act10mini

November 19th, 1097, 7:44 A.M.

And you don't remember when someone first opened it up?

Has to have been two months ago, at least.

But we always sealed this part off with planks. A few naughty kids pulled them off to climb in a while back, so it might just be the same story this time.

Have you seen anyone go in or out?

No, it's dark as night down here. Why would anyone?

Alright... got it.

*Sigh* This still isn't making sense... and it's so suspicious. I've already found six abandoned structures up till now where the entryway's started being used again.

Plenty of witnesses are testifying about dragging sounds from the underground channels at evening, too. The atmosphere around the Infected community just doesn't sit right. It feels like someone's fiddling about.

Not one person's got a reason to be using these entrances again...

(Claps face)

Forget it, enough of that for now. Both the littlest things and the big stuff the town's survival hinges on are just as important, yep!

Let's see what else there is... Oh, yeah... the burglary case at Count Bishmer's.

Where do I start investigating that?

*Sigh*... Who would it be? Slipping past a noble house's strict defenses and stealing something isn't your standard thief's fare.

According to the Count's servants, the burglar pops in and out all over the Infected neighborhood. So, they're either extra familiar with the terrain there, or have special Originium Arts.

—Of course, that's assuming the servants aren't lying to avoid responsibility.

...Hmm, I don't think they would though. I've heard a lot of similar reports the last two weeks. All signs say there really is some thief on the run in Caladon City.

A very strange thief, special Originium Arts...

Whatever, let's drop by the Infected community and see.

Grani, finally found you!

Mrs. Sunny? Calm down, calm down, what's the matter?

My little Pom's run away! I've been looking for two hours already, help me find him! He usually listens so well, he's never run off before, what if someone bad finds him...

No worries, Missus, I'll help you look right away!

Thank you, thank you!

Did anything happen right before Pom ran away? Have you asked anyone nearby? ...Ah, don't rush, Missus, take it slow...

An hour later.

Over here, Mrs. Sunny, I've found Pom!

Oh...! Let me take a look. Phew, that's a relief... he's still alright. I'm so sorry to trouble you, Grani, I know you're so busy with work, and here I am making you search for a pet of all things.

Don't worry about it. If Pom really did vanish, you'd be torn to pieces! I wouldn't call that nothing!

But, I heard John next door saying you aren't getting along too well with the Guards, and they even got on your case a few days ago for something or other...

Hahaha... it was nothing.

But if you're going to raise a fowlbeast, Mrs. Sunny, I'd recommend keeping him in a cage... Things would get hairy if he bit anyone.

Oh, you've got a point.

Speaking of, Missus, have you seen any strangers about the Infected community lately?

Strangers? Plenty of the people here come from other cities—strangers aren't the strangest thing.

I mean the sort that... um... might have uncanny Originium Arts, that sort of Infected?

Well...

You know how the power went out in the neighborhood last month.

Oh! Yep, the case of some bad actor wrecking the community's generators, right? But we've never found the culprit...

I did hear the supply got restored in no time, though. Did someone fix all the generators up?

Right! I heard they got this incredible engineering Caster in, and in a few hours, they already had the generators repaired! Question is, when did the community ever have an engineer so great?

Right... something's definitely odd about that...

November 20th, 1097, 6:44 P.M.

Here's my work report for today. If you could give it a look over, guv'nor.

Hm. Two robberies, an inquiry report on rumors in Caladon... You must be pulling my leg.

What about the burglary at Count Bishmer's?! How long do you think it's been? Get on it!

Um—isn't that one only a day old...?

Is a day not enough?!

But...

I broke my back getting you as a temporary transfer. The Mounted Police were singing your praises as an investigator. And for what? A day's worth of time isn't enough for you? For one tiny case of property theft?!

(Under her breath) It was the City Council who borrowed me from the Mounted Police...

Enough! You don't know respect, you talk back to your senior! Is this how the Mounted Police behave?!

I'm sorry, guv'nor!

'Investigated entranceways of abandoned structures. Turned out to be as suspicious as thought, inquired with surrounding residents...' What the hell is this?! Weren't you told you could leave this be?

Caladon City gets strange business day in, day out, and wherever else the bloody day feels like! If every one of the Guards was as suspicious as you, we'd all be dead from the stress!

But, guv'nor, if we let this all lie, then there's a real chance...

Stop with the rubbish, get out and investigate!

Yes, guv'nor!

November 22nd, 1097, 10:20 A.M.

*Pant*...

Li'l~ Susie~

Let me give your ears a good rubbie-rub!

Hahaha! What's the matter, Officer Grani?

Something at work, I imagine.

*Sigh*... Nothing much, just some hiccups lately with my job.

Go on, what exactly's happening?

It's not that big, to be honest...

You've all heard the recent rumors in the city, I'm guessing.

Ah, you mean those urban legends in the paper?

Same as ever, I assume. 'Sounds can be heard from the city underground,' 'criminals have infiltrated the Infected community,' and so on.

Right... I was wanting to investigate those. I wrote up a dedicated report over the past few days.

But the Guards don't care about any of it! They want me to keep my nose out of things!

Eh? Do the Mounted Police investigate urban legends, too?

Come on, that's the wrong idea, Susie!

My work experience taught me that when these rumors crop up in a city, usually they come from the criminal activity that hides behind it.

Like the 'sounds from underground' one.

Did you know? There's massive runs of logistics channels lying abandoned under Caladon.

Right. In the earlier years, back when the nomadic sectors were being planned, they drafted plenty of channels through the structural layers. But following the city's development, a lot of the old plates' underground ways were too taxing to maintain, so they relinquished them all.

Yep. For example, plenty of them run under the Infected community.

Do you get it now? If those rumors are true, then that means there are people doing something at evening in those empty logistics channels, out of sight.

Er... this is a bit scary, isn't it?

It's too bad I still don't have any direct proof.

I think you can worry yourself a little less about it. It's meant to be the Guards' job, after all.

If something does happen later, they're the layabouts. You've got nothing to fear.

Well, if you put it that way...

*Sigh* It's patrol hours right now, so I guess I'm a layabout myself, sitting here...

Hahaha... we won't tell anyone.

Li'l~ Susie~

Let me give your ears a good rubbie-rub!

Go ahead, but careful of the static, okay?

November 24th, 1097, 6:15 P.M.

In front of the shambles of the 'Green Spark' stands a thunderstruck Officer Grani.

Before her eyes was that shop full of human warmth—now, with its roof collapsed, walls crumbled, and nothing left but charred black wreckage.

She stares blankly at the ruins in front of her, not daring to believe her eyes.

...But why?

Wh... why? Why would...?

Oh, Miss Grani, you're here now?

Wh-What happened here? Why is this place...?

Too much for me to swallow, too. It could only be out of revenge, setting a place like this alight.