Shadows of London: 2-7 Scarlet Rose

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Shadows of London

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Through Vincent's narration, the past unfolds before Caroline's eyes...

Info

Style: No dress-up component Rewards: 3,000 , 600 , 1 , 1 , 1

Dialogue Choices

To unlock this stage:

• Choose Ask Vincent what he thinks in Shadows of London: 2-6 William Akerman

Transcript

Expand for script.

• The cold wind tramples violently over the bodies like the black horse of the Dullahan.
• The road is covered with a blanket of cold white frost, which is marked with the refugees' footprints.
• Vincent Savile: ...

• He wraps his clothes tightly around him, fighting against the unbearable cold.
• The Blood Clan and humans have this in common: if they've gone hungry, their resistance to the cold greatly decreases.
• He and the people around him have taken different paths, but arrived at the same destination.
• His companion, on the other hand, is in good spirits, enthusiastically conversing with a stranger.
• Hawke: Then there is no one else in your family, sir?

• Old Refugee: Two of our sons left a long time ago to go to the New World.

• Old Refugee: The rest have gone to meet the Lord.

• Hawke: Perhaps that's not so bad. It's better than waiting here to die, isn't it?

• Hawke: But you said your hometown was Cork? I remember there were many churches there offering relief.

• Old Refugee: Ah, churches.

• Old Refugee: Their porridge must be purchased with your soul.

• He's finally had enough. He turns and pulls his companion aside.
• Vincent Savile: You shouldn't talk so much.

• Hawke: We were just chatting. Keeping your head down all day is terribly uninteresting.

• Hawke: Don't worry, I won't give them the kiss mid-conversation.

• His eyes are cold. Hawke, however, pays no mind and lowers his head, chuckling quietly.
• Hawke: Oh my goodness, Oliver, you truly are a saint among the Blood Clan.

• Hawke: Tell me, you don't say a prayer while biting a rabbit's neck, do you?

• Hawke shakes his head gently and speaks to him in a mocking tone. At the same time, Hawke also slips a raven chick into his hand.
• He hesitates and takes the small creature. Within its tiny body, so little warm blood flows, perhaps only enough for a single mouthful.
• But on this treacherous journey through the icy wilderness, this mouthful could save his cursed life.
• Hawke: You're almost at your limit, Oliver. There's no need to hesitate.

• Hawke: Life is life. The lives of humans, animals, and the Blood Clan are all equal.

• Hawke: If you fall into torpor, don't expect me to carry you all the way to London.

• His companion's blood-red eyes flash for a moment. Then he reverts to his usual nonchalant expression, shrugs, and walks away.
• Vincent Savile: ...

• He watches as his companion walks away, then looks at the helpless, struggling chick in his hand.
• Life is life?
• He hesitates for a moment, but finally makes up his mind.

• Vincent Savile: I arrived in London in 1847.

• Vincent Savile: Before that, I was mainly based in Dublin.

• Vincent Savile: Caroline, do you know about the Great Famine that happened during that period?

• You: Ireland's potato crops failed... The government implemented a series of measures...

• You: I learned a bit about it while studying the Corn Laws.

• Vincent Savile: Oh.

• The corners of Vincent's mouth tug up in a peculiar smile.
• Vincent Savile: Yes, to an English lady like you, this disaster is but a footnote to the Corn Laws.

• I look at Vincent with trepidation. The look in his eyes makes me feel like I've committed some crime.
• Upon seeing my expression, he lets out a sigh, and his expression softens.
• Vincent Savile: I'm sorry, I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you.

• Vincent Savile: So many people died. More than you can imagine.

• Vincent Savile: Even the Blood Clan cannot remain indifferent in the face of such a dire situation in the human world.

• You: Vincent...

• Vincent Savile: To put it bluntly, humans are nothing more than domesticated livestock to most members of the Blood Clan.

• Vincent Savile: Such a large number of human deaths would also endanger the Blood Clan.

• Vincent Savile: So many members of the Blood Clan fled Ireland like I did.

• Vincent Savile: Some members of the Blood Clan boarded the coffin ships.

• You: Coffin ships?

• Vincent Savile: This was the name given to the ships that carried people to the New World.

• Vincent Savile: You can tell from the name itself how harsh the living conditions were on such ships. It is said that the mortality rate was as high as fifty percent.

• You: Fifty percent!

• Vincent Savile: I believe that many of those deaths were caused by my kind.

• Vincent's voice is deep and filled with suppressed anger.
• Vincent Savile: However, many members of the Blood Clan preferred to flee to London.

• Vincent Savile: After all, with London's large population and thriving commercial scene, there was no need to take on the numerous risks involved in crossing the Atlantic.

• Vincent Savile: The only issue was that London is inhabited by an ancient clan that has settled there for centuries.

• Vincent Savile: Outsiders like us had no choice but to grovel if we wanted to gain a foothold in this city.

• You: Grovel... You mean, to the Elder?

• A complex emotion flickers in his eyes.
• Vincent Savile: On the first day that Hawke and I arrived in London, we received an invitation from London's Blood Clan.

