adnach

Hehe.

Oh, what happened to the pure and innocent Cardigan that I know?

The one whom you duped into paying your lunch all the time?

She's not so easy to fool now, thanks to a certain prophet.

Looks like everything's taken care of.

The patients have settled down.

The viscount has agreed to build a hospital on the undeveloped plate with Rhodes Island. We're working out the details.

Everything as you planned.

...Good to hear. Thanks for the hard work, guys.

Well, I got the easy part. All I needed to do was care for the patients.

All I needed to do was sit here and wait for you guys to get things done.

You know, Adnachiel, this humility of yours, there's a bit of the Doctor in it.

...I didn't realize how big the gulf was between me and the Doctor, until I actually tried to pull the strings in the same way.

The challenge that we face and the burden that we carry are incomparable.

But I'm glad I took that step.

Well, now that things have settled down, shall we go get something to eat?

Mr. Adnachiel?

That's me.

I bring news from the Holy City.

...Very well.

What's going on, Adnachiel?

Sorry, Cardigan, but it looks like it'll be some time before I can buy you your meals.

Captain, now that things have settled down, I would like to request temporary leave.

You've finally made up your mind.

Yes, I have.

I bring word from Cardinal Lemuen.

The Seventh Tribunal has approved your request to return to Laterano. You are asked to first go to the outskirts of the Holy City, where someone will be there to meet you.

I will lead the way.

Very well.

Should I expect to see you with a gun the next time we meet?

The gun is not important.

As I've said before, the power of the prophet does not mean I was chosen, nor does it mean that there are any hopes placed upon me.

Sankta like me appear from time to time, whose minds work a little differently from the ordinary Sankta.

We must agree to join the Curia and be bound by it in order to win the right to carry a gun.

I just renounced this right in order to leave Laterano and see what's out there.

And it's not for this right that I'm going back.

You remember why the reserve op teams exist, don't you?

Of course. They're only open to operators who uphold Rhodes Island's mission and commit themselves to it.

Many people wonder why we accepted this position, but we understand that it's not fame that we're after.

What we want to do is help the Infected and mitigate the impact of Oripathy on Terra.

This was the choice I made when I joined Rhodes Island, a choice that I have never regretted.

I'm going back because I want to understand what's happening to Terra.

Then, I'll come back.

What is it?

I don't think I've ever seen you so serious in all the time I've known you.

Yeah, not quite used to it.

It's kind of weird.

I think it's cool.

...I'm already starting to regret saying all that.

Say, there are lots of new desserts in the Holy City, right? Don't forget to bring some back.

Sure.

I'll be going, then.

Adnachiel waves goodbye to his friends and sets off for Laterano with the Messenger.

He does not turn back.

Nor is there the sweet sorrow of parting on the faces of Cardigan and the others.

For parting is only fleeting, and tighter are the ties that bind them together.