level_act27side_07_end

I recall this place being industrial land, not suitable for a casual visit.

This spot is the closest we have to Old Siesta, so just let me sit here quietly.

Is that so? Can you even see anything from here, when we're so far from there?

Rhodes Island's office should be pretty close to city hall. It's been two months since you've returned, and you haven't paid me a single visit.

Shouldn't the Mayor be swamped with work this time of year? How would you have time for family?

When you're free, you should go stroll around the streets, listen to the people grumbling about you. Then you'll understand how you've been doing.

There are many things that I could have done a better job with.

As a Siestan, I want to ask the Mayor a question:

Why have all the volcanoes, coasts, culture, and music that we're so proud of completely vanished? Why are there so many people struggling to integrate into their new lives, why doesn't city hall do anything to help them?

I want to pin the blame on city hall too, they should have prepared for the move sooner.

But as Herman Doykos's daughter, I still have to say this—it's been hard for you, Dad.

When I came back this time, I had planned to help Rhodes Island establish a branch office here, but I understand the Infected in Siesta are facing some extra challenges right now.

Columbia's pedantic word game with their laws is just another card for them to play.

They don't care about the lives of these few Infected. They only want a slice of Siesta's future large-scale international trade pie.

8,573. I looked at the info. That is the number of registered Infected who settled in Siesta last month.

You can either impose a ban to prevent any more Infected from settling on Siesta's nomadic plates, or hand them a larger sum of money for their health insurance. From a bystander's point of view, the latter is not an option for city hall.

There is no way I could have forgotten that my other daughter is Infected herself.

In our short decades of history, Siesta has faced many difficulties, but the path Siesta takes is always in the hands of us Siestans.

I will think of something... there is always a way.

Then allow me help you out a little.

To square-off against Columbia's word games, you can likewise designate an area outside the nomadic city, and declare it for development, which will be done by the Infected.

And as for what kind of work—my two friends, recently arrived, are also interested in helping. A budding logistics company should manage to provide many jobs.

In addition, I will use Rhodes Island's resources to establish a treatment center for the Infected. This is something I've always wanted to do.

For Schwarz's sake, and for many more innocents besides. I'm not just someone who needs your care, I'll find my own way to protect Siesta too.

I seem to remember my daughter <i>not</i> having a degree in politics?

I guess I've been unwillingly influenced, that's all.

Politics is no simple thing, but I'm happy to hear that you have such thoughts.

I'll earnestly consider the Infected treatment center you mentioned. And I'll continue cooperating with MountainDash Logistics.

Ever since you became mayor, Siesta has been relatively relaxed towards the Infected.

Some people say you're just putting on a show to win the miners' support; others say you're just trying to make more money from tourism.

And now, I'm more inclined to believe that the things you've been doing are related to Mom.

You... When did you find out...?

Just earlier. I heard a little story about her.

You've never taken the initiative to tell me those stories, and rarely ever actively bring up Mom with me.

Barbara was a Victorian. To the Siestans of the time, Victoria, who wanted to annex us, was our greatest enemy.

I was busy with Columbian and Victoria diplomacy, but I never dared to let anyone know that my wife just happened to be from Victoria.

But Barbara never took it to heart, she had her own things to do.

She said she was protecting the city in her own way, and you too.

'Protecting the city in her own way...'

You never lived a day of your life with her, but what you said just now is exactly the sort of thing she'd say.

She was a great woman.

And she had a great daughter.

Thank you, Ceylon.

Uh, could you lower the camera a little, angle it upwards a bit, so I look a little more imposing... wait, too low. Alright, that's good.

Check the recorder too. Everything I say has to be crystal clear.

Hello, Mr. Adams Schwire. As always, I first wish you good health.

By the time this disc reaches you, I should have completed both my Siesta trip, and all the business objectives I sought to accomplish.

Perhaps you may still take this as a child's folly—no, your insight must have recognized the value of this city, the value of a free and independent entrepot.