• Vincent Savile: We were invited to a welcome dinner at a certain mansion.

• Vincent Savile: The invitation was signed by Lavinia Girdenis.

• You: ...

• Hawke: Behold, Oliver. This is how the aristocrats in London differ from us country bumpkins.

• Hawke: The candles here are all made of beeswax. What a luxury. Could I have arrived at the Palace of Versailles?

• Vincent Savile: You're trying too hard with your pretentious acting, Hawke.

• Vincent Savile: Wait until the main character appears before you start your act.

• Hawke: Oh, Oliver, be humble. We're guests here.

• Hawke: Show a little sincerity, sir. You wouldn't want to start a fight here, would you?

• Vincent Savile: The other party understands our intentions very well. Being deceptive is of no use. It's better for us to just be candid.

• Lavinia: Well said, Mr Savile. We do need to be candid.

• Hawke: Who are you?!

• Lavinia: ...

• They turn to look at her at the same time, as if surprised by a dazzling light.
• This is Lavinia Girdenis. She holds the second-highest position in the Blood Clan of London, as is known to all as the First Apostle.
• She seems to be used to such reactions, and just smiles slightly.
• Lavinia: Welcome to London, gentlemen.

• Lavinia: We have heard a great deal about the misfortune suffered by our kind in Ireland.

• Lavinia: Do not fear. The Elder is kind and compassionate. He won't ignore the suffering of his own kind.

• Her words are gentle, with a faint, unfamiliar accent.
• Vincent Savile: Misfortune?

• Vincent Savile: I didn't expect that you, a leader of the London clan, would use such a word.

• Vincent Savile: Do you think this natural disaster that forced us to leave our home was simply our fate?

• Lavinia: I merely believe that sweet are the uses of adversity, Mr. Savile.

• Lavinia: But if what I said made you unhappy, then I apologize.

• Under her intense gaze, he feels disheartened. At the same time, fear and alertness arise within him.
• Hawke: Miss Girdenis?

• Hawke snaps out of his momentary daze and speaks up. She turns her face towards him.
• Lavinia: Just call me Lavinia, Mr. Hawke.

• Lavinia: I have been away from my homeland for far too long, and my old surname only brings up old sorrows.

• Hawke: As you wish, Lavinia.

• Hawke: It is an absolute honor to have this opportunity to meet you tonight. I truly mean that from the bottom of my heart.

• She laughs even more gently, and Hawke chuckles as well.
• Hawke: But I thought the Elder would personally come to meet us, young newcomers though we may be.

• Hawke: After all—oh, what did you just say?

• Hawke: He won't ignore the suffering of his own kind. Isn't that right?

• His companion is indeed more suited to showcasing his social skills in this kind of setting than he is.
• Lavinia Girdenis puts away her smile for a moment and ponders.
• Lavinia: Mr. Hawke, let us speak plainly. You are not the only members of the Blood Clan to have come to London from Ireland.

• Lavinia: Naturally, we welcome those of our own kind who come with good intentions. But when it comes to those who have ulterior motives, simply welcoming them is not enough.

• Hawke: What do you mean?

• Lavinia: We cannot all be masters, nor all masters cannot be truly followed.

• Lavinia: When members come and go, power struggles inevitably occur. In this regard, the Blood Clan and humans are no different.

• Lavinia: Faced with such a situation, the Elder has had to exercise caution, which I'm sure you'll agree is understandable.

• Her candid and rueful smile catches them off guard. He can't help but exchange glances with Hawke.
• Indeed, they have witnessed enough of such power struggles within the Blood Clan.
• Lavinia: However, the two of you are a different story, of course.

• Lavinia: Mr. Savile said at the start that it's no use for you to be deceptive, and I believe you've both shown sincerity.

• Lavinia: Oh, look at that. I've been so preoccupied with discussing serious matters that I almost forgot the most basic etiquette.

• She personally brings over three glasses of wine with a smile on her face.
• Lavinia: Once we finish our drinks, I'll take you to meet the Elder. What do you say?

• She lifts her wine glass, gently bites her lip, and flashes them a charming smile.
• But that smile only makes the alarm bells in his mind ring louder and louder.
• Vincent Savile: Hawke, don't drink it!

• It is too late. His companion has already swallowed a mouthful of the crimson liquid.
• Hawke: Ugh... Ah!

• His body shakes for a moment, and the glass falls from his hand, spilling the liquid onto the carpet.
• Vincent Savile: Hawke!

• What shocks him is that Hawke drops to the ground and sucks up the spilled liquid from the carpet as if possessed.
• The look of pain and obsession on his companion's face immediately makes him realize what is happening.
• Vincent Savile: A blood bond!

• Lavinia: Yes, a blood bond. The Elder's blood was mixed in the wine.

• Her expression loses its tenderness and charm, becoming hollow and indifferent, as her eyes bore into him with an ethereal emptiness.
• Lavinia: This is just a precaution. There isn't much blood in the wine, sir, not enough to deprive you of your willpower.

• Lavinia: But if you insist on resisting, then I can't guarantee anything anymore.

