act16d5

Humanity seldom gets their hands on stuff like this. If everything goes smoothly, Rhodes Island from here on out will have first-rate, elite regular equipment to stand shoulder to shoulder with nations... if everything goes smoothly.

What the hell did you pull this time...?

Don't ask. Time will soon tell.

I've gone years without seeing my precious sister, Dusk. All you need to know is that name. Trust me, you'll know her when you see her, and I'll be counting on you.

Why don't you go yourself?

She's been hiding from me for years. Why would I need to do that to myself?

Fine. Even though it looks like you haven't been trying that hard...

Hey.

Since Closure gave it the go-ahead and all... uh... you remember to properly thank me afterwards.

Hey, now that's my li'l Lava... I didn't give your costume an upgrade for nothing.

Enough... just stop talking.

It's a little present for you.

Your costume for Ancient Forge. Didn't you actually love it?

Y—You're joking—

But you know I pretty clearly saw you spending half the day posing in front of the mirror?

Tch... go in my room without consent again, and I WILL send you out with a bang for real.

Alright, alright. You've been wearing that combat outfit for a while anyway. Even if you still can't cut open space with your daggers...

Th—That was a stupid edit you decided to make to the script afterwards!

Was it? But from when I came to Rhodes Island up till now, haven't you matured a heck of a lot? And you've been learning Arts from some real serious characters.

So in short, I leave it up to Kroos and you.

I'd better warn you just in case. She's... Dusk's no pushover. She can be a ridiculous pest. Just be prepared to deal with her, and I guarantee you'll go undefeated at mahjong afterwards.

*Sigh*...

...Nian.

You've been hiding something from me, right?

Oh... if you think so, then what's the point in asking me?

Save it. I'm not gonna dig any deeper, anyway. You aren't like us, I can still tell that much.

Well, duh, where else could you find someone as terrifying as me? So?

Let me just tell you this. I'm willing to help you even though I know how much of a pain this is going to be.

So when it comes down to it, you're not going to cut corners on 'repaying' me.

Ho-ho, li'l Lava knows the art of haggling too. Tricky, tricky... alright! I've decided!

You drag Dusk back, and I'll grant any one request of yours. Anything goes. Such as... forging a divine weapon?

I've got six weapon concepts right now. I'm one short of seven. Any old one of them would be enough for you to leave your name in history.

Wh—What are they...?

They're badass.

Or maybe you'd wanna know some ancient stuff from ancient times... I could consider telling you guys. Not too many people should reasonably know about it, I guess, but if you—

Pass.

Hey—don't be so heartless. Haven't you been kinda impatient with me lately? Doesn't suit you, does it?

Oh, right, right, take this with you.

And this is?

Just treat it like... a sort of protective charm. After all, my sister's, well...

Ohh, ohh... helping find your colleague's precious little sister, estranged for years, you traveled myriads far to this place of ours. Benefactors, surely enough, you are made of heroic stuff!

I admire you! I cannot help but admire you!

Uh... did we go that far?

No. We can already see Mount Hui-ch'i ahead... but it seems like it's getting late. What do we do?

I'm in no rush, no rush at all. Benefactors, do as you do.

The address Nian gave me just says 'Outside Kou-wu City, near Mount Hui-ch'i.' Are there any other settlements around here?

None! None for a thousand li around. Just Ni-weng Village all alone.

Maybe she's living in the mountains... after all, she's the sister of Nian. I get the feeling she might.

...What is it you think of her? Why do I get the feeling you're not being one bit polite to her?

Seeing as we don't have any further clues, it's your time to shine now.

Verily! I know this area well... Don't gaze at me like that, I really do know it! When I was young, I'd frolic about this place come rain or shine!

Do you have any ideas?

Ah, this I must proclaim clear to you two benefactors. If you wish to find someone in the villages surrounding Kou-wu City, you need only visit a teahouse, call out loud, and your friends and strangers alike will come rushing over.

Give me one scant hour, and I'll be sure to find your—That's right, does the person you're looking for have any particular features? What's their name? What status do they hold?

...She's called Dusk.

She's a painter.

Benefactors, benefactors, I see it!

S—So it really was in the mountains... I'm beat... why do I feel like this mountain's a lot taller than it first looked?

I'm not surprised.

Well! So deep within the forests and hills, without water or electricity, she built herself a thatched cottage? Benefactors, your friend's sister truly has a mind for aesthetics.

...I won't hide it, I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this already.

But the scenery here's quality, I've gotta say. If she's a painter, I can imagine her here.

Eh...? Lava? What'cha looking for?

The 'protective charm' from Nian. I only just realized she might've had another reason for giving it to me, and more than likely, it's not anything good.

Could just... toss it, you know?

Kroos, you really are the one with the biggest complaints about her, aren't you?

Benefactors, what if I go first and ask at the door? See if anyone's in? Perhaps we've been looking in error?

You don't need to do that. I just feel like we can't be reckless if we're meeting her sister. We need to prepare ourselves.

Let's go.

Hello, is anyone there?

Hello?

I presume she's out on a walk?

In the mountains?

Yet you can see the water mottling this door, and the leaves have piled up dead. It doesn't give the air that anyone lives here... Should we try and knock?

Mm... Hello? Is anyone there?