act18side

He shoots a glance at Czerny and at Kreide.

One, an eminent maestro. The other, his dear, new friend.

He thinks to himself, they deserve to live much more than he does.

What he does not realize is that the moment he opened himself up completely to the music, he was no longer able to hide his emotions.

Ebenholz, don't do anything stupid!

Hah, Graf Urtica, my dear. You are this piece's beginning.

Even if you forcibly reverse this piece and incorporate it into your own mind, how will you deal with the dissonance and contradiction?

Struggle to your dying breath!

One by one, they all want to flee. They all want to flee their fates – but how, and why?

For fifteen years, I've lived in their shadows, but at last, at long last, I have won!

I've won! Fate is on my side!

None of you will escape! Not a single one!

How unsightly. The musicians seem to be fighting against the very music they play.

Did Gertrude also arrange this?

This–– I'm not so sure.

A situation seems to have arisen during our performance. Please exit the auditorium.

Once again, please exit the auditorium.

Ah, the MC just asked the audience to leave. Look––

Shut him up.

Indeed.

Urgh...

What are you doing?!

Just shutting up an Infected.

Do you have any idea what's going on?

All I know is if you don't shut up as well, you're going to end up the same way.

Don't do it!

(Even if I can only buy you a little bit of time...)

Should you ask Kreide whether he wants to break free of his old life...

His answer would surely be – 'Yes.'

His grandpa told him that his body was extremely special, something he gradually discovered himself.

The people around him would start to suffer, and those he treated with kindness would leave him in the end – so he started to distance himself from them.

But, he doesn't find it a terrible existence.

The first thing he learned during his long life of vagrancy was that cursing fate doesn't make life any better.

He can only find the meaning of his life from the few things he can do in the moment.

And now, he realizes that it is his cue.

No life is worth more than any other, but he has made friends and received camaraderie. He feels fulfilled.

The sunlight shines warmly outside. It is a good day to die.

Hm?

What––?!

The cello... Kreide! What is he doing?!

Kreide, not you too...!

Herr Czerny, how could the music you've poured your life into be trampled like this?

Besides, I am the end of the piece. It's only fitting that I do this, right?

Do you have any idea what you're doing?!

Ebenholz, don't stop. Just keep matching my rhythm.

(But then, you'll––)

Let's put the finishing touches on our final performance together, okay?

(No!)

Trust me, Ebenholz, Herr Czerny. I'll take care of this.

I...

(I believe in you.)

The piece... has gone back to normal?

No, something's wrong! Kreide is...

Mein Herr, something isn't quite right with this Infected woman. Look here...

Forget it. Why bother with a common Infected? The appreciation of music should come first.

Listen, everything's gone back to normal now.

Seems like whatever happened before was just some shock value for the show.

I assume she wanted to demonstrate the difficulty of controlling the Voice of Mundane, for the purpose of increasing her own value.

Ah, you're right. Maybe she's not half bad after all.

Not only did she prepare such an interesting technique for us, she even treated us to an elegant piece of music.

The juxtaposition of light and shadow is vividly reflected in the trio of flute, cello, and piano.

Finally, the piece approaches its coda with an ensemble of cello and piano.

Listeners strain their ears, expecting to hear the whispers of the cold night, the embrace of darkness, the call of the abyss.

But they are greeted only with a long, drawn-out sigh from the void.

After what seems like an eternity, applause finally breaks out across the audience that gradually swells with enthusiasm.

But before the applause can sweep across the venue, it crashes against the dissonance of horrified screams.

It's over... Kreide, you've done it!

No, there's... still something I have to do...

Kreide, what's happening to you... your body?!

Ebenholz, let's go outside.

Herr Czerny, please take Hibiscus and evacuate the audience. Have them get as far away from here as they can.

You—

Kreide, your body...

I'm sorry, Herr Czerny. Fräulein Hibiscus.

There's so much I want to say to you, but... It seems like now isn't the time.

Take me there, Ebenholz, while I can still control myself.

The melody in my head... is getting louder and louder...

The two melodies are... tugging, inside my head...

Hurry, Ebenholz. Take me outside.

The concert hall is amplifying both melodies at once. I can't hold on for much longer...

I know!

Ebenholz, you...

I'll take care of Kreide.

But––

I said, I'll take care of Kreide!

Hibiscus, go with Herr Czerny and evacuate the crowd!

Upon witnessing the metamorphosis taking place on stage, the people in the auditorium begin to flee.

Panicked screams follow one after another, and Hibiscus and Czerny's shouts can be heard among them. However, to Ebenholz's ears, everything is blurring into white noise. His eyes fixate only on the plaza outside the concert hall.

You were planning to do this the entire time, weren't you?

Perish the thought...

I just... did it on a hunch.

A hunch?! When I said you were being unusually easygoing today, it was all because of a hunch?!

No, no... I truly am glad that I got to perform with you and Herr Czerny.

This is the happiest I've been my entire life.

Then why'd you go and pull a stunt like this?!

There are still so many happy things waiting for you––

But if I didn't, then either you or Herr Czerny would've done it, right?

So that means it somehow falls upon you?!

You've never had a single good day your entire life, whereas I'm the one who's had enough of living since a long time ago. It should've been me!

Sorry, Ebenholz.