• Vincent Savile: You calculated this from the start, didn't you?!

• She calmly speaks in the face of his anger.
• Lavinia: There was no need for any calculations, Mr Savile. This was common sense.

• Lavinia: Before you came to London, you'd calculated this possibility as well. Am I right?

• Vincent Savile: ...

• Lavinia: You see, things don't always turn out as you or I expect—you were always going to show sincerity.

• Vincent Savile: We will show sincerity, but we will not accept coercion or dishonor.

• Vincent Savile: I want to meet with the Elder personally.

• Lavinia: As I said, once you drink that glass of wine, I'll take you to meet the Elder. That promise still stands.

• Violence is a last resort. He shifts his weight slightly, looking for an opportunity to strike.
• But the First Apostle shakes her head slightly, dismissing his thoughts with a tone of pity.
• Lavinia: Be prudent, sir. The power difference among the Blood Clans is as clear as day.

• Lavinia: No matter how long you survive or how you survive, you have no chance of victory.

• She stares into his dark eyes, practically declaring with certainty that she knows he only drinks the blood of animals.
• Lavinia: That's all. Assess the situation and protect yourself, Mr. Savile. That is the first lesson you need to learn in London.

• Vincent Savile: ...release Hawke from the blood bond. Then I'll drink and go with you to meet the Elder.

• Lavinia: I don't have the authority to do that, sir. You can make this request to the Elder yourself.

• Lavinia: However, it's always a good idea to show sincerity.

• She takes a step closer and gently strokes Hawke's earlobe.
• Hawke lifts his head and gazes at her with eager longing. Holding her hand, he rises.
• Hawke's transformation weighs heavily on his heart. He struggles to accept his close friend's infatuation with this woman.
• Vincent Savile: His master is the Elder, not you. He won't become your thrall, so don't think he'll help you deal with me.

• Lavinia: You're wrong again, Mr. Savile.

• Lavinia: The two of you will not become anyone's thralls. You will only become yourselves.

• Lavinia: —"This above all: to thine own self be true."

• You: ...

• My heart is in turmoil.
• Blood bond? Master? The First Apostle?
• I find it difficult to accept these unfamiliar words for a moment.
• But what I find most difficult to accept is the beautiful woman named Lavinia Girdenis in Vincent's narrative.
• Even separated by so many years, I can still sense the eerie, cruel, and icy darkness emanating from her.
• —and Vincent's deep fear of her.
• Vincent Savile: I know these things must be hard for you to believe, Caroline.

• Vincent Savile: That night at the Ruby Opera House, when I learned you were Lavinia's daughter...

• Vincent Savile: The shock I felt was no less than what you are feeling now.

• You: It's not that I don't believe you, Vincent, it's just that...

• The overwhelming emotions choke me all at once.
• I gaze around aimlessly, unaware of what else I can say.
• ..."red roses in a heap, gentle moonbeams..."
• My mother's gentle lullaby echoes softly in the depths of my memory. I can almost smell the crisp, clean scent of soap on her old clothes.
• ..."little girl, go to sleep, meet angels in your dreams..."
• I suddenly realize that my mother’s embrace was different from my father’s. It was tender, but cold.
• There was no warm body, no warm breath.
• The love my mother gave me—it had no warmth at all.
• Vincent Savile: Caroline?

• He looks at me with melancholy, as if he's seen something in my face.
• Vincent Savile: I tell you this not to ruin your impression of her.

• Vincent Savile: Her love for you may have been different from that of an ordinary mother, but it was by no means false. Can you understand that?

• You: I... I understand.

• You: Vincent, to be honest, I never doubted whether my mother's love for me was genuine. I just find the whole situation absurd.

• You: I can't connect the Lavinia Girdenis you spoke of with the mother I remember at all.

• Vincent Savile: There's nothing strange about that. People are complex.

• Vincent Savile: Lavinia the loving mother and Lavinia the "First Apostle" were two sides of the same coin.

• Vincent Savile: London half a century ago was more turbulent than it is now. Naturally, her character would have been different.

• Vincent Savile: I've already told you before, don't treat vampires as kind benefactors.

• Vincent Savile: Because our way of survival is completely different. If you try to make sense of us using conventional human thinking, you'll only end up getting hurt.

• He suddenly turns around and walks deeper into the alley.
• You: Vincent! Wait!

• Vincent Savile: Scotland Yard is getting close, Caroline. I have to get going.

• Vincent Savile: I still suggest that you leave as soon as possible. But if you insist on staying, you can find me at the Scarlet Rose Club.

• Vincent Savile: By the way, about your companion...

• Vincent Savile: When I arrived, I heard a few infected people shouting that someone had run towards the church.

• I am snapped back into reality.
• You: (Yes, my top priority is to find Roger and Priscilla!)

• You: Thank you, Vincent!

• Vincent Savile: ...

• There is only silence in the depths of the alley. Vincent seems to have left.

• But just as I'm about to run towards the church, I hear his faint whispers tinged with hesitation.
• Vincent Savile: Be careful, Caroline.

• Vincent Savile: For the Blood Clan... our instincts override everything.