act7mini

That's wonderful...

It's not all smiles and sugar cubes. Life there is tough in most places. It's because of how tough it is that we don't worry about it so much.

What about you? Does the lord here send guards after anyone who's infected?

We didn't used to be like this...

My parents worked the mines, and we lived in the area closest to the mining district. A lot of people there have gotten sick.

All the older folks who work the mines get this disease in the end. Rocks begin to grow on their bodies, but they still have to keep working.

Anyone who has just a bit more money wouldn't ever set foot on our street. Anyone who's not sick yet tries to move out of the area...

It sounds almost like a quarantine zone.

A little, but I heard you have to pay to move into the better quarantine zones. They even hand out bread there. That's something that we can only dream of.

But at least we can live there.

Live how? A mine worker, like your parents, would never step outside your district?

That isn't so bad... We have a roof over our heads, and we make a small living. That's more than enough to me.

At least that's what I used to think.

But then the mines collapsed. My parents didn't come back. The guards sealed off the streets and started rounding up everyone they saw.

And then no one dared to go outside anymore. Everyone stayed inside, but the guards would also go door to door and force their way in... What have we done wrong?

(So this is them dealing with it 'accordingly'...)

A few kids and I sneaked out of a back alley behind an abandoned building while the guards were distracted. I know the men outside think that anyone who's sick has to die, but I don't want to die!

I... I'm scared...

There, there... Don't cry. Where are the kids you escaped with?

We made it to this area a couple days ago. There wasn't anywhere we could hide as a group, so we decided to split up.

That was the last time I saw them, and now I'm all alone...

I... I need to find them!

Calm down, let me—

Shh, quiet down.

This way!

Looks like someone has been here...

(Calm down. Don't look at him. Breathe slowly...)

(...Phew...)

(Good girl.)

(Wait for me here.)

Finally showing yourself, my lady?

I'm not one to keep my guests waiting when they come visit with such sincerity.

You're alone. Where are the guards?

They needn't be here.

You sound very confident.

Lady of Sargon, why are you protecting an Infected?

No special reason. I met her, and I thought I'd give her a helping hand.

And what are you after?

If the goal was simply to be rid of the Infected, they wouldn't need a Caster such as yourself to go through the trouble. You have been capturing the miners for the past two days. What exactly are your orders?

Are you investigating us?

Nothing so serious. I'm only doing a cursory investigation before we actually sign the contract.

I wouldn't have figured this out, but I had a little enlightenment earlier today, so I have a good idea of how much Sir Feuerbach has covered up, using you and his guards. Should I perhaps share this with everyone here right now?

You're quiet. Why so shy? I saw the slaves you were leading away while you were casting. They are Infected, no?

Looks like the dark memories that the Witch King left behind are not merely a thing of the past. Those cruel Arts are still being studied...

Is that what you're capturing the Infected for?

You're a quiet one. Looks like I found the wrong person to strike a conversation.

We needn't share a conversation.

I am merely greeting an Arts user, out of courtesy.

Would you like to get down to business, then? Personally, I prefer to stay out of trouble, but who am I to refuse an opportunity to witness an esteemed Leithanian Caster's skills firsthand?

(What... are they talking about?!)

(Slaves... and research? Is that what they are doing with all the people they caught...?)

We have no intention of making an enemy of Count Hohenlohe...

Lady of Sargon, I've heard rumors about you. Your Originium Arts are formidable.

I guess I should say thanks?

No need.

I've never understood you people.

I see in Leithanien an expanding, overbearing authority. At the same time, I see everyone here worshipping that authority. I've never come to understand why in my two years here.

You haven't been breathing the air here.

It's a bit too smoggy for my taste.

In that case, you will suffocate. It is the fate of all those who breathe foreign air.

You make that sound like some kind of curse.

If you wish to die to strange witchcraft, I suggest you try a Sarkaz, of an ancient bloodline.

It's not part of our plan to fight you here... You may have the Infected hiding there.

Oh, that's music to my ears. Here I was racking my brain thinking how to keep your screams down... I wouldn't want this to cause any problems in our partnership.

Hmph, arrogant foreigner. I can overlook this, but do not forget...

Leithanien has its own rules, and the rules here do not bend to any one person.

Phew...

He's gone. I'm so glad we didn't actually end up fighting. I wouldn't want to ruin anything and get my ears pinned back by the little Count.

It's okay. You can come out—

Hm? Why are you so quiet? Did that scare you?

Look at what a crybaby you are... You are so much more timid than my little sister.

I'm not scared...!

It's just... I heard what you two just said...

What will happen to everyone they took away?

Do you want me to lie to make you feel better?

No...

Okay. If you want to hear the truth, I guess all I can tell you is things aren't looking great for them.

The nobles here want to make everything here 'go away.' That's both the accident in the mine and the workers there. Whether they were caught by the Casters or the guards, things don't bode well for them.

This is what you wanted to know.

....*Sobs*...

Why...

Oh, don't cry. I'm not good around girls your age, crying their eyes out.

What will you do now? Are you going to look for your friends?

R-Right! I shouldn't cry yet. I need to find the others...!

If... If the nobles here won't have us, we'll leave this place behind... and go somewhere else! I'm older than all of them. I'm the big sister. I need to protect them...

And... one day... I'll avenge the people in the neighborhood...

You'll leave this place? Even if you have to leave your homeland?

Even if I... have to leave everything behind.

I don't have much left anyway.

You're right about that...

Okay, if that's how you feel, there's someone much better suited for the task than me.

What do you mean?

You can come on out too. Enough hiding, my 'specialist.'

Sheesh... You make that sound like I meant to hide. Can't you let me make a decent entrance?

My bad, but your footsteps were pretty loud. Asking me to pretend I didn't hear that just to give you a nice entrance is a pretty tall order.

Maybe that says something about what big ears you got, then.

I'll take that as a compliment.

That's not a... Whatever.

I-Is this person... a specialist?

Don't listen to her. My job is nothing that glamorous. I'm just a—