act25side

Her gaze expands, and the building quickly disappears into a nest of countless skyscrapers: exhibitions on science and technology interspersed with expo halls, and other specialized buildings scattered around at random, like a bacterial colony in a forest.

But, as she raises her head, the vast sky dwarfs the city, and Trimounts is only a leaf.

No matter if it's a superweapon ordered by the military, or an unknown object that Kristen has other plans for...

The amount of energy and precision required for the 'Horizon Arc Project' is beyond the scope of our imaginations.

Energy consumption and navigation accuracy are issues they must solve.

So you're implying...

I don't know how the Columbian military has assessed the situation, or how Kristen has pulled the wool over their eyes.

Even if she were able to solve the issue of precision, my judgement is that it cannot support energy concentration on such a scale, even if you use all of Trimounts's energy reserves.

Once you start such a huge project, it should drain Trimounts's energy in an extremely short span of time, like stuffing a giant sponge into a glass of water.

Even if Kristen's talents and vision are far beyond the present, the current state of science and technology should not be able to realize such a concept.

But she is by no means a simple mad scientist indulging her delusions.

Unless... she has already solved this problem.

What the heck are they talking about?

Stop eavesdropping. The door's soundproofed.;Stop eavesdropping. They're going to find out.

It's gotta be about the factory that went kaboom, right? Saria looked kinda serious. Does this have something to do with Rhine?

Doctor, is Silence in Trimounts, too? Can we bring her here?

Doctor, why are you frowning like that?

Oh, I get it. You still blame Kal'tsit for bringing Rosmontis and me here.

We decided to come on our own. I've been here before. I can even be your tour guide!

Rosmontis, you're looking at the letter again. Are you okay?

He invited me to come back here...

The Feline girl is still holding that thin envelope in her hands. Five minutes ago, she opened it and quietly read the letter again, before stuffing it back inside a minute ago.

She lifts her head up to look at you. There doesn't seem to be any particular emotion in her eyes, but you notice something unmistakable nonetheless...

She is trying to comfort herself, almost like she is trying to smooth out a small, wrinkled piece of paper under the school desk without attracting anyone's attention.

You can feel that she is confused, maybe even in pain.

I forgot again, Doctor.

Can coming back here help me remember what I forgot? What did I forget...?

I should have it written down... I'm sure I know.

Rosmontis, relax...;Rosmontis, slow down.;Rosmontis, why don't we take a little nap?

If it hurts, we can go back to Rhodes Island, right now.;Sometimes, you can turn down invitations.

I think I should stay.

Control your power. Don't force yourself to think. Okay?

I'm here.

Me too!

Do you have the data I need?

We have little time to spare, but these should help.

The Energy Section's project and construction plans and reports from the past ten years, Energy and Originium Art Sections' experiment records...

The Scientific Investigation Section's expedition reports and data archives.

It's a lot thicker than I imagined.

Their position within Rhine Lab is rather unique.

From the corporative perspectives of cost performance and efficiency, their contributions to the company are negligible. They shouldn't even be one of Rhine's ten sections.

And even though it doesn't rival what the core laboratories like Energy and Structural get, the budget that Rhine Lab allocates to polar field research and surveying technologies every year is no small amount...

In fact, you could say they're throwing huge amounts of money at them.

They collect and analyze seismic data from the Kazimierzian highlands surrounded by mountains in regular intervals, and have built close to ten scientific research stations in the endless icefields of Sami.

They frequently travel to Columbia's great lakes, as well as the lowland deserts in the south, for their investigations, and even seek to thoroughly explore the ruins of the abandoned cities in the Bleached Wasteland...

Only a few know that the dust kicked up by pioneering young Columbia is much older than the sands of Sargon.

These scientists have not been measuring the boundaries of this world in the spirit of exploration. Rather, they are looking for something.

These last few pages are all about Trimounts.

Trimounts? Why would Scientific Investigation need to factor in the location of Headquarters...?

Every project I've checked so far has an immediate sign-off from Rhine Control.

Kristen...

And so, did this farce just happen to take place in Trimounts? Or maybe... it could only happen here...?

I would prefer to see some evidence rather than hear more of your roundabout explanations.

I have some rough conjectures, but the clues are all a mess, and our present information is inadequate to serve as actual evidence.

Let's take a short break.

You should go have another chat with Ifrit.

(Angry howling)

Get down, Kal'tsit!

How is it? Does it fit?

It's a new suit the Originium Art Section developed. I made a few adjustments, and it should fit you okay now.

And I'm sure you know how to test out the new drone equipment.

Yes.

Come here. Let me help you put the contacts in.

Okay.

That'll do it. Stand up and take a look around.

Great. You're like a completely different person.

How are the contacts?

I'm not quite used to them yet.

But it's nice to go without weight on my nose.

I have to say, you look sharper without your glasses.

I'm sure your friends will be shocked as soon as they see you.

I'd rather surprise them another way.

Such as...?

Say... my personality.

You seize the day and work toward that. Don't underestimate what a little makeover can accomplish.

I'll try my best.

Besides, the lockdown isn't going to end anytime soon. The soldiers stopped you once, and it won't be easy to get around now that they've seen you.

Get a makeover, and upgrade your equipment while you are at it. Two fowls with one stone.

Thank you.

It doesn't look like anyone's been here the last couple days... You came to District 13 for a reason today.

I actually bought this as a vacation home, but with how busy my workers have been lately, I haven't had much time for rest. HR Director and all.

I just located a Transmitter from Site 359 near the scene. Are you here to recover it? What does Transmitter have to do with the Triton Factory explosion?

No, Dorothy wouldn't need a low-level researcher like me if you were already on the case.

Ferdinand is out of the picture, but maybe there are other Sections who want Transmitter for their experiments?

I also saw Saria there... Just how many Rhine Lab personnel are involved in this?

You're asking too many questions in one go, Silence.

And unfortunately, I can't answer them.

You should be well aware of Rhine Lab's organizational structure. The departments under General Affairs are only responsible for providing support to the Scientific Research Sections.

Originium Art, Energy, or whatever, Human Resource Investigation has never interfered in any of their research projects... I've never been a researcher myself, after all.

My mentor told me some stories about you and Control.

Before joining Rhine Lab, you were the most eccentric and yet, the most successful investor in Trimounts.

You've never attended a single meeting, read a proposal, or listened to a project briefing, but the projects you endorse always miraculously succeed.

There's no need for you to be attached to a company. On the contrary, he said you might even become a tech pioneer to steer the course of the nation.

But after Control had one meeting with you, you announced you were joining Rhine Lab the very next day.

The business world is always brimming with delicately packaged myths and legends.

The outside world is full of speculation, but at my age, I don't Kristen to promise me anything. I only wanted to stay and watch her patch up a few regrets.

Some her own, and some mine.

And well, that girl... I'm not sure where exactly she is now.

You performed very well at Site 359. You cleaned up after Dorothy, and followed the trail all the way here to recover the Transmitter. Honestly, that's remarkable.

But the Site 359 Incident ends here, and whatever follows is already beyond the scope of both your responsibilities and abilities. You're done here.