act10mini

No need to apologize~

I made my peace with that a long time ago. I was even prepared to, well, bite the dust in this city.

Though, sometimes, I still do want to put up a fight. See more kittens.

Now that I think about it, if I didn't hide inside Susie's shop that night, those Siracusans wouldn't have burned her shop down.

Quercus? Are you back?

Good morning. What's wrong? You look exhausted.

From the looks of it, the investigation was a success?

Those Guards are absolutely hopeless cases! How could they wash their hands of it after putting up all those wanted posters?! Are they just waiting for the suspects to turn themselves in?!

And where did Grani go? I was hoping to ask her to look into the factory...

You'd better not count on Grani too much. Her status as a collaborating operator of Rhodes Island puts her in quite a tricky position.

Strange...

What's the matter?

I didn't notice until just now, but the building where Miss Haze ran into those Siracusan thugs... is right next to the factory.

Huh? You're right!

Miss Haze, you said they used military-grade incendiaries to burn down Susie's shop, right?

That's right!

Is something wrong?

If I remember correctly, the factory is owned by Councilor Bishmer. They make military-grade weapons there, and it was shut down a month and a half ago for 'equipment maintenance'.

But the factory was completely empty when I got kidnapped by those fake Infected! Did someone steal their equipment?

The papers certainly haven't reported on anything like that.

Are you telling me... the thugs are working with Councilor Bishmer?

We don't have enough evidence. It's too soon to make that conclusion...

But... unless I'm mistaken...

The Caladonian Guards' Captain is Bishmer's nephew.

Right. I think I heard that from Grani before.

Susie... How long has it been since Susie went to the Guards?

About three hours. She should've been back by now.

I'll go find her!

I'm going too!

Bring your comms! Stay in touch.

This is getting out of hand.

The calm Rhodes Island Operator takes a close look at the maps on his desk and sorts out the many doubts in his mind.

Then, he takes out an oddly-shaped communicator from his desk.

What are you doing, Captain?! I'm at work right now! Do you know how many people there are at the town archives?!

Kazemaru, this is extremely urgent. Prioritize what I'm about to ask of you.

...Understood.

I want you to put together a list of addresses of the properties owned by Count Bishmer, as well as a diagram of the old underground logistics passages beneath the city. As detailed and as quickly as possible.

Got it. I'll take care of it right now.

Did you find her?

No! The Guards said their captain went to the location with Susie, and they haven't come back yet!

Dammit!

Calm down. Think of where she could've been taken.

I'm thinking...

Captain?

Captain Root! What's going on?

Listen carefully. I've just compared where Count Bishmer's estate intersects with Caladon's old logistics channels.

I've worked out the seven most likely tunnel entrances.

You think they took Susie underground?

As long as he's not an idiot, Bishmer's sure to imagine Susie has people helping her out, so he's not guaranteed to silence her.

They'll take her to where it's quietest, and least likely to be found.

There's also a chance they're in the abandoned sectors, but earlier I found out the biggest of the tunnels runs under his factory, which explains where all the equipment disappeared to too.

You two get going for now! If anything happens, I'll get in touch!

Alright!

Now what?

How about I sweep the south three entrances, and you handle the north four.

Not a problem.

Stay safe!

You too!

November 28th, 1097, 8:30 P.M.

Susie opens her eyes, and realizes she's laid right on top of the ice-cold pavement.

The damp chilly air pervades all throughout the gloom of the vacant space.

A faint pain in the back of her head still hasn't left her.

To one side of her comes the sound of a quarrel.

You lot are a bunch of useless nothings! How can you twist something as sure as this so badly?

It's... I didn't imagine... we'd hit all these setbacks.

Why did that decrepit lizard Angst suddenly send a Caster to his event? Did you let the information leak?

One of us has been causing constant commotion, I admit that.

But... Councilor Angst had an honest flare-up of heart disease...

And that just HAPPENS?

Where... is this...?

(Wha..! My hands! Why are they tied together...?)

All these machines... is this the factory?

No... it isn't, are these... the abandoned logistics tunnels?

What's even going on...?

I remember the Guards' Captain said he'd see the place with me...

And then...

My head's killing me...

We're in a fine state now. How am I meant to file for losses with the factory not blown up? Hm?

Then... maybe you could say a thief stole all the equipment...?

Only imbeciles like you would believe that!

An entire factory's facilities made off with overnight! That could only be the work of a traitor! Anyone would jump to suspecting me!

And they'd be sure to come searching this way, with a theft on that grand a scale!

Once the Duke's people find everything right here, it'll all be over!

Just—hold on, you never even once told me why blowing up your own factory would solve things.

Is THAT too hard for you? When the City Council asks me where all the money they gave me went, I'd just say I bought the facilities, but then the Infected blew them up!

After that, we make up the cash, and so be it if the factory's kaput because it wasn't mine anyhow! So long as I've got all this costly industrial equipment, everything is fine!

But now it's not! It's all a wash!

*Sigh*... What do we do about this, then?

What else?! Get to work quick, get all these things moved out of the city! We can't leave any evidence behind!

Couldn't we just move it back...?

Think for one second! The entire Infected community has their eyes on us after that business! In what world do you just MOVE IT BACK?!

The Guards'... Captain? Councilor Bishmer?

Oh! You're awake now?

Our kind Infected citizen.

You've given me no end of trouble!

Wh... Why...?

Don't act stupid! Now confess, who told you everything you told me earlier?

Who are all these... accomplices of yours?

...So you... you were their...

Listen up, I'm asking you! Who told you about those two Siracusans?