Sophie, Fiona and Lina were injured due to Zantanel's sudden appearance. Marcus quickly made his way to Weimarer for Emil Bauer before he would also be murdered by members of the House of the Cursed Children.
Sophie: "Hhhhahh. And how are you?"
Fiona: "That is what I should ask you."
Sophie: "I probably cannot go on missions for a few weeks. To be completely honest I can at least rest."
Fiona: "Mmh… for me the doctors said I should rest for two weeks. What about Lina?"
Sophie: "Oh she is sleeping. Not because of the injury, she is just exhausted since she is a soldier. Marcus brought her to us. And what now?"
Fiona: "Let us just leave it to Marcus."
Sophie: "Yes. He is a tailor after all."
Meanwhile
Marcus: "Hahhh… on the way back to Weimarer. But I will have to use the bot again. Otherwise people from the Slavic Reich or Grazburg might mistake us for enemies."
Meanwhile
Zantanel: "Hahhh…"
She entered her room.
Zantanel: "Hahhh…"
She looked at the flowers and tried to touch them, but they immediately died.
Zantanel: "Hhh… hahhh… what was I thinking… sorry…"
Memory
Zantanel: "Huhh…"
Flowers everywhere. Nature everywhere. How much she wished to touch those flowers. A child remains a child and a girl remains a girl. Neither love nor nature could she feel. What was left for her?
Zantanel: "Hahhh…"
She looked at delicious fruit. She had never tasted its sweetness. The moment she touched it, it died. A tragic curse for a child whose mind was slowly being destroyed. Her heart felt as if it had been struck by many arrows, not arrows of love but arrows of suffering. She watched children holding their parents, holding their hands, smiling. From envy to hatred, that is what happened to Zantanel's feelings. She had no idea what it felt like to be loved, neither the warmth of a mother nor the support of a father. A child without a mother's warmth is simply empty.
Zantanel: "Hahhh… why… how can you all smile after calling me a monster. You turn me into a monster. But I am just a child. You want to see a monster so badly. I promise you, I will become the suffering of this world. Let us see if you regret it."
End of memory
Zantanel: "Hahh…"
She placed her hand on her face.
Zantanel: "It is back again… this feeling… as if my heart is bleeding. Should I not get used to it already?"
She removed her hand. Tears fell from her eyes.
Zantanel: "Hahh…"
The door opened.
Remy: "Zantanel… oh am I disturbing you?"
Zantanel: "Huh?"
Before he could see her, she covered her face with her hand.
Zantanel: "Yes I am fine."
Remy: "Are you sure… well then…"
Zantanel: "Hey Remy."
Remy: "Yes."
Zantanel: "Be honest… you do not like me."
Remy: "Hmm? What? No. I really like you."
Zantanel: "Huh?"
Remy: "Otherwise I would not be here, right?"
Zantanel: "Mmm."
Remy: "Hmm?"
He sat next to her.
Remy: "Did something happen?"
Zantanel: "No."
Remy: "I see… tell me, cursed ones do not die when you touch them right?"
Zantanel: "Some can die, it depends on how strong the curse is. In your case it is strong enough to endure."
Remy: "I see."
Zantanel: "Hmm?"
Remy: "Why do you not send me on missions?"
Zantanel: "So you are aware that we kill people."
Remy: "You are aware that I have also killed people?"
Zantanel: "Very well, student of Sherlock. I have a mission for you soon. I want you to kill someone for me."
Remy: "Hmm?"
Zantanel: "Kill this person."
She showed a photo. There were five people, including a woman.
Zantanel: "Her name is Jessi. Kill her and her children. Do not worry, none of them are children anymore. They are at least fourteen years old."
Remy: "What did she do?"
Zantanel: "Huh… that is for later."
Remy: "Okay."
He stood up, but before leaving he kissed Zantanel on the cheek.
Zantanel: "Huh?"
Remy: "Oops. Well then, goodbye."
He left.
Zantanel: "What was that just now… hmm…"
She touched her cheek.
Zantanel: "Hmm… not so bad… maybe I should reward him once he is done. Hehe. Let us see if he is ready to kill teenagers."
A few hours later
Marcus: "Hmm…"
He knocked.
Knock knock
Marcus: "Hello?"
The door opened.
Marcus: "Oh hello. I am looking for Emil Bauer."
Emil: "Shhh… I am Emil. Shhh. How do you know my name."
Marcus: "Well if you are hiding, then maybe not in your house where your name is on the sign."
Emil: "Sweat… I forgot I still had it. What do you want?"
Marcus: "Your friend George Pushkin was murdered."
Emil: "Ugh… George is dead."
Marcus: "Yes. And they are after you, Mr Bauer. That is why I want information. You and George had important documents to end the war, right?"
Emil: "Yes. Come in."
He went inside.
Emil: "These documents show that Heidelheimer was really killed by a revolution. But recently it was discovered that the queen and her sister were also murdered. I do not know who did it, but it is very dangerous."
Marcus: "What do you suggest?"
Emil: "We need an explanation. We must end the war. Too many people have died."
Marcus: "Hmm."
Meanwhile
Sophie: "What in the world is this?"
Fiona: "Milk?"
Sophie: "I hate milk."
Fiona: "Do not be like that. As children we all drank milk from our mother."
Sophie: "And now what. As a child I ate shoes. Should I keep eating them?"
Fiona: "Sweat. That is different."
Sophie: "No."
Fiona: "Hahh…"
Sophie: "Do you think this Emil Bauer will really help us?"
Fiona: "No idea."
Sophie: "Hmm."
Meanwhile
Emil: "You must know this war should have ended long ago. But for some reason there is no sign that the politicians want it to stop, and many have been murdered over time, as if…"
Marcus: "Your task is done."
Emil: "Exactly. But why would they die, maybe suicide?"
Marcus: "No. They are classified as murdered. The war continues. The more victims, the more anger. And the more anger, the more blood. And the more blood, the longer the war."
Emil: "Who could be behind this?"
Marcus: "Maybe the one who is watching us."
Emil: "Huh?"
Someone appeared.
Jack: "Look at this. Ms Zantanel was right. You are strong."
Marcus: "One should hide one's murderous intent. I can recognize it easily. I am a killer myself."
Jack: "Hehehe."
Emil: "What is going on?"
Marcus: "Go somewhere else, Mr Bauer. I will deal with him."
He removed his jacket.
Jack: "You? You look like a child."
Marcus: "I may look like one, but I am not. Now show me what you can do. Black Butterfly or House of the Cursed Children member, which do you prefer?"
Jack: "Jack Hunter. And I prefer the Black Butterfly."
He attacked. Portals appeared and weapons came out of them.
Marcus: "I see. You are not cursed. You are an Arcanist or an Alchemist."
Jack: "Hehehe as you like."
Bang bang bang
Marcus dodged and hid behind a cabinet.
Jack: "Hehehe."
Marcus: "One, two, three, four, five. Five portals. Okay."
Jack: "What is wrong, Schneider?"
Marcus: "I do not have time for this."
Boom
Jack: "What a grenade."
Explosion
Jack: "Cough cough…"
Marcus escaped with Emil.
Marcus: "Anything else important?"
Emil: "No."
Marcus: "Any information that could help?"
Emil: "Only in my head. I burned or destroyed all documents."
Marcus: "And if someone captures and tortures you?"
Emil: "Then…"
Marcus: "Let me guess, you want me to kill you."
Emil: "Yes. Shoot me in the head. Some abilities can still extract information from brains after death."
Marcus: "Fine."
He took a pistol.
Marcus: "What was George Pushkin's important information?"
Emil: "A certain person lives in Prussia. He is responsible for Weimarer fighting the Slavic Reich. Weimarer is already beyond saving because of the queen's death, but we must reduce the victims. His name is Artjom Smirnov. Kill him and expose him, then the Slavic Reich will stop. Weimarer will survive in a reduced form. Grazburg does not want to conquer it fully."
Marcus: "Okay."
Bang
He fell dead.
Marcus: "I should have killed him anyway. But since he asked for it, it is easier to accept."
A few minutes later
Sophie: "Huh?"
Fiona: "Hello?"
Ms Valentine: "Good news. Emil had important information. A person named Artjom Smirnov. He works for the House of the Cursed Children. If he is killed, the war will end."
Fiona: "Good. Who goes?"
Sophie: "Hmm?"
Ms Valentine: "You are injured. I will send Ms Sonda."
Four days later
Artjom: "What is this meeting, General Ivan."
Ivan: "Mr Smirnov, you are under arrest."
Artjom: "What!"
He was handcuffed.
Ms Sonda: "This photo. That is you, Mr Smirnov."
Artjom: "Ugh…"
Ms Sonda: "You are the one who paid for Heidelheimer's murder."
Ivan: "Take him away and execute him. No trial. Military judgment."
He was taken away.
Two months later
The war ended. In Weimarer, Grazburg, the Slavic Reich, Demari and the Baskian Reich. Half a billion casualties in total before the black hole appeared and reversed time back into the war era. About four hundred thousand fewer died than originally.
Sophie: "Hahh…"
Fiona: "At least the war is finally over."
Sophie: "Mm."
Fiona: "We can finally take a vacation."
Sophie: "You can count on that."
Marcus: "Hahh…"
Sophie: "Show more happiness Marcus, it is finally over."
Marcus: "Yes yes."
Fiona: "Hmm."
Sophie: "So what now?"
Fiona: "We go back and rest. I need to visit Cossette first. Meliodas said she finally made a sound which means she is slowly waking up from the coma."
Sophie: "I see."
Meanwhile
Remy: "The war has ended."
Zantanel: "And yet I managed to weaken Weimarer. They lost thirty percent of their land to Grazburg. The regions they lost are Eichenwald and the city of Bremen. Two important cities. Hehehe."
Two weeks later
Ring ring ring
Sophie: "Huh?"
She stood up and went to the phone.
Sophie: "Hello?"
Ms Valentine: "Hello Sophie. A black hole has appeared in Demari."
Sophie: "Only in Demari? That means the rest of the world stays in the past while Demari returns to our time."
Ms Valentine: "Exactly."
Sophie: "Great…"
Ms Valentine: "I have a mission for you. I want you to go to Dnilpo."
Sophie: "Okay. Should I tell Fiona?"
Ms Valentine: "That would be good."
Sophie: "Okay."
Ms Valentine: "And Lina?"
Sophie: "She is fine. Meliodas is satisfied. It has been over three months since he took her in."
Ms Valentine: "Good. In Dnilpo people over forty are disappearing. Investigate the Lily Moon. You are the only available Crows in the Slavic Reich area."
Sophie: "Understood."
Ms Valentine: "Goodbye."
She hung up.
Sophie went to Fiona.
Sophie: "Fiona, wake up."
Fiona: "Huh?"
Sophie: "We have a mission."
Fiona: "What kind?"
Sophie: "Dnilpo. People over forty are disappearing."
Fiona: "Okay."
Sophie: "Hmm."
Meanwhile in Dnilpo
Civilian: "Hahh… no please I am over forty I have a daughter please…"
Crash
Civilian: "Aaaah why… no please…"