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Consul Gladiia, is it in your opinion that the issue does not lie with the battle itself?

Correct. What you see before you is a projection of the battle plan. If anyone here notices a flaw I haven't, I'd expect it to be pointed out.

No, I have no objections to the battle plan. It was the most suitable one, given what we knew at the time.

However, I would like your opinion on what we knew at the time.

I have to admit that Ægir's knowledge of the Seaborn back then was deeply flawed. As such...

What are they trying to say?

Still not used to their way of thinking, are you? You never did like thinking much, even back home.

They mean no ill will. They're simply seeking the truth they need.

Identify every flaw and question all perfections. The most heated debates will uncover truth in its full beauty and reveal the right way forward.

Just leave it to Swordfish.

If you don't want to listen, just take a nap.

...In conclusion, our greatest error when designing the warfare five years ago was failing to make allowance for flaws in our knowledge.

Until every last truth of Terra is revealed, we must admit that our understanding of the Seaborn will remain flawed. Our warfare design must reflect this revelation.

I concur. Your conclusion should be incorporated into our future battle plans.

It has been an honor to reflect upon this critical battle and reach a fruitful conclusion with you.

That said, the battle five years ago is not our only concern.

We have more pressing issues to worry about.

Your physical examination has revealed mutations that cannot be ignored. The same goes for Skadi and Laurentina.

I do not doubt your loyalty, but we need to know how assimilation by Seaborn genes will affect your behavior.

Apologies for my candor.

Milliarium will soon identify the locations of the remaining nests. Then, the Seaborn will be driven out by Class IV weapons, opening up a Waterway.

Is there any possibility that the Abyssal Hunters will become an enemy of Ægir, and of yourselves?

Hunters out of control pose a greater risk to Ægir than the Seaborn.

The Abyssal Hunters are the flipside of Ægir. Created in Ægir's most despicable attempt at salvation, they are now both feared and pitied by their creators.

Abyssal Hunter Ulpianus, I presume?

Shouldn't you be down there too?

You're much calmer than I expected. And you know who I am.

It seems Gladiia has built a relationship on land with more than just the one doctor.

I've never seen you in any of the operations. You're not an Inquisitor, nor an Islander.

The doctor from Rhodes Island brought you to Ægir, but kept your identity a secret.

I'm just Kal'tsit's colleague.;I'm also from Rhodes Island.

You may introduce yourself however you like.

However, the point is that you can help the Hunters.

Why don't you just go to Skadi?;Why don't you just go to Specter?;Why don't you just go to Gladiia?

This is not her forte.

You mean Laurentina?

This is not her forte.

Now is not the time.

You don't trust the Hunters?

On the contrary. I do trust them. But I also know them all too well.

Skadi acts before thinking. Laurentina has not been lucid for long. Gladiia will inevitably be the one to make decisions.

I've already shared much of what I know with her. She <i>should</i> be on guard. She knows the potential restrictions, but nevertheless decided to return to Ægir.

Overeager to return to a familiar environment, she is oblivious to the fact that she has placed herself in the spotlight, where all that can and cannot be trusted have the power to scrutinize her.

Now is not the best time for the Abyssal Hunters to come home. Their decision is a big gamble.

Why did you sneak into the city, then?;Sounds like you care about them, after all.

Gladiia and the others are not in a good situation.

They underwent modifications, but unlike me, they were not part of the Abyssal Hunter project's core research. Explaining the changes in their bodies will be difficult for them.

I'll pass on some information to you, and I'll need you to help Gladiia if necessary. Convey my warning to her later.

As for the rest—

May I say I few things?

...Blandus. He's here too?

Blandus?

Isn't this just like the old days? You and Ulpianus used to get into arguments with the research staff while I was napping.

Your comments would be much appreciated, Advisor.

You flatter me, Consul.

I was the technical advisor for the Abyssal Hunter project, responsible for the gene splicing research used in the modification process.

In other words, at this exact moment and in this exact place, I am the leading authority on Abyssal Hunters.

Gladiia, Laurentina, and Skadi have been fighting on dry land too frequently and for too long. It is indeed cause for concern regarding their physical condition.

As such, your concerns are not without reason. But my answer is this:

No—

They will not become Seaborn.

The hall goes silent.

Blandus clears his throat.

Let me try to explain this in layman's terms.

Under ordinary circumstances, Seaborn genes exhibit abnormal dominance and will irreversibly overwrite any preexisting traits in their host.

In Abyssal Hunters, however, we have managed to extend the timeline of this process until it far exceeds the natural lifespan of any given Hunter.

Furthermore, the Academy of Technology made a critical breakthrough, allowing us to implant an 'auto-adaptive junction' in all the Hunters before their deployment to eradicate the Firstborn.

The auto-adaptive junction was implanted at the splice point between human and Seaborn DNA to assist the Hunters in more closely monitoring their Seaborn genes.

If the Seaborn genes exhibited abnormal dominance, the junction would signal the body to resist their attempt at taking over.

While there has undoubtedly been some degree of decay of their auto-adaptive junctions after five years without maintenance, the changes they've undergone remain well within acceptable ranges.

So you say, Advisor, but there is a record of a failed auto-adaptive junction surgery in the Abyssal Hunter Lab archives.

...That was Ulpianus.

The archives should also note that multiple clinical trials have demonstrated that the incident did not produce any adverse effects.

For this, I gladly take full responsibility and will answer any queries.

Now that the Abyssal Hunters have returned to Ægir, their condition will be under control.

Am I to infer that you already have an effective means to contain their mutation?

There is an Abyssal Hunter Lab in the city we can reactivate. I will personally perform maintenance on their auto-adaptive junctions.

What of Ulpianus?

How can we be sure that the Hunter who has refused to return to Ægir will not become Seaborn?

Or that what we fear hasn't already happened?

Sounds like you've just become the target.;Sounds like you're pretty dangerous.

Hmph.

It's only natural they would be skeptical.

It is both human nature and a hard-learned lesson to be wary of what you cannot control.

They're not the only ones suspicious of you.;I'm equally curious about your motivations.

Did you really come out of concern for the Hunters?

Before the sinking of the Stultifera, I shared my discovery with Gladiia: there is more than one entity like Ishar'mla amongst the Seaborn, those known as Firstborn.

The Firstborn are stirring. It, or rather They, are about to awaken.

I don't know how many or how soon... but it's close. Too close.

This is why the Seaborn have begun migrating towards land. I've ventured into many nests recently, and as a whole, they are feeling a sense of crisis.

Perhaps not even the ocean contains enough nourishment for the awakening of a new god. Will it become another Profound Silence for the land, or another calamity for the seas?

The great migration almost perfectly coincides with Ægir's Waterway Program. One can only speculate about Milliarium's role in all this.

Is that not reason enough for me to visit this city?

The Seaborn have proliferated independently, driven by their instincts. But they came from the Firstborn, and cannot defy their fundamental nature.

In other words, even if the death of the Firstborn failed to halt their evolution, it should not have caused the rapid emergence of new, previously undocumented traits.

I believe I already addressed that in my report.

Yes, the Multiple Firstborn hypothesis. A logical enough explanation, but that is exactly why I am skeptical of Ulpianus.