prove

We've already cleared one of the beams, Granny! Hang in there!

Hang in there, hang in there... The beam over here, once it's cleared...

Granny?

Don't fall asleep!

I can't...

Two days is... a pretty long time...

Don't... worry about me...

No, don't say that! Keep going, Provence!

I...

Can you still hear her breathing underneath? She hasn't responded for a while now...

It's been too long. Let's stop.

She's probably already...

No, no! No!

Provence squad? Survivors have been found near point 28, 575. Please hurry.

...We've received new coordinates. 1673, 589. One victim, about 2.7 meters deep. Heavy equipment is needed to dismantle the rubble.

We'll head straight there... Mhm, I'm fine.

I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. We're... We're going to rescue someone else.

Let's go, Siv. We've got someone else to save. The team responsible for finding the casualties will come around later.

Are you okay...?

Aaaaaaaaargh!!

Aaaaaagh!

Stop it! You're not good at—

Aaaaaaaaargh!!

I'm going to dig her out!

*gasp*... *gasp*...

Urgh...

Stop, Siv! You're only destroying your own health, and it's not helping anyone! There are still so many more people to save!

No! I have to—

Aaaaaagh!

I told you, stop!

What more do you want?! Are you going to sacrifice yourself here? Nothing we do will change the situation! Don't sacrifice yourself for someone who's already dead!

We still have others to save! And until we do, your own life takes priority!

We need to go, now! We can't afford to fall behind!

The team searching for casualties will be here soon. We'll ask where the old lady ended up later, okay? There's someone else waiting for us.

Someone once told me that to save more people, you must first protect your own life.

No matter what happens, you must always value your own life... All lives are equally important, including your own.

So let's go. Together.

Okay...

Over here! Found another one over here!

Hang in there a bit longer! Hold onto my hand, we'll have you out soon!

Alright, you're safe now!

Your family? Don't worry, see that tent up front? All our personnel should be over there, so go take a look!

If you have any questions, you can talk to any of the operators there and they'll be glad to help you!

Don’t you worry!

It's okay, calm down. I assure you, you won't have to pay for the treatment.

Yes, yes, I guarantee it. Just sit over there and don't go running off again.

No need to be nervous. You'll be fine.

I'm too tired to even speak.

Same.

It's quiet here... Brush away the rocks and come lie down.

Ugh... Ow ow ow, my waist... Ah...

How many... did we manage to save today...?

Dunno... I feel like I can't move a muscle...

But I still find it so weird...

What's weird?

I've been thinking... We're in Victoria, right? This place is pretty remote, but the town's not exactly small, and there was supposed to be a Catastrophe Messenger here.

Uh huh...

So how did all this happen? No Catastrophe Messenger could've failed to detect a Catastrophe of this scale, even if it wasn't obvious.

No idea... Maybe they skimped on the disaster avoidance procedures...

No way... What happened here wasn't just poorly done. It's more like... there were no efforts at all.

Everyone was basically trapped in their homes. No way they'd be indoors if they knew a Catastrophe was coming.

Maybe some kind of fringe belief about accepting Catastrophes...? None of it makes any sense.

Maybe they just didn't believe what their Catastrophe Messenger had to say... That happens too, doesn't it?

Yeah, it happens... and I've been there myself. But a whole town? Never.

Ugh... So many dead...

...How could I... not know... who...

...Right now... they...

...Why... you... should have...

There are still people over there? I'll ask them to come rest with us.

Huh?

(They're not with Rhodes Island?)

(Townsfolk?)

(Not sure. Doesn't seem like it? The locals should all be recovering in the tents. What are they doing all the way out here?)

(Should we sneak a peek?)

We already got the money. What now?

Bloody hell! You're the one who said to put on a show and make it convincing! Who the hell would care if a Catastrophe Messenger wasn't at the site of the disaster? 'Struggled to evacuate everyone but couldn't make it in time' my ass, now I'm all covered in soot!

Look at what happened! The box is buried under the house. Where's the money now, huh? Under a pile of bloody rubble, that's where! You gonna go dig it up?

I...

Was it really okay to cause this big of a scene?

The hell are you talking about? Now's the best time for us to bounce! Everything's a bloody mess outside, so hurry up and dig out the money so we can leave by tonight!

Change our names, leave the country. This money should last for a while, and with so many bloody Catastrophes everywhere, there'll never be a shortage of ways to make more.

Fine...

So stop dilly-dallying and dig it up already! I'm covered head-to-toe in dust, and you expect me to do it?

(Those bastards...!)

(It's not that the townspeople didn't believe it, they weren't even warned!)

(They... got all those people killed!)

(Wait, cool your jets!)

Hold it right there!

Who the hell are you?!

That uniform... From that rescue organization...?

It doesn't matter who I am, but you're not getting out of here!

Dereliction of duty! And you call yourself a Catastrophe Messenger?!

Think this kid overheard us? We can't have him spilling the beans!

*Sigh*...

Provence squad here. Is this the landship? Requesting field op support at 683, 447.

Our goal is just to detain them... Don't go overboard.

Provence, we finished our investigation...

What's wrong? You don't look so good.

So, you're already aware of what happened.

Here's the rub: the Catastrophe Messenger DID report this... to the nobles. If that's true, the only error is that many people who should've been taking refuge died instead.