act13side

Reasons?

Ahh... you can already see the K.G.C.C. building from this angle. It's one you can catch from any dim alley in the Grand Knight Territory.

I want to see it crumble. It's that simple.

Why?

Have you ever been to one of those villages hammered by taxation and Catastrophes?

I've been. I see them fight over things. I see them run fugitive. I see them pass on.

I've been to many a place.

It sounds like you've got plentiful experience.

Hah, don't look at me. I thought he was a decent sight from the beginning, right?

(A beeping noise)

No objection.

It's your call.

Alright, then. Welcome to the club, Mr. Toland.

Doctor!

You're working hard.;(Nod in greeting) ......;Burning the midnight oil?

Ah... mm, I'm alright. All the Medic Operators have been hard at work too.

The Infected knights... I thought they were a special case in Kazimierz, but they number far more than I imagined.

They even have scarring from beast bites... it's precisely because of this that ordinary hospitals are so hesitant to accept wounded Infected for treatment.

However...

Hm?

No... I can't shake this feeling that something, somewhere isn't normal.

There's nothing wrong with building an Infected treatment facility in an isolated district, but the people who've accepted treatment, they've all been 'knights'...

If it were just for handling Infected knights, they shouldn't have needed to go to so much trouble.

What I mean is... there might be quite a few Infected knights... but how many people—is this nomadic platform able to contain?

The other sections... the workers won't let us near them, but what are those areas—doing?

Let me worry about this.

I'll ask Gravel if she knows anything.

You need to get some rest first.

Alright!

Don't push yourself too hard, Doctor. The Adeptus Sprawiedliwi's knights might be treating us politely thanks to our ties with Miss Nearl, but this is still Kazimierz's core in the end.

That's right, where's Gravel? Wasn't she staying at your side?

I asked her for some company info from the K.G.C.C.

If I can, I want a meeting with the spokespeople and our partners.

Ah... but given you're the one requesting it...

Doctor, you have to be careful when you're dealing with those businesspeople.

I've been hearing of all sorts of rumors from the knights these past few days...

Ah, that's right, I heard about Nearl's performance! Quite a few of the Infected knights coming for treatment are fans of hers!

I'd known 'The Radiant Knight' held weight in Kazimierz, but never imagined this scale.

I hear Nearl's sister's old enough to fight in the knight competitions, so actually she must be older than me, even... if we get the chance, I'd really like to meet her.

Amiya! You're here too, Doctor!

Ah, Hibiscus. Any news?

Well... it's a little hard for me to put... um.

The knights who came in today were talking about 'demonic treatment,' 'the shady doctor from Kazdel' and the like...

We wouldn't... advertise like that, would we? To be honest, it should be 'the health administering maestro from Kazdel' anyway!

I—I'll consult Gravel and the spokesman. How did it end up like this?

Oh! But—getting a little famous isn't so bad, either. I've been here a while, and you do get to see the same faces from time to time.

With such frequent injuries, it seems like competing as a knight isn't much of an easy job.

But—I did previously tend to an Infected who was seriously hurt, and I haven't seen him for the past few days. Who knows how his recovery's been going...

Do you mean Mr. Silverlamp Knight?

Right-right-right, and after I finished basic treatment, he got hauled off by a Knights Association person... I don't know where he's gone.

Ah, I see someone waving at me! I need to head over right away! Amiya, don't forget to ask what's going on with that for me!

These Infected knights look... permanently exhausted, going by their faces.

Some may have won matches, gotten considerable prize money, but still can't muster their spirits at all.

It's not like I've never seen this look before. It's just like fighting to the death has filled their entire lives to the point they could burst, and they can't bear even the slightest hope or optimism.

The Infected knight competitions... are simply treating the Infected as entertainment products.

I'm starting to understand a little, what Nearl is here for.

Ah, come in.

(Doctor, are you always so busy in here?)

Dr. {@nickname}, about that meeting you mentioned last time—I've gotten it all set up and ready.

Oh? Am I interrupting yours and Miss Amiya's conversation?

It's perfectly fine, Mr. Malkiewicz.

A few medical corporations collaborating with Rhodes Island are deeply interested in your firm's services and technology. Of course, even with a mind for simple friendship, they'd still love to have dinner with you.

However... if you'd allow me to warn you. If Miss Amiya is to participate... she is ultimately Infected, and I worry you'll be treated in unneeded ways.

It's alright, I'm already used to it.

My apologies.

By the way, Dr. {@nickname}, here's the business magazine you mentioned before... I didn't expect you to take such an interest in Kazimierz's economic situation.

Do you plan to open a subsidiary in Kazimierz? I've heard your firm keeps a 'branch office' in our nation.

(D—Doctor, our branch office shouldn't have been officially communicated to the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi yet, right? Did they already... investigate their way to it?)

Just wanted to get an idea of the Chamber.;I did want to get a look into Kazimierz's situation.;Do you regard Rhodes Island well?

You've made the right choice.

I myself only recently began to understand them, but if you truly want to figure out the 'General Chamber of Commerce,' you won't go wrong starting with the 'commerce' part.

Haha, if you do plan to start a business in the Grand Knight Territory someday, be sure to contact me. I'll find you the best team of lawyers for Rhodes Island.

To tell the truth, Rhodes Island's technology and corporate culture... do deeply move me.

I'm not saying it out of politeness. I believe 90% of Kazimierz's citizens would agree the Infected form an issue, but the majority of the time, none of them want to solve it.

Rather than avoiding the problem via violence, there's 'treatment.' Yes, Oripathy is just an illness in the end, isn't it?

But...

Something seems to be worrying you.;What's on your mind?

There was an accident in which an Infected passed away on the field, not long ago.

I'm not casting judgment on this incident itself. I'm saying the force of public opinion is greater than we can imagine.

I'm no professional at all, but I think of, and you understand better than me, an Infected dying from overcasting in the arena inviting uncontrollable danger, and how great that danger is—

—Despite it being, in my eyes, near-deliberate harassment, an unjust confrontation... the fact of the matter is, the barbs of the masses from far and wide are aimed at the Infected.

I worry whether it might affect our cooperation... my Rhodes Islander friends.

Mr. Malkiewicz.

It's not the first time the Infected have been through something like this, and it won't be the last.

In places beyond Kazimierz, what Infected go through far surpass what you've seen.

A partner of mine, from before I was a spokesman, was once the Rose Paper Union's Executive Director of Publishing.

I quickly came to recognize 'the terror of gossip,' Miss Amiya, Dr. {@nickname}.

Perhaps opinion as of late will impact your work. I'll do my best to placate the moods of the workers and those receiving treatment.

Thank you very much, Mr. Malkiewicz.

It's the least I can do.

It seems I still have a little time today... Dr. {@nickname}, did we have an appointment prior?

If you're free, do let me tour you around Kazimierz a bit.

Can Amiya come with us?;I'm not the only one who admires Kazimierz's splendor.

Of course, so long as the formalities and credentials are in hand, an Infected such as Miss Amiya is free to act as she wishes.

I—I'll be fine, I still need to check in with all our Medic Operators to—

Appropriate rest is very important, Miss Amiya. Additionally, the patient who just arrived is the last for today.

Really?

Well, then, we'll meet downstairs in ten minutes.

Malkiewicz has gotten real close to Rhodes Island lately. Oof, that's not good.

The Board of Directors hasn't classified Rhodes Island as a target... which can only mean Darksteel has a different view of Rhodes Island.