mint

Dear Eleanor,

I was so glad to receive your letter. I hope all is well for you.

You raised an assortment of questions in your last letter. It goes to show your learning is still ploughing forth, and it makes me truly happy that even with your illness, you've neither abandoned schoolwork nor forgotten your inquisitive heart. Yet at the same time, it worries me a little too.

If you should run into any troubles, feel free to write, be it to me or someone else. We'll be all too happy to lend you our help.

I hope the accident doesn't weigh too much on your mind. Especially concerning Miranda. It wasn't your fault in any way.

Dear Eleanor, have you found respite in life aboard Rhodes Island?

Phew...

(Miranda...)

(Everyone, including my professor—they've all written to me, and so much too.)

(One, two, three...)

(There're still so many pages to read. Er—someone's sent their own love diary to me too! Oh, wow...)

What are you dawdling for? We're heading out!

Ah, I'll be right there!

(Fine, then, I'll give a proper read later.)

(Everyone's worried about me, but I can't go back to see them just yet.)

(I... need to work harder first!)

Good afternoon, Mint.

Skyfire! And Mulberry, good afternoon!

Slowcoach! What took you so long?!

But, it's not departure time yet... Is there a reason you're impatient?

It's probably because I was grilling her with questions about Victorian universities.

Eh? Are you interested in university, Mulberry?

Y—Yes, I heard Victoria's universities are incredible, and Provence referred me to Skyfire...

Hmph! Provence is nothing if not talented at getting on my nerves.

But that aside...

It just so happens—and don't let her dopey face fool you—that <i>she</i> is the teacher's pet of a well-renowned professor. Ask her anything you want.

Ah, uwh, Zkyfaih, thtop pinthing my theeks—

Oww... no more violence! Violence strictly forbidden!

Haha, you two get along so well.

The term is not violence, it's guidance.

Enough, no more racket. Our task this time is to survey this mountain's strata. According to information gathered from nearby settlements, earthquakes have been common in this area as of recent. Danger levels are high.

Protective equipment all ready? If we're in shape, we'll continue further in.

Y—Yes! I'm all ready!

I'm good too!

I hope we collect some good sample data...!

...I'm warning you, this is <i>not</i> an easygoing mission. If you run off again, I am NOT looking for you!

I won't, I won't! I never would!

Er, I mostly wouldn't... probably?

Hmph! You'd best hope not!

Ah! Wait for me!

This is the region.

If we enter via this cave, we should be able to reach our target survey site. Mm-hm, it all lines up with our previous calculations!

Wow, did you work all this out? Professionals really are amazing...

Eheheh, it's nothing, really! Have you met Eyjafjalla before? She's the real professional! And Earthspirit too...

Ah, and Skyfire, of course! She's more famous for Originium Arts now, but back at university, she was a genius who skipped a whole year and got all these degrees!

Th—That's amazing!

Enough of the teatime talk. Do you have all your samples for this area? If so, we're moving to the next spot.

About that... I just ran a quick instrument analysis on the samples we got too. Skyfire, look at this.

It's just a rudimentary analysis, but you can see how fiercely reactive the Originium activity is in the deeper layers!

Active Originium reactions in deep layers... Based on my experience, there'd be disasters of all shapes and sizes in a region like this.

Such as... earthquakes. And moreover, the strata here seem very loose. It's a lot like before...

What?

Um? Um, no—nothing!

It's all just conjecture right now. For a concrete analysis, I'd still need more data.

Listen, now... you <i>do</i> remember why we came here in the first place, right?

O—Of course I do! We're collecting data to finish our survey mission!

It's okay, no worry!

...I'll trust you this once. Now let's go further in.

Skyfire, the readings here are far above ordinary figures!

Mm, as expected...

The structure here's very solid. We can use it as a shelter if we need to!

Lighting and air have deviated...

Careful! Infected creatures ahead!

Hmph. That's all it takes, though.

Skyfire! Please don't use Arts in a place like this without warning again! It's very dangerous!

Ahahah, she's direct like that...

Wow! Look, over there! Isn't that the ore the Doctor mentioned before?

No running off!

I think that was...

It's beginning to destabilize here. Action stations, fast!

These figures were read in during that tremor just now...

Mint...?

Hm? Ah, I'm alright...

The footing's tricky through here... take care, both of you!

...Hold on a moment.

Skyfire?

Mint—where is she?

Eh?

I'm sure of it, this reading! It's just—it's just the same as when the accident...!

If I can just get the core data—

...Skyfire? Mulberry?

I got split up...

Yagh!

(Uwh... was that debris from above?)

(Don't panic, don't panic. It's just a little sting. I've still got protective gear on!)

(Compared to...)

It's rare we get to conduct an on-site deep survey! We'll get some fantastic data out this time!

Take caution. This site is exceptionally dangerous.

Oh, come on, we have protective gear on, don't we?

Not to mention, if we were scared of danger, we wouldn't have joined the Professor's lab, would we?

'In seeking the truth, I willingly brave all hazard.' ...That's our motto, you know.

Honestly... there's no reaching you.

Still, be careful at least. If anything should happen, in the worst case...

The Feline girl seals her lips, shuts her eyes, and places a hand on her arm wrapped in clothing.

Her wound, which once bled incessantly, is now only a shallow scar and minute crystals.

That was the price she paid for pursuing her own goal, and the symbol of her becoming an Infected.

(Compared to Oripathy, this little scratch is barely anything!)

(I made a promise...)

(And if I let this slip, who knows when I'll be able to get data like this again!)

(Even if it's just for Miranda, I have to...)