I've known from my first day here in Siesta that I've been tailed by some of our people watching my every move, perhaps at your behest, or perhaps at that of your other heirs trying to obstruct me.

But that no longer matters. I've long since realized that trying to read your mind is a laborious and pointless endeavor.

But if you <i>are</i> the one standing opposite me, then I've won this time.

What did you call me here for, exactly?

To give you a report on the project. Mountaincomm Trade has signed an agreement with Siesta. If everything goes smoothly, construction will begin around autumn.

When the logistics center's construction is complete, we'll open trade with three countries: Sargon, Victoria, and Columbia. As the supply chain matures, we'll increase our scope.

The natural trading advantages that comes with the independent state of New Siesta and the locals' eagerness for foreign goods will give us confidence in any future developments here at Mountaincomm Trade.

You've always told me about the future you envision and want to realize in MountainDash Logistics, and now we've taken the actual first step.

I've already seen the report on this project. Well done. You didn't let me down. No, I should say that your growth makes me proud.

Give yourself a proper vacation for the rest of the summer.

Thank you for your approval, but there's another report you haven't seen yet.

It's regarding the progress of 'Mountaincomm Trade' splitting from 'MountainDash Logistics'.

From now on, 'Mountaincomm Trade' will cease to be a subsidiary of 'MountainDash Logistics', and the series of projects we'll do for New Siesta's core development will have no connection to MountainDash Logistics.

Do you understand what you're implying?

As President and CEO of MountainDash Logistics, you will no longer have any right to interfere in Mountaincomm Trade's affairs. MountainDash Logistics will need not bear any of Mountaincomm Trade's liabilities or responsibilities.

Of course, making such a decision without you in the loop has its uncertainties in the process.

If you don't agree with my decision and follow up with legal action, I'm afraid I'll be in a lot of trouble.

What I want to know is, why do it this way?

Isn't this a step you've always wanted to take?

Not having to care about the constraints of the Federation of Enterprises, letting MountainDash Logistics make an actual change across the land?

You really have surprised me... It seems like you've mustered the strength to do this.

Of course. I found a reliable business partner.

The last few days of this Siestan holiday have shown me what a young, and yet vibrant city it is. Its youth carry with it plenty of problems though.

But it is precisely because of its youth that it holds unlimited possibilities.

In fact, there's a question I've been thinking about for a long while. Just how is it that you, an old man on his way out, are able to keep an iron grip on the many faces in the family with their own clandestine agendas?

I thought and thought before I finally came to a conclusion: you've allowed yourself to become a symbol.

No one knows your true intentions, nor do they know whom amongst them has your confidence. This fear of the unknown leaves them with only one option: to acquiesce to you.

This is how you've manipulated the Federation of Enterprises and even Lungmen's economic lifelines for so many decades. I may not ever manage to learn this trick of yours, but... Such a style of control always meets an end.

How will the Federation of Enterprises cope without their leader when you're gone? How many of them will take advantage of the chaos to recklessly reap personal profit? I think that's something you wouldn't want to happen either.

Perhaps you still have faith in your personal physician, but as the soon-to-be Commissioner of the Lungmen Guard Department, and also as part of the younger generation, I must make plans for a Lungmen future without you.

The Lungmen order can't rest in the hands of just one person.

If I hadn't become a Messenger, I wouldn't have known about the various differences between the many countries and regions on this great land.

The vast distances in between make communication difficult and cause the different cultures to grow into their own distinct styles.

So when someone builds a bridge between these countries and regions, it's bound to trigger drastic change.

Many people instinctively fear this sort of change. Some prefer to stay passively conservative, and others look to take advantage of the turmoil for personal gain. But the act of changing the landscape itself surely has a positive significance to it.

This is MountainDash's ambition, and also my own as a Messenger.

I've never regretted becoming an L.G.D. superintendent. But in this past few years, I've realized that I can do more than just maintain Lungmen's security. I also have the power to help build it.

The cooperation with Mountaincomm Trade is my bargaining chip. I believe international trade will be an indispensable part of Lungmen's future economic market.

And at that moment when they're all staring emptily at the legacy you've left behind, I will use my own means to secure a seat in Lungmen's Chamber of Commerce, and lead a new order.

No matter how brilliant a sunset is, a new sun will always rise.

Got all that, Snowsant?

Yes!

Miss Swire, that whole speech...

Send this recording to Lungmen. I wish I could see the old man fuming with my own eyes, but I can probably imagine what it would look like.

I wouldn't be surprised if all my cards were frozen after a while.

R-Really? Then, will we be stuck here...?

Won't you lend me some money?

I... I...

If you really need my help, Miss Swire...!

Just kidding. I brought enough cash for the both of us to fully enjoy our vacation. Any further annoyances will have to wait until we return to Lungmen.

Alright, now that we're all done here for real, let's officially begin our holiday!

You should just give up on straightening that parasol. The sky started turning dark by the time you got it up, there's no more sun to block anymore.

We gotta get the grill we used in our old shop up and running. It's almost been a year since we've set up a booth, but it's definitely going to be popular today!

Sandworm legs? But no one supplies that nowadays.

I found a seller at the fair earlier. I kept some for you, in the fridge behind the guitar!

Really? —Awesome!

Phew—Mr. Tom, I've got your cold drinks here! Anything else I can help you with?

Thank you so much, sweetheart. You've been so busy helping me with so many things. Here, this cone is for you!

Thank you~

Are you guys going to sell barbecue again?

It's for a party tonight.

A party? Why haven't I heard of it?

Let's all meet up before everyone from the shopping district moves! We won't know when we'll see each other next, or when we'll open another shop.

Be careful with the fire, everyone! And stay safe! Don't go too close to the beach at night!

I'll do my best with anything else that needs doing!

Didn't you come here for a vacation with Swire?

Ah, after spending a few days here, I think it's more fun this way!

Hello... May I know how much this harmonica costs?

You can have it, if you like. But if you want an instruction book or something, then I'll take some of your money. Haha, that's how I make sure the people who buy instruments learn to play them!

Do you know how to play the harmonica, sir? What's it like?

Course I do! The feeling of playing the harmonica, huh...?

It feels like the wind. When it blows through the leaves and they make that rustling sound, it feels like stepping on a beach with the seawater slapping the sand around. That's what it feels like.

You'll know it too when the smoke from my grill rises and the strings on my guitar move.

Come, eat anything you want. Feel free to bring your own meat too, I can help you grill it!

Hold on, I have some leftover streamers from the time I moved out, just wait a sec while I bring them here!

Wait, I'll come too!

Enis, help me bring these over to the party.

Woah. Aren't these wine bottles from your collection? Feeling generous today?

Just treat it as a goodbye to the shopping district, and Old Siesta too.

When I was a kid, the adults used to say that the volcano would erupt one day. And now, we're really leaving this beach and moving to a new home in the nomadic city.

All homes end up demolished someday. Even this magnificent, sturdy nomadic city has no way to 'live' longer than that volcano.

Now that the volcano's waking up, Siesta can't sleep in anymore, we should just move along with the nomadic city.

That's pretty transparent of you. So are you still sad to leave the shop...?

What difference does it make? Even if I know there's no choice, I still have to prepare my goodbyes.

I think about that a lot, and still can't figure it out... I don't know where's the most meaningful place to be.

If I go, then does that mean...?

When I was your age, I wasn't thinking so much about such things.

My head was full of places I wanted to run off to, I wanted to get to know all kinds of people, play all kinds of rock music, learn local languages and figure out how to fit them into a song.

You know yourself, it was those days that I met Chuck in Siesta.

We wanted to see the beautiful 'White Volcano' people kept talking about, but we spent months wandering the beach and volcanoes with no luck.

And just as we were about to leave Siesta to continue chasing the legend, we found in a corner of the Fashion Street, a baby sleeping soundly.

So we stayed in Siesta, opened a bar, Chuck continued his travels while I decided to hang back and see what this kid would grow up into. And here we are.

If we hadn't found you, the 'White Volcano' would have been just a name on a legend.

Later, we adopted Lut, and then Liv... you've all been growing up, and you've also stopped laughing as much as you used to.

But on that day of the trade fair, all the surfboards from the shop disappeared, and the three of you looked so flustered, drenched in hot spring water, but you looked so, so happy. Tell you the truth, I was happy too.

In that moment, I was thinking it'd be nice if some of these changes let our family stay as happy we've ever been.

After all, I care more about you kids than the White Volcano.

I also want to wait until the White Volcano's done renovating, then I'll...

Leave it for now. Our old friends can't wait any longer, so go bring the booze over, Enis.

It's fine, kiddo. No need to worry about me.

Whether you want to stay here, or go see what's beyond Siesta—whatever your plans, just go for it, like I did when I was your age.

If you wait till the strings are loose, you won't get to play the songs you want to sing!

Enis...

Eyjafjalla, why aren't you joining them?

I'm not good at dancing... and it's still a bit difficult for me to keep up with the rhythm...

Hmm... Well, then I'll keep you company for a bit. We can chat.

The last time you came to see me, you said you were experiencing hallucinations and seeing sheep. I thought the hallucinations were some kind symptom of Oripathy, but back then... I saw it too.

It was small and warm, leaning on my chest, listening to my heartbeat... I'm sure I saw it, and even felt it too.

It's so strange... I don't know why, but it makes me suddenly think about my mom... even though I've never met her.

Eyjafjalla, just what was the sheep from that day...?

...I had a dream where I was wearing Mutti's protective gear, played with two little sheep for a whole night, and they spoke to me a lot.

That dream felt so familiar... it was just like when I was a little girl, together with my parents...

Some fireworks suddenly explode a little distance away. The sky is not yet dark, and the smoke leaves a long trail.

The children who sneakily set off the fireworks run away laughing, followed by their parents, laughing as they scold their children.

When I was little, I didn't have much chance to play like that with my parents.

They spent all their time on volcanoes, so I fell in love with volcanoes too. But since that day I've been thinking, they're still climbing, even now, aren't they?

Perhaps my mother is still doing what she liked to do...

But Eyjafjalla, isn't it strange for me to be thinking like this...?

I keep thinking these last few days, it would be great if I could see that sheep again. Or if I could dream about it, like you were talking about.

Have you... seen that sheep again since?

No, it was the last one I saw...

Hey—Ladies! Enough sitting over there, come on over and have some barbecue!

Her barbecue is really tasty! Eyjafjalla, did you try it the last time you were here?

I don't remember... The last time I visited, Ceylon was still all huffy and puffy.

Hey, that's ancient history! Let's not bring it up.

Eyjafjalla, what are your thoughts on Siesta on this trip?

Compared to last time, it's... much more relaxed, and more romantic too.

You should visit more often, as long as your health permits.

You'll be able to see it then, a better and better Siesta, thanks to the joint efforts of so many.

The two of them stand on the barrens, looking toward the sea. They can vaguely make out the shadows of some volcanoes.

When do you think they'll erupt?

When it happens, there'll be so much more work to do.

Yes. And when that time comes, we'll do a great job ourselves.

Or maybe, we'll get to see the little sheep again?

Hello, Professor Keller...?

...Alright, I'll heading back now!

What's the matter?

There's a little problem with the volcano observation data...

Is it going to erupt sooner?

The data fluctuates a lot, so maybe it's just an anomaly, but...

If there's really a problem, we'll make a broadcast. I'll be counting on you if it comes to that, Ceylon.