act27side

When I was young, I thought coffee was so bitter, I was <i>convinced</i> I had to add something to even make it drinkable!

You shook the whole cafe playing your rock 'n' roll, and yet you were bad with bitter.

Who'd care about something like <i>that,</i> back then?

Keller laughs, downing the last gulp of coffee in her cup. The aroma lingers lazily in the cafe air.

So, want soda in this cup too?

Sure.

But after this one, I may well genuinely spend the whole night awake.

Adele, let me just be upfront. I told them what I told them, but the lot of them are dying to go inside, probably to taste the volcanic coffee.

To make up for the owner's losses, I can leave a product from today's trade fair in exchange!

A product from the fair? Where'd you get it?

A lovely little child gave me it!

Honest!

Ah! We can't go in now!

(Sniffs in corner)

(Turns over a box)

The restless lambs drag a case of glass bottles out from the junk to Adele's side, and zealously churn through it for something.

Eventually, they get a few bottles of carbonated water clamped in their mouths and pull off the metal caps, acting like they've found treasure.

What are you doing? Didn't you want to a soda?

The lambs bounce about, each one with a shiny bottle cap on their head. Then they line up together, and playfully scamper away.

*sigh* I said to wait. What makes them even more impatient than me?

What was all that...?

Oh, that's the 'seed' they were after!

What about these bottle caps... makes them seeds?

The world as they see it isn't quite the world you all see.

This—itty-bitty little round thing—gets taken by fowlbeasts to places far far away, where it takes root and sprouts, and becomes something completely unlike before.

Some become soda caps, some become sauce lids, each one has a different flavor, but they all have their own charms.

I assume at least one of them drank that sort of volcanic coffee in Columbia before, so this rings that bell in them particularly loud.

Isn't it more than fascinating to view the world that way?

(Digs at the soil)

But all that granted... *sigh* Just because you planted the bottle caps doesn't mean they're going to grow into drinks.

Let them have their fun.

The answers will grow by themselves.

Hello, Costa here.

Mr. Costa, this is your grandfather's clinician. I'm sorry to tell you this, but... your grandfather passed away this evening.

I can't know if this will be any comfort to you, but I want you to know he left us peacefully.

A disaster! This is a disaster, I tell you!

You call <i>this</i> interior design? No wonder no one hires Siestans for design work. This is a tourist destination, yet it has no architectural style of its own, and you don't even know how to copy someone else's properly!

How could you sully the elegance of Victorian style like this? Look at this table. I said I wanted it to have a marble-like texture. Instead, you went with this cheap, low quality wood!

Perhaps you should look at your budget and again see if you gave me enough for even <i>half</i> a slab of faux marble.

Hah! Alright. Looks like you don't quite understand your place, Miss Ann-Maier.

If it wasn't for me, you'd still be following the Sargonian caravans, fumbling your way around town! There's nothing stopping me from reporting you to the cops as an undocumented immigrant who illegally entered Columbia. Then, you won't see so much as a dime!

If you do that, I'll report you for sheltering and hiring an illegal immigrant! Now pay me!

Why... you!

Hmph, what a foolish Siestan. So crude and disrespectful...

When the city's so stupid as to willingly gave up their obsidian mining industry, their bread and butter, there are bound to be citizens like you with no respect for others!

(Money first... Yell at him only after you get the money...)

Nothing to say? The tragic thing about you is that you haven't even realized Siesta's foolishness, and you're here shouting and accusing me!

(I can't make nothing from this job. I need my traveling money...)

If you people had chosen to join Victoria all those years ago, you would long have become citizens of the empire, indulged in the opulence the empire has to offer, and found your place in the empire's grand history! Instead, you're here, trying to earn a bit of coin to get on your way...

Hmph, looks like you're at least savvy enough to understand my point.

Take this. It's your pay. Hmph, count it well. It's in Victorian pounds. You know the denominations, right? Don't you even think I'm trying to shortchange you, lest you make yourself seem ill-mannered.

Mister, you aren't deserving of my manners.

You don't know anything about Siesta's history. You don't even know the first thing about the Victorian architectural history you're so proud of. What's more, Victoria's glory is all thanks to your ancestors' contributions. It hasn't got one bit to do with you.

Why don't you go take a look at the buildings in Victoria and see how Siesta's obsidian has changed your architectural style and become the kind of luxury commodity that you snobs adore so much?

Who's the one with a narrow perspective here?

Why you...!

The Siestans closed off the mines to protect the environment. Everything we do, we do it for the sake of our homeland's future. Not like some stingy man who's just talking about the glorious past over and over to win himself respect.

I'm going back to rebuild my homeland and help breathe new life into it, but what about you? What have you done for Victoria given the shape it's in these days?

Ann-Maier curls her lips a little, and measures the thickness of the stack of bills with her hand.

Even the Columbian demolition crews pay more, oh noble employer.

I only hope your tastes will help you make your comeback.

Now cheerio!

Need to go over anything again? It doesn't hurt to be careful.

Everything of value is still here, and the house is in one piece. That's good enough for me.

I'll send you the reward I promised you. The exhibition-grade obsidian and the certificate will make it to you in probably two months.

That's great!

I'm looking forward to it.

The collector's eyes briefly lights up, though his excitement doesn't last particularly long.

Is there some kind of bewitching power to these obsidians that has you enthralled like this?

Are you interested in obsidian yourself? I suppose not... I've learned my lesson. There are very few people out there who truly have an eye for their beauty. Most with have their eyes on obsidians are up to no good!

Never mind. I shan't bother you any longer! Goodbye!

Mr. Pelipper Brown. Are you perhaps related to the bankrupt Siestan tycoon, Beat Brown?

Don't even mention that scary old man...

There may not be many who still remember him, but I'm sure he was much more well known back when obsidian was still Siesta's main export.

I spotted this name while I was going over the data. I didn't expect his successor to be running a little hot spring hotel in the area.

The volcano gave Siesta plenty of riches, and the hot springs are no less wonderful than the obsidian.

The old man died a couple years ago. Oripathy.

He never went anywhere close to the mines, but he got infected on his way to Columbia for vacation when the car's Originium engine broke down.

Oh... I'm sorry to hear...

He wasn't really a good man, but his mines did create many jobs. If his protective measures were just a little more comprehensive, perhaps he would've won the gratitude of the miners.

I've heard that when the government announced the ban on obsidian mining, your mines were the first ones to work toward shutting down.

What else was I supposed to do? The only alternative I had was to break the law.

Alright, Mr. Brown. I hope we'll get to work together again in the future. Your hot spring hotel is very spectacular. Would you perhaps be interested in developing it into a hot spring resort?

I'll pass. I'd rather not go through all the ruckus—That is, unless you make me an offer that I truly can't refuse. Say, an even bigger obsidian that's even more pleasing to the eye.

Speaking of which... your obsidian collection here have all been delicately cut and polished. How come there's a geode that hasn't been polished whatsoever?

Oh... Don't you get any funny ideas about it.

That thing's more expensive than all the pieces in the hotel combined.

Adele.

...Adele?

(Is this... Mutti's hand?)

(So warm...)

(Mutti... is stroking my shoulder...)

Wake up, Adele.

Adele, you mustn't sleep here. You'll catch a cold.

(I won't...)

(It's very warm... when you're here by my side.)

Mutti...

Adele?

Keller hides the surprised expression on her face and reaches her hand out to gently pat Adele's head.

Are you awake?