act15d5

Evenin', sister.

A—And you are?

Oh, I saw you comin' outta my bar a minute ago. I was wrappin' up a little accident, see.

Er... Isn't that MountainDash Logistics's...

Eurill? Dumbass cow bought it and won't give it back, but you know what I'm sayin', I'm still that place's one and only bartender! I'm its soul!

Oh... hold up, hold up.

What? A fake? You got duped?

Then what're you waitin' for? Give their boat some fireworks! Yeah! That's what I said! What? 'course you gotta take me! What, you gonna leave me out?!

(No matter what this is, it has to be illegal, right—?!)

What did Eurill tell you?

Why would I—

Nah, I know. Could only be gettin' some more hands on board, lookin' for a way out. Peace be to him.

It's a helluva world, shorty.

Why are you just—

But the way I see it now, you gotta think a little bigger.

Don't you worry, you're pretty easy on the eyes. My eyes. Even Paul Landen, handsome ass. I like it when he puts down his gun and picks up a pen!

Found them, boss.

Wait—

Waiting's a sucker's game! We got fools to huck in the river!

Um...

Paul Landen... the founder of the Monastery? What in the world was that strange little person trying...

What a brave new world.

Mr. Eurill, you'll have to forgive my manners, but before I leave Lungmen, there's something I must ask you.

By all means.

Why are you always in this bar?

Hah hah hah... I only just bought this place out from an acquaintance of mine. I quite fancy the atmosphere. It's not loud, it's not dirty, it's well-lit and strikes a vivid look.

Bars don't usually come like this, at least not in Lungmen. I don't know about Laterano... but I guess you probably don't see clerics in bars.

It's not the total truth. Sundays in the convent's dormitories fundamentally aren't that different from a bar.

Hah hah, I think I understand now, why it is you and I can chat.

But the most important thing is, at some point, all of a sudden, I became very enamored with this bar's name—

—'The Ends of the Earth.'

At this very moment, we're at 'The Ends of the Earth.'

...I see, then.

Well, to this project bringing the ideal to fruition. Cheers.

Cheers.

When are you setting off?

The plan was for tomorrow morning at nine.

Oh... did the plan change?

My mind changed.

Then regardless of what you're planning to do, will you need the assistance of our Messengers?

I won't. I didn't leave the Monastery this time just for one or two odds and ends, after all.

What's more important is, I'm going to find where I can expand on my own faith.

I see. You've reached a conclusion?

Hmm...

I'm hard-pressed to say it's a conclusion...

But...

I'd love to see more of it. The world out there is... truthfully, a little more fascinating than I'd thought.

Now that's an answer with some youthful pep. I've got a small question too, and I'd like to seek a cleric's guidance.

You flatter me. Please, ask away.

Do you think... that our project, even in the future, will truly be given others' recognition? Do you think the other voices of Laterano might stand on the other side to us?

The value of things shouldn't be decided prior to their coming. At the very least, we can choose to have some respect for all things and all creatures.

Is that a principle of the Monastery, too?

Just Laterano nature. For that matter, Mr. Eurill, did you just want to test the present attitude of Landen Monastery?

Nonsense. I'm just curious what kind of heart my current collaborators bring to their work.

Obviously, I wouldn't doubt my own business. Thing is, once some things get beyond the scope of business, I have to start minding what other people think.

How do you see it?

Landen Monastery tells a fable.

They say, in a certain church in Laterano, there was a vast mural, depicting a story of heroes in ancient times, fighting for their faith.

Artists, from all over, all came to examine this mural. Some praised, some criticized, some chose to keep a rational quiet.

—Then, from a small little quarter of Leithanien, came an upstart.

The upstart was bloated, and unwilling to climb the church's stairs, thereupon he gazed at the church's window from afar. Through that window, he sighted a single deformed, vile beast in the artwork.

And immediately, this businessman began to slander the mural, first saying that the hallowed and pure Laterano had produced such repulsive paintings, downright immoral.

Soon after, he spoke that even this single vile beast had a great many imperfections in the art.

Vile beast?

Little did he realize that what he saw was not a vile beast in the mural, but a church ornament and a candleholder's silhouette, which by misfortune had given him such a mistaken impression.

He couldn't even step into the grand church, yet dismantling what he saw in that superficial fragment, he came to an insight more superficial still.

Where do you think the problem arose from?

—Arrogance, and prejudice.

So this fable is named 'La Bestia Superba.' If you should ask 'why did the church construct so high of a staircase?', that was indeed an arrogance in itself.

What you want to do—that is to shatter all arrogance, or at the least, between every country, every land, every race's inharmonious arrogances, find a path, through the life mission of a Messenger.

And between those, you even include the very arrogance of nature and life itself—Catastrophes.

In realistic terms, I feel it will be very hard.

Someone's always got to be that stepping stone.

This has eased my heart some. When we're meant to talk money, we should talk it. But here, with you, Mr. Eurill, we're certainly talking of more than just money...

We're talking of quite a fair project. I feel a deep admiration for your ability to run things.

Hah hah hah, if that's how you think, then I'm completely and utterly relieved.

If you have the chance, why not take that son of mine on a trip to Laterano.

But of course.

After all, ever since he came into contact with Mostima, I can see in his eyes, his idea of a 'Messenger' has grown a lot less narrow. Not bad—hm? What's that look for?

I feel like I've heard a name I can't quite let pass.

Oh? Was she that famous? I thought her reputation was pretty internal to the Messenger biz.

Well, ever since she was exiled, I haven't heard more about her, really.

Sankta can live very good lives wherever they are. After all, they're Sankta.

Hah hah, true words.

Right, Emperor wanted me to give you this.

Um? Emperor?

A very tenacious guy. He does everything off-script, but make no mistake, he's reliable.

This is... a contact address? Is this a... company?

Rho... Rhodes Island... Is that how you read it?

Ah... once in a while, you trust Emperor's taste in associates. And you can trust me, they and this strip of world are marvelous one and the same.

2:42 P.M. \ Cloudy

Rim Billiton Frontier, Catastrophe Warning Zone

Got your seatbelts fastened?

Slow down...

Looks like we're all good. Let's hit the road!

If you aren't going to worry about the equipment in the back, at least give those of us who are sitting back here some thought!

Yeah, this engine's sound is banging! I love these emergency missions. They always let us have the best stuff!

Right, and if you break it, it'll cost you an entire year's salary to pay it back. Also, watch how much power you're using.

The hurricane's estimated to form in as soon as twenty hours from now. If we don't hurry up and get out of the place before the Catastrophe's here, we're gonna get buried in a whole bed of sand and Active Originium.

Besides, we've got two extra tanks, and we have two Casters here. No need to worry about energy consumption. Am I right, little Caster sitting in the back?