act11d0

Say your piece, but I'm taking you in. Lisa, hold him. Tatjana, help me lift.

Right!

Please, everyone, *cough* *cough*, don't tell anyone I'm Infected...

Then, I'll admit that I was the murderer who set the fire. I was the cause of all Wolumonde's problems...

And what of the real killer?

I don't care. I can't.

But at least... they'll have their scapegoat, and no excuse to keep fighting.

But it's not enough... Without an external force strong enough to clamp down on them, they'll continue their cycle of revenge.

So I request... Rhodes Island's assistance... Even though we can't afford to pay for it now.

But if Wolumonde survives this disaster... we will repay you.

We aren't a charity.

I'm begging you!

I don't have the authority to make promises on behalf of Rhodes Island. Saving a town of ten thousand people is beyond the scope of our mission, and way beyond the authority Amiya invested in me.

But, for Atro, 'we' won't abandon Wolumonde.

Thank you.

Stand aside, we have a wounded—

GreyThroat? Why are you alone?

Suzuran, take the Schultz to the upstairs parlor. And don't let anyone see you.

Brutal as it may be, once he settles down, Schultz Severin is going to have to stand up and lead again.

Roger that! I'll take care of it!

Tatjana.

There are riots all over town. People are getting hurt or killed. I... I can't just sit here.

I'll go organize the militia that didn't get caught up in the riot. At least... at least I can do something.

Sure. Go ahead.

Thank you!

Can we talk?

We found Biederman.

What?!

We need to capture him immediately and end the riots, we have to avenge Atro—

No.

He's dead.

...What?!

We found him on the 'Gramophone' at coordinate B2.

There were visible wounds on the back of his head, and ice crystals remained on the surface of his skin. All signs indicated an Arts attack.

The operator on scene could not make an accurate determination, but wounds on the surrounding cadavers indicated that Biederman had died in the riot at least a few hours prior.

Biederman is dead. But the riots continue. We all know what that means.

Click and Ayerscarpe are searching his residence. Unless they run into trouble—

Wait...! You said, you said he's already dead?

If you really need me to repeat myself, yes, he is already dead.

I watched as the smile on Folinic's face froze— Yes, that smile.

The loss of Operator Atro left her emotionally unstable, until we learned about Biederman.

No longer troubled with issues of colonialism, the Infected, or class, she simply, and happily, found her revenge.

Does she feel some momentary relief? Relief at having realized her goal?

What next? How am I to deal with this new... condition of hers?

So it is.

What?

A Contingency Contract operation agreement. Signed by one Catastrophe Messenger Biederman.

So then, was it all part of the plan? Including your own death, Biederman?

Hm... but why? Could that Contingency thingamajig be the real mastermind?

Letting people die in a Catastrophe is not really their modus operandi. They wouldn't act in such a... brutal manner.

But if he was helping the insurgents to try to save more lives...? Why?

Is this really going to save lives, at the end of the day? GreyThroat says Wolumonde is in a real bad spot right now.

No. The Contingency Contract is just a platform.

It is true that a small percentage of the Messengers using the Contingency Contract have a utilitarian obsession, leading them to 'save' as many people as possible.

Wolumonde had already suffered a Catastrophe. Could he have... set the fire to draw in outside forces to intervene...?

I'm so glad Leonhardt and Rhodes Island's other Catastrophe Messengers don't get so mixed up with them.

But... that can't be right... What if..

Ayerscarpe!

What is it?

Look over there! By the music store! What's that weird thing?!

It's a... mountain?

No. It's a big moving boulder?

Could it be that one guy's Arts?

That isn't the kind of thing one man's Arts can do. Let's hurry back to the others!

There's no way an ordinary town militia is going to stand against a battle-hardened combat squad, and a Sarkaz one at that!

What's that? An earthquake?

Ah! It's that rock monster again! Quick! Start the 'Gramophone!'

They came! Reunion is here to liberate us!

Long live Reunion! Forward! Drive out the rotten nobles!

Long live Reunion!

Cover their retreat. Get back to the town center and activate the Gramophone. And stay safe!

Got it!

Tatjana, that one at the end of the street... do you know him?

Halt. At ease.

Yes. We are now just one step away.

One step away from destroying this town.

But there is no hope behind us. They cheer for liberation. But all we have freed is their anger and hatred. This is a typical, bloody invasion.

Is it? I don't really care. At this point, a happy ending is out of the question.

This is the last chance... a chance to give them, before we take the last step.

A chance to surrender?

No... a chance to fight back. A chance to show conviction and let us stand in for the people... let us decide the winners and losers for ourselves.

It's tough, thankless work, being a mercenary. Always the toughest. Never appreciated.

Whatever. It's your call.

Then—

—Arise, great boulder.

九尾狐活动 8上

Tatjana! They broke the last Gramophone! There's nothing we can do against those giants!

Hey! The rioters started burning houses! Bastards... and the fire's spreading!

Where are Tatjana and Severin?! At a time like this!

Schultz Severin is... wounded. He's resting.

He's resting while we're out here risking our lives—

Quiet! We can't be fighting each other right now. Look around you, moron!

Who's a moron?! I don't see you doing anything with your Arts!

S-stop! We need defensive Arts in place to regain control of each jurisdiction.

Caster on the east side down! We need another one up there!

Careful!

Fire! Incoming!

Help meeaaaaaaaaahhh!

P-put it out! Does anyone have some way of dousing the flames?!

It burns! Help meee!