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I'm really happy to know these things...

Keller stands and brushes the dirt off herself.

Are you leaving now?

Maybe I need to buy some courage, like in that dream you mentioned.

Goodbye, Adele. See you tomorrow.

Rest well and don't tire yourself.

Adele glances at the creature still staring blankly at old Siesta.

Bye, Professor Keller!

The fluffy creature stands motionless on the beach.

Did you find the place you were looking for?

Adele sits down next to the motionless creature.

Let me guess... You're a miner who wanted to return here?

The creature shakes its head from side to side, pulling its gaze from the ocean to Adele opposite itself. Its clear eyes look up at her.

It chews on an old signpost as it steadily paws at the ground.

Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump...

Slowly, it turns to leave the area.

No...?

No no no! I'm just an old man who likes collecting pretty rocks. I can't do what you want or help you at all!

Mr. Brown, those workers said that your father owned the mine, and that they all worked for you for many years. Even after the move, you still helped make their lives better, under the table—

Yes, that's right. My father's mine made them into Infected, while I decorate my house with rocks they risked their lives to dig out.

Am I helping them? As if. They're barely surviving as it is, at most they're not jobless.

So you admit it?

No! My god, calm down, woman! Don't you go breaking my collection!

Well then, let's talk about your collection.

Before Siesta moved, this obsidian was an extremely precious ore. However, only obsidian that was pure enough or which reflected the colors of the rainbow could fetch a good price. I'm sure you're aware.

Ceylon bends down and drags out two boxes of ore from behind the cabinet.

So, what are these?

Why would a collector like you have crude, impure obsidian like this? Exactly like the obsidian the workers squirreled away?

Hmph, what would you know? All obsidian is precious to me!

Then why did you stop the workers from mining? What stopped you from working them to death, instead arranging gainful employment for them as drivers, ticket sellers, and security guards?

Those are lifelines they found for themselves!

Oh? So you just helped them along while indirectly earning money off them?

Yes, that's absolutely right!

Why do you refuse to admit it?

They're not living well right now. The obsidian that they mined propped up Siesta, but now—

Pelipper heaves a great sigh and sinks back onto his seat.

Missy, do you think it's that easy changing the policies of an entire city?

Look at them now, look at me.

You've heard them call me 'Mr. Brown.' Brown Mines, the entire company is in my hands, but even I can't build a factory for them to make a living in.

The government will harass me, my peers will plot against me, and that's not even considering Columbia and Victoria. Just keeping to ourselves here in Siesta isn't that bad.

You do know... Columbia has Infected pay sky-high insurance premiums and then sends them to mine in the wastelands?

I know that!

That's why I came to you for help! You have far more knowledge and experience with the situation than me.

If Columbia uses the Infected question to attack us, we can just build our own place for Infected first. If your peers begin plotting, we can try to negotiate with them.

There must be something we can do. You can't just hide away in this hot spring hotel forever. What would that accomplish?

Getting increasingly agitated, Ceylon feels as if her heart is about to leap out of her chest.

This is the best leverage for Siesta to negotiate with Columbia right now...

But, you seem...

Yes, I'm five months along now. The doctor says it's a girl.

Congratulations! But, then you...?

Siesta needs to develop, it can't wait any longer. That's why I want to help these workers, I want to teach them...

I want them to learn how to avoid danger, how to observe the environment, how best to protect themselves after a Catastrophe. They have only gotten by with experience so far, but I can give them knowledge.

Will that work? The mine is huge and there's so many illiterate people who only know how to earn money. Father says things like that are very common, and that there are always many workers so we don't need to care too much...

That's different.

Tom cares, Hank cares, Bill cares, many workers will care.

I also want to push a new policy regarding the current state of these workers. These workers who've contracted Oripathy due to Obsidian mining should be taken better care of.

But Father tells me that the government will never have time for this. They only want to earn more and more money to develop Siesta.

Then I will bring their attention here. I can't just sit in an office all day with the knowledge that they're getting hurt and sick. What would that do?

The lady gently caresses her pregnant belly, feeling the little heartbeat of the life growing peacefully inside.

Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump...

Miss... May I have your name?

Young lady, what's your name?

...Who knows, I might see you again in the future. If you really manage to do something, I'll lend you my help.

Barbara Doykos.

You can call me Barbara.

Ceylon. Ceylon Doykos.

Alright, I'll remember.

Wait, Doykos?

We're near Fashion Street already, where are you actually going?

Little Black Sheep, what does the mining lamp on your back really mean...?

The fluffy creature continues forward leisurely, searching and chewing. Sounds pass by its twitching ears, the sound of wind, people, and in the far distance, the rumblings of volcanic activity.

Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump...!

Sounds like sparking thunder resound in its ears, overwhelming the sounds of geologic activity and flowing magma.

Ba-dump...! Ba-dump...! Ba-dump...!

It stops in the middle of the street, blankly looking from side to side before it breaks into a sudden run, sprinting away on all fours.

Wait... Where are you going?

Did you find it? It's here?

Barbara was your mother?

—Hold on!

Wait, this... this...

Standing on a chair, Pelipper retrieves a delicate box from the top of the cabinet. Behind the glass cover, a large, uncut geode lays there, obsidian crystals sparkling.

No, wait, I should call them over. They were the ones who left me with this... Tom, Hank, and Bill, I need to get them all here...!

Yes, Barbara was my mother... Mr. Brown, what is this? Who are Tom, Hank, and Bill?

Ceylon Doykos...

This is a gift that those workers prepared for your mother, a long time ago. To celebrate your birth and express their gratitude.

A gift for mother? My mother...?

In the end, she wasn't able to receive the gift...

I'll explain to the old men when they get here. I want them to see me hand this over to you—Your mother...!

Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump...!

Ba-dump...! Ba-dump...! Ba-dump...!

Little Black Sheep—!

A fluffy creature steps into the hotel, as if guided by a sound.

Ba-dump...! Ba-dump...! Ba-dump...!

This sound is coming from a lady, her chest heaving from agitation.

The heart is beating. With each beat, it transports blood across all four limbs, it carries nutrition from the mother's body, all the way to the slumbering little infant.

That tiny little heartbeat has grown up.

Ba-dump...! Ba-dump...! Ba-dump...!

The fluffy creature rests its head on Ceylon's chest.

Ceylon doesn't see anything, but she feels a sudden warmth.

It's heavy, as if something has fallen into her lap.