"What the hell is that power…!"
Jack uttered in a strained voice after the barrier was lowered, separating the outside world from the interior of the shelter. Within the open halls of the shelter's inner walls, Jack and Iberis slowly retreated.
The train had already been out for several hours. Surely, the citizens and Alice had evacuated to safety.
It was dimly lit and the shelter was still operational due to the backup power supply working. Even the bishop should have been evacuated by train.
"… I don't know, perhaps some kind of trigger sucks the energy out of it or… corrupts it, but either way we ought not to be near it yet."
"So we are better off not attacking…" Jack said, gripping the Dáinsleif in his right hand. Iberis nodded and entered the elevator on the opposite side of the shelter entrance. Then, pressing the stop button, she waited for Jack to enter there as well.
"I'll lead the Red Queen to the designated point. Until then, neither you nor I should show our trump card. It's not as if she's attacking us alone either…"
"So it's conceivable that there could be an ambush…"
"You're right. Nightmare has intelligence. Until you know for certain what they're planning to do, it's unwise to get too close."
"I see… What about the barrier?"
"If they breach it, so be it, and if they can't get in, all the better…"
Just as Iberis said this, the shutters that were down melted along with the surrounding walls. It turned purple in color and flowed down like sludge.
"… It seems that we can't afford to spend a leisurely moment…"
Clicking her tongue, Iberis glared at the Red Queen as she stepped over the melted barrier and made her way into the shelter. Upon spotting them in the remote elevator, the Nightmare opened her mouth in a ripping smile, and the old woman strode out, her cane and a bell tinkling. At the sight of the enemy slowly approaching without regard to the obstacles, Jack readied his Dáinsleif.
"… Not yet. Fall back."
Iberis made a small motion to halt him and clicked the elevator button. As the door closed, the elevator carrying the two began to descend. The girl pressed the button on the control panel to turn off the external controls.
"Our goal is to buy some time. If the other party is not the agile type, it would be convenient. We'll lead them slowly to the designated point."
"I know."
After saying that, Jack took off his helmet and set it aside. He then retrieved the cure for the collapse disease from his pocket and put it in his mouth. Iberis watched him as he chewed it, swallowed it, and then said.
"Can I ask you one question…?"
"What is it?"
"For you, is that child… Alice, even if you're suffering from the collapse disease, is she something you want to protect?"
"…"
Jack returned the medicine box to his pocket and then grabbed the handgun with his opposite hand that held the Dáinsleif. After toying with it for a moment, he spoke up.
"… I wonder why. Even I myself do not understand."
"…"
"At first, I thought she resembled my daughter. She had lived with me, and then the Nightmare tore her apart and killed her. I felt like I had to protect her. But…" Jack heaved a breath and exerted his strength into the hand that gripped the Dáinsleif. "I was not able to protect her in any way. I trampled on her feelings and was powerless to do anything about it. So…"
"Dying for her is not equivalent to protecting her."
Iberis said nonchalantly, and Jack looked at her, his mouth agape. The elevator stopped and the door opened.
"If you want to protect her, you have to stay alive and be there for her."
"…"
"That's the way women are."
With her back facing Jack, Iberis stepped out into the dimly lit basement hall on fluctuating legs. Jack caught his breath and followed her.
There was a train depot right next door. The plan was to detonate the mines that had been planted at various spots once the Nightmare entered the hall. It would trigger a crash and trap them in place. The scenario was that they would escape on the remaining train.
However, in reality, Jack had no intention of leaving. That was why he stammered when Iberis pointed it out.
He intended to die. He was planning to stab the Nightmare in the back and end the gloom that followed Alice.
I am…
Jack gritted his teeth as he strained his hand to grasp the Dáinsleif.
For that girl…
At the designated evacuation point, Iberis stopped and glanced back. Then she said to Jack.
"… I had someone I liked."
At the abrupt words, Jack paused and looked at her.
"Eh…?"
"Surprising? I think even a doppelganger has the right to like someone." Iberis then drew in a breath and carried on. "The White Queen has invaded our shelter multiple times. There was once… I hunted her down. But it didn't work."
"…"
"It was beyond my power. In the end, she took hostage of the one who I loved and who loved… me."
With a small, lonely smile, she settled down on the bench that had been set up.
"I couldn't protect him. I couldn't protect the person I love. He was dismembered right in front of me and my legs were ripped off… I look like an idiot, don't I?"
Jack tore his gaze away from Iberis. He then raised his eyes to the ceiling.
"And yet you continue to fight."
Iberis, hearing his little murmur, kept her mouth shut. After a moment of silence, she said in a faint voice, "I really wanted to protect him. I wish he could have stayed with me forever. I didn't want him to charge into the enemy's arms to save me, I wanted him to run away together with… me."
Jack turned his attention back to Iberis as if he'd been played.
"But he's dead. He's gone." Iberis stretched widely as she said this indifferently. "The fact that I couldn't protect him won't disappear. It doesn't erase the fact that he's dead. There's nothing I can do about it. But the… feelings will always remain."
"…"
"Alice is the one who will suffer the most if you die. That's what you don't understand."