smiled, Vincent slowly pulled the trigger. The bullet fired at zero distance pierced through Apis' body.
*
"Don't get in my way! I will avenge my {sister}!"
A large, empty space formed amid the crowd. Coccinella looked at Sophia on the stage but was shot down by countless bullets.
If only I could strech my arms enough, I would lay my hands on that imposter. I would strangle her with all my strength. Even if that woman cries out in pain, and suffers, suffers, cries and begs for her life, I would not forgive her. But, there's still our fellow...
"Delphine ... sister..."
Coccinella fell to his knees. The grass around him began to stain with fresh blood.
"Ki ... ll ... for ... Lucci... o ... la..."
Coccinella managed to choke out those final curse words before he stopped moving.
*
"Ki ... ll..."
The boy recieved the final words of Coccinella.
"Yeah, for ... Lucciola..."
The robes that he wore contracted around his body. There was no emotion in the face of the boy, as his once serene eyes turned glassed over and clouded.
No ... you don't have to kill... these... people.
The fingers of the girl extended toward the sky.
"...Lucciola."
A small light that was held in the palm of Dio's hand grew and extended, changing its form and turning into a knife.
*
As the terrorists had all been eliminated, relief spread amongst the soldiers.
"...Lucciola."
Slowly, as if he was simply taking a walk, the boy approached.
"A song...?"
A young soldier listened to his voice as the boy stepped lightly toward him. With a flash of blue light, the soldier's head went flying. The soldiers tried to restrain their fear to confront the boy in order to protect the princess.
"...Dio."
Was that really a slaughter happening in front of her eyes? Flashes of blue and white danced within water droplets dyed red.
"Beautiful..."
Alvis' voice trembled with fear.
"Don't look!"
Lavie covered her eyes.

The clouds began to become slightly visible as the sky began to grow light. On the stage stood the princess and the boy. At their feet, the knight who could not protect her had fallen.
"Vince."
"Princess ... Sophia..."
His eyes pleaded her to try and run away. But Sophia resolutely faced the boy.
I absolutely will not run away. Not from a crisis right in front of me.
"...For Lucciola."
The hand holding the knife went up slowly. Just as that sparkling blue light from earlier appeared and came down on Sophia, a small white shadow slipped between the two. Fresh blood gushed, and the delicate body of the girl collapsed.
"Lucci ... o ... la?"
"I'm ... so ... rry..." The girl squeezed out a voice from the back of her throat.
Her blood silently spread across the stage, the girl's skin began to pale into a beautiful crystalline white. Even Sophia could not hide her surprise at the recognition of that familiar face.
"Di ... o ..."
The girl's lifeless hand fell to the floor.
"Lucciola!"
Trembling fingertips stretched out, as his heart pounded faster, eyes opened wide.
"I killed him. I killed Lucciola!"
In his lost state, Dio began clutching so harshly at his chest that his nails tore at his skin. He thrust the knife into the floor of the stage. Over, and over, and over... The debris fragments that scattered from doing so flew and cut at Dio's body. Lavie couldn't take her eyes away from the scene.
"A vanship?!"
Alvis stared at the sky. As the silver aircraft glittered, the shooting of a steam-type-machine-gun echoed. The machine-gun shells hit just between Dio and the girl. The bullets cut through the floor, and debris scattered all around the stage.
Dio found the {enemy}.
