act42side

You're letting me walk away?

You were only just created a cardinal of the Seventh Tribunal. If they find out you let a prime suspect go, you're as good as defrocked, aren't you?

Remember when the gunsmith had me pick a serial number for my guardian gun?

Of course I remember. You didn't even mull it over—you just went straight for the date Mamma and Tata brought you home.

I told myself then, to protect you and them forever.

Hey, sis, aren't you afraid they'll say you're covering for me?

You don't get it, El.

When choosing whom or what to protect, trust comes first.

The time we spent together, the empathy and understanding between us... That's why I trust my sister, why I trust that she's making the right call.

So the way I see it, I'm not covering for you just because you're my sister. In fact, there's plenty other reasons for me to do this.

Um... why don't you come with me, sis?!

No.

Your doubts... I've been having them too.

Maybe there are some things I can still do, in my position.

I think it's this way?

Yeah, we followed them all the way here—weird. They just vanished.

They're so fast... Do confessional engines have that power?

There're too many forks here. Plus, Lemuel split ways from the confessional...

Contact the Notarial Hall and request executor support.

Also, have them scan all mobile confessionals on the intercity net to see if they can find one designated 'ELC-001'.

Roger.

Look, up ahead—

(Grinds teeth)

(Pedaling fiercely)

Phew, finally managed to catch up to you after clearing out your escape route.

I won't let the Laterans tear you apart.

Thanks for the hard work.

You know, I have to commend your sharp senses. You figured out Laterano was facing a calamity based on just a few Sankta Operators' peculiar reports.

It might have been too late, had we waited any longer to make our move.

It's only been a few months since everything happened at Rhodes Island...;We have to be on guard for anything strange cropping up.

Amiya is contacting our branch office operators...;Closure is busy restructuring the new plates...;Our Elite Operators are making sure the landship is secure...

While you didn't take more than a second to decide to come with me.

You're welcome. Though, it used to always be...

Alright, Dr. {@nickname}. What's next?

We were hiding for so long, but now our efforts have gone to waste!

We need to make sure Exusiai can move unhindered.;There's no longer any point in hiding our tracks.

True. The strange ritual's over, and people have already woken from the 'dream'.

I'm sure the machine is already reacting, and the Curia and Nutury are speeding things up on their respective ends.

Does it still want everyone to finish their dreams, to complete its... uh, 'experiment'?

I can't use any of my skills here, and their comms control's turned you into this!

They've cut down your engine power too. You move pretty slow now—

I'm glad you're here, Mon3tr.

Well, I couldn't find anything else to drag you around either, so!

(Grits teeth)

...Doctor!

Open your door!

There's a couple of donuts in there—*chomp*—I have to refill my energy!

(Grinds teeth)

(Running wildly, brandishing claws)

Are you holding on?

I'm kind of used to it...;I'm fine. It's just like how you used to carry me around.

Now's not the time for jokes, Doctor!

The Shrine of Nurtury incubated these monsters with halos in the 'dream', but how did they get them to invade reality?

Look at the projections on the buildings.;Notice the strange colors around us?

Wow, sharp eyes to notice all these little details while I'm dragging you at high speed!

Glad you have excellent dynamic visual acuity—

Uh oh, they're catching up! Alright, hold on tight—

Ggggaaahhhh—

So, what strange stuff were you talking about anyway?

It's not the 'dream' collapsing that's affecting reality.;The 'dream' is just a facade. It's already using reality itself.

So the chaos in Laterano wasn't caused by that machine going haywire—

It's the opposite! It dragged everyone into this collective dream just so it could maximize its synchronization efficiency, and output a pre-programmed result!

—Which it could do, if it was running at full power.

Doctor, we have to know...

What it ultimately wants Laterano to become.;What exactly prompted it to make this decision.

Mon3tr, have you found the 'connection point' yet?

I've tried various methods ever since we came to Laterano with our lead in hand and entered the 'dream', but...

(Shakes head aggressively) The machine's operating logic is too unique. I need more time.

We're already exposed in both dreamland and reality, Doctor.

The city is rejecting us like a virus.

So, our current priority is to... huff... stay alive!

Calamity is already here, you're certain.

But there's no time to express any regret as you and Mon3tr rush through illusion and reality, fleeing...

No, looking for a lead on the trail of your fate.

This trip to Laterano has been perilous, yet the bumpy ride somehow helps you shelve some of your concerns.

Unconsciously, you have already entrusted your life to her...

To Mon3tr.

Thank you, Mon3tr.

Whuh?

Is that...?

I thought I was seeing things.

Shall we go greet our mutual friend?

Keep moving, Arturia.

Are you not worried about the Doctor?

I am worried.

But it is not my top priority at the moment.

It is the first time I have seen that woman who took the Doctor away, but her appearance and combat style are familiar to me. With her, the Doctor is not in imminent danger.

Also, the Doctor has drawn away many of the monsters, and created an opportunity for us to escape. We should leave at once, and locate the Pope.

Fede, I'll help you add what you just said into your mission report for Rhodes Island.

I will write it myself.

Seems we've come up empty handed.

The room shows little sign of recent human activity. His usual household furniture, such as the rocking chair, coffee maker, and shooting target are all covered with dust...

The terminal shows no communication records or abnormal messages. There is no opportunity to produce any additional evidence for now.

Preliminary deduction: Pope Yvangelista XI has been missing for roughly two weeks.

I only met His Holiness once, and already mentally prepared myself, but to know something really has happened to him...

Arturia, explain.

You seem to have a theory as to where His Holiness has gone.

We meet again, 'Grandpa with the Lateran Candy'.

The Curia's joint trial has already concluded, with your signature on the verdict. The condemned shouldn't be having a private meeting with the Pope, though.

So, what is your decision?