Глава 16

Your colleagues, whyever did they go to the Central Mining District?

They went to address cases of Oripathy.;They are Ursine themselves.

Oh...

Rhodes Island's intentions are pure.

We have no higher power pulling our strings, after all.;We know barely anything about this place, after all.

The moment your words leave your mouth, you suddenly realize that being overly frank could make your promises seem hollow, but this sort of overt honesty also makes it hard for others to believe you are hiding anything.

The Grand Duchess ponders for a moment.

The Grand Duchess, who has been listening intently to you the entire time, finally seems to soften.

She has full control over the expression on her face, but you sense her relax a little.

In short, everything we do is in the service of searching for our friends.;This is our only request.

A young woman I care for, and healers of Oripathy who only wish to find their comrades...

If I were to refuse you, I would seem rather cruel, wouldn't I?

I understand your position. You were just worried for our friends from afar, worried that they would get drawn into danger.

Naturally, I do not wish anyone in my lands to meet with misfortune. If I ever have the time, I would like to send stoves out to every soul who lives upon the frozen earth.

Elotta, can you promise me you will ensure our friends' safety, to the best of your ability?

Your Imperial Highness may trust in me.

Good, good. Go now, Dr. {@nickname}. Go find your people.

I permit Rhodes Island to enter the mining district of the Far North.

Thank you for your kindness.

I wish that I were so kind, but few are they who appreciate the kindnesses of others.

People revere those who snatch their rights from their hands, and are grateful whenever a portion of those rights is returned to them. But I do not believe such acts can be considered kind.

The winds of the Far North are bitter indeed. You had best pack some warm clothes, Dr. {@nickname}.

Doctor, Eloysius! You're back!

Indeed. No need to look so excited, Gospozha Amiya.

This is the administrative center of Bresk, not some den of evil. Our chat went rather smoothly, <i>da?</i>

As smooth as silk.;Though with some unexpected developments.

You're still hiding things.;Both from us, and the Grand Duchess.

Alright, yes, I admit that.

But it really was the only way I could create the ideal conditions for discussion. And the results speak for themselves, no?

The Grand Duchess...

What of her?

She isn't what I imagined.

Oh? And how <i>did</i> you imagine her?

Colder.;Harder to persuade.

If you were to only look at how she handled these strange happenings, then you would not be wrong.

After they occurred, the affected Infected were immediately sent to the mining district's research institute, where she tasked the researchers to find the cause within a week, upon pain of exile or deportation.

Soon after that, she declared martial law in the Far North, sealing all the miners within the district and blocking all communications, leaving the outside completely blind to what was happening inside.

Highly efficient, and colder than winter.

But so long as you can pinpoint exactly what she is trying to conceal from you, it is not difficult to persuade her.

The problem is that most of the time, she will leave you no opportunity to find that weak point.

Those Infected, for example. Are they affected by changes in pathology, some new symptoms of Oripathy, or something else?

That's where the issue lies, the lack of details. That is all the information that made it to Grypherburg. The moment the Infected change, they are sent off to be supervised by the research institute.

I have read your paper on the changes in Originium and new Oripathy symptoms, as have research institutes across Ursus, who are already launching their own projects based on that paper.

If these changes were simply those mentioned within, they would not merit this sort of response.

It is highly likely that the abnormalities springing up in the mining district are an entirely new threat.

An entirely new threat...

The institute looking into the cause, the district under lockdown, all the miners isolated from the wider country...

This way, everyone will believe the matter is settled, but in truth?

After the incident, all work in the district stopped, and all communications were cut off. Deity Grypherburg's inquiries have received no response. None is able, and none dares, to look too deeply into this.

If the Grand Duchess wanted to hide things...;Then we would never have been allowed into Bresk.

You have met her, and perhaps this has you believing she truly is a 'kind' administrator.

Of course she would have let you in. After all, this is 'the friendliest place to the Infected in Ursus', 'the Pearl of the Far North', 'Paradise in North Ursus'—

Bresk, capital of Breskenoy.

You didn't see anything unusual in the city these past two days, aside from the lack of people. That is how she runs the Far North.

Like how, since she became governor, nobody has been sentenced to death in the governorate. Has that lessened the number of people here who have met tragic ends? No.

You seem to have a lot of complaints about her.

Oh, you wound me. I promise my assessment just now was not tinged by any personal feelings. I was simply answering your questions.

We are partners now, aren't we?

I understand, Eloysius. Are these abnormal Infected still under the supervision of the research institute in the mining district?

Indeed. To be more precise, they are in the Central Far North Mining District Laboratory.

Isn't that...?;......

That's the first place we need to visit.

Is it now? Having the same destination would make things much more convenient.

Anything else you would like to ask?

You're very straightforward.;You're very eager.

Of course. I never intended to give you the run-around in the first place.

I do have a question, Eloysius.

Ask away.

Earlier, when we were at your friend's house, we had to cut our conversation short. I should have asked you this question first, but I never found the opportunity.

What is it you hope to gain from this investigation?

...If I may be serious for a moment?

I want the truth, the truth about the mutations in the Central Mining District's Infected.

I do not want the Infected miners to suffer unduly, nor do I want the people of Ursus to sit ignorant of a looming disaster.