Editing City Series:Volume6e Chapter9 (section)

===Part 2===

That morning, Schweitzer stood within a golden color below the sunny sky.

He was atop a large hill.

The color gold rippled in the wind across the hill thanks to the wheat nearing harvest time.

A dark forest was visible past the gold and the mountains loomed high past that.

While listening to the blowing wind and a distant waterfall, he turned around to view a dirt road with deep wheel tracks located a few paces behind him.

A green military wagon was stopped about 100 yards down that road and Bermark sat in the driver’s seat. That artificial green stood out like a sore thumb in the natural gold.

Schweitzer sighed when he noted Bermark wasn’t even looking his way from within the green.

He faced forward again.

The wheat swayed before his eyes and someone stood up from the wavy gold.

The young girl with her brown hair worn in a braid was Lowenzahn.

She stood in front of him in a dirt-covered shirt and skirt and with her hands on her hips.

“You look bored. Yet I’m busy as could be tending to the field.”

“I’m not bored. Just…surprised.”

“By what?”

He looked around to the gold, black, and blue colors around them before answering.

“By…”

He shut his eyes, nodded, and faced forward before opening them again.

His eyes were on Lowenzahn, her hands on her hips and her head held high.

He kept his eyes on her and only her.

“By how well you’re doing.”

“It’s been nearly a year now. And Lillie’s letters have taught me so much about the past. …So how is my adoptive dad doing? He sounds really busy from his letters.”

“He has been burning the midnight oil ever since you appointed him commander-in-chief. I have been taking on some of the workload by commanding a unit to assist with the military’s retreat from France.”

“Didn’t a prototype Wort Bombe stop something a lot like the Nibelung in France? I heard it eliminated some anxiety Tons there.”

“Yes, Elrich has confirmed it. He said it turned out well because everyone there wished for happiness.”

“Then next time you see Elrich, tell him we need to build a lot more Wort Bombes and launch them all over the world to clean up the rest of the anxiety Tons still out there.”

“The countries that do not understand will see Germany as a villain. I doubt every country will see this as a happy ending.”

“That doesn’t matter. I’m willing to play the villain if it can eliminate all the anxiety Tons.”

“You really don’t change, do you?” Schweitzer smiled bitterly. “I still can’t believe the Fünf Leithammels chose to send you, our commander, to live in Borderson in order to preserve the Geheimnis Agency’s connection to the Neue Kavaliers.”

“Is that something we can’t afford to lose?”

“Perhaps so. But…how is the village?”

“Like I wrote in my letters, the reconstruction is complete. Heidengeists are surprisingly interesting people. Their unique traits show through in their lifestyle, so…how should I put it? Their quirks really stand out when you live with them.”

Schweitzer looked across the wheat field.

<The wind is blowing.>

A golden wave swept across the hill.

Lowenzahn brushed up her bangs with a dirty hand and viewed the wind.

“Germania is gone, but the country has still evolved using the Erklärungs created by several years of ley line modifications. It’s strange, really. A power meant to bring destruction ultimately protected the country and is now giving it its own unique power.”

Schweitzer said nothing.

And he checked the large military watch on his left wrist. Lowenzahn followed his gaze.

“Sorry. I need to get going.”

“Hey, wait a second.”

She stepped out onto the dirt road.

He followed in confusion to find she had a something sitting on the edge of the road. It was a patchwork bag primarily made of red cloth.

She pulled a picture book from there and held it out to him.

It was titled the Neue Unreif Germane.

He accepted it and she looked up so their gazes met.

“The people of the next village over gave me this the other day. You can have it. It’s pretty interesting, so make sure to read it.”

Then they heard a rumbling engine.

They turned around to see a truck driving up from the bottom of the hill.

It was green.

It drove past them, swaying gently on its way to the village.

Schweitzer noted the license plate.

“That truck is from Cologne. Is the village interacting with humans now?”

“To a limited extent. A lot of people took shelter here during last year’s Battle of Germania.”

“I see.” Schweitzer watched the truck driving away. “Heidengeists and humans interacting. I wonder what the Messiah would have thought if she were still alive.”

“Oh? You think the Messiah is dead?”

“Isn’t she? Even if she returns to the present day, she dies at Hamburg. And Sylphide travels through each new loop. The two of them will always meet the same…”

He trailed off there.

Because he had heard something.

The wind was carrying a series of sounds to him from the Village of Pardons located beyond the forest.

The gentle musical notes were played by an organ.

The music seemed to grow and shrink as it rode the wind.

“The Unreif Germane?”

“Yes. The village’s school has its lessons this time of day. They’ve invited in children from the next village over and from the Cologne region where their schools were lost in the war. The one teacher and one assistant are doing the best they can.”

Lowenzahn turned toward Schweitzer and gave him a teasing grin.

“What’s that look for? I can play this song too. I’ve been practicing so I can help out.”

A singing voice reached them as if continuing on from Lowenzahn’s statement.

The female voice began with a flowing “la”.

Schweitzer raised his head when he heard the voice.

“That’s Eryngium.”

“Yes, she’s the assistant.”

The song was carried by the organ music sweeping across the hill.

[[Image:City_v06e_361.jpg|thumb]]



''In the deep darkness of the Black Forest

''Born from the abyss

''The wheel emerges

:''It whips up the wind and speaks with the dragon

:''It reads the wind and sings

:''It carries power in its hand and hesitates



''The one-armed man guides the Messiah

''The moonlit pair returns to the earth

''The dragons gather and dance tonight

''Every last thing looks to the beginning



''The wind blows, the night blows, the dragon awakes, the people move, the dragon roars

:''The wind arrives from the north / A path arrives from the north

:''The knight descends as a knight / The dragon soars high as a dragon

:''All is a path to the north star / All is a story of surmounting the wall



''Follow the path to a familiar you / To confirm who you are

''Make sure your hand and voice reach them / Stretch your hand out to the moon

''The gatherers begin their party / A wall separates the pair

:''As they follow the same path with the same song



''The party begins and the village dances / The dragon roars and the knights gather

''The Messiah remains uncrowned / She leaves her words and her power with him

''Thus she is alone / She dreams in this land



''Do not fear your own pain / If you wish for the power to fight

:''All is found beyond the screaming pain

''Do not fear your own trembling / If you wish for the power to protect

:''All is found beyond the embracing sorrow

''Do not fear your own weariness / If you wish for the power to advance

:''All is found beyond an unending new beginning

''The wind is with you, he is with you / Seek out your own words

:''All hesitation exists to tear through that wall



Schweitzer lowered his head after listening to the song.

He tried to say something.

“…”

But no words came.

Lowenzahn smiled at that, but silently nodded for him to leave.

He turned away from her and began walking.

As he went, he raised his prosthetic arm’s forearm to say goodbye.

That prosthetic arm was only designed to mimic ordinary human actions. But he did clench his fist.

He heard Eryngium singing through the song again as he left.

He heard the children’s voices and a new voice join in this time, but he did not turn around.