vodfox

Shamare, the others are going to diagnose and treat the Infected patients in the ward. Will you be okay here by yourself?

Err, I mean... Morte will keep you company, so the two of you will be fine, right?

...Mm. You go and take care of them. I can handle things here.

'Handle'? I wasn't giving you an assignment...

(Well, whatever. Shamare is pretty mature compared to some of the other children at Rhodes Island, so I'll just trust her.)

Alright, I'll get started with work then.

Morte, you heard that sound too, didn't you?

Mhm. I know, you'd recognize the sound of crying anywhere.

Let's go.

Signor Mauro, please don't do this. It'll only make things harder for me.

As an Infected, if your insurance payment falls below half of the designated amount, you can no longer continue to work.

B-But I already made a full payment... Yesterday, last night, your subordinates came by to collect it!

My subordinates? I didn't arrange for that, nor have I seen any of this supposed payment.

Look, it's written clearly in the code here that insurance money is to be collected by the judge.

It's your responsibility to make sure the money gets to me. Otherwise, how would I know to update the records?

And I'm sorry, but according to the records, you're currently delinquent in your payments.

But they... Last time they came around, they said, 'there's no way a judge would go around personally collecting debts'...

Take another good look at this codex, and think back carefully. Are you sure you're remembering right?

Oh, uhh... I'm so sorry, I seem to have misremembered. Pardon my foolishness, Your Honor.

But that doesn't change the fact that I don't have a single centesimo to pay...

Is that so? What a pity. You're in no shape to accept the work we offer either.

Therefore, according to the law, my only option is to confiscate a piece of your property as collateral.

I-I don't even have anything left worth that much...

Oh? Are you implying that you're a better appraiser of value than I am?

But my family can't survive without food! P-Please, I beg of you... Just give me a little more time!

I swear, I'll find some way to get the money.

I only ask you to respect the rule of law. Understood?

...Yes, of course.

And by sheer coincidence, there happens to be something of value right in front of me, which the law allows you to offer up as collateral.

D-Do you mean this pocket watch here?

...Oh, you're absolutely right! I can't believe I forgot!

As long as you remember now.

Now then, let's agree to meet again when the hour hand of this watch makes two full circuits.

Oh, thank you for your magnanimity...

Then, according to the law, can get it back after I pay? Th-That's a keepsake from my great-grandfather's time in the famiglia's civil war... and it allows me some semblance of respect.

Of course.

Morte, should we go talk to that lady? ...Hm, it's better if we stay quiet?

There are already a bunch of curses following her. Something bad's gonna happen unless we do something.

Hmm? What an unkempt child, running about all by herself...

Are you looking for your family?

Perhaps you should search a trash can in a back alley, the bottom of the river, the cemetery, or the garden... I'm sure they'd be somewhere like that.

Does it hurt, Morte? ...It's raining, but it's not hurting from the rain.

She'll also be in unbearable pain.

(What the hell did that girl just say?)

...Damnit, this rain's giving me a headache. Let's not worry about it.

The Messenger just arrived, and these are all for you.

Did a postcard from Volsinii come in?

I wouldn't dare read your mail without permission.

But you've done so much good work, I'm sure you'll receive the praise of the head... Dare I say, the postcard should already be on its way.

Mm. Let's look through the other ones first.

A gift from the boss of the paper mill, and compensation from twenty households on East Street. Not bad.

An invitation from the town council? Why would I need this?

And a plea from their son in prison... Rubbish.

...Wait, hold on.

There's something written on the back?

Come here. I have a job for you.

Got it.

...You're letting that criminal out? But his famiglia hasn't coughed up the dough yet.

Take a look at the back side.

It's just a blank piece of paper...

*cough* Oh, of course. It's gotta mean the sender is going to be disposed of cleanly, without leaving any traces.

Hmph.

While the very idea of using curses to vent your grievances is laughable, I don't want to see anyone trampling over my code of law.

Curses? What?

Alright, onto the next letter.

—What's going on here?!

You, come back. Hand me that letter.

If you say so.

...The exact same contents and handwriting.

Every letter! It's on every single letter!

'Your malice has brought about a curse, and calamity shall follow in your wake. The black fowlbeast circles, and you will lose the only glittering thing on you.'

...How juvenile.

Find out whose childish prank this is.

But, it's just a blank sheet of paper.

I mean... On it, boss! We'll find this prankster.

Still no leads on those 'cursed' letters from yesterday? How many people could there possibly be in this tiny little town?

Tch, maybe I need to find myself some more capable subordinates?

...The pocket watch I took from that Infected is running five minutes slow.

I must say, I am tolerant to a fault.

I can only hope he doesn't betray that compassion.

Sir, do you remember when you first developed symptoms of Oripathy?

I... I'm not sure. Maybe a few days ago?

To the best of your knowledge, do you have any clue how you might have contracted it?

To be frank, based on our preliminary screening, you, like many others here, recently came down with an acute infection.

We need to locate the source of the epidemic to try to contain the spread of Oripathy in town.

Umm, I'm not quite following.

I-I used to work in the back kitchen of that restaurant over there, that's all I know. Seriously, I don't know a thing.

Alright. Sorry for bothering you then.

Shamare, did you notice anything unusual over there? Like, have you felt the effects of active Originium, or lost control of your Arts like before?

Shamare? What are you looking at?

...Black fowlbeast.

Who are you people? What are you here for?

Oh, hello there. We're a medical organization, and we're working with the town hospital to provide some technical support.

So, you're from Columbia?

Not quite...

In any case, I need to talk to this gentleman here. Now, if you'll excuse me—

—Gah! A fowlbeast?!

Shoo! Go away! Stop pecking me!

Oh, she dropped her pocket watch...

...What are you tugging on my sleeve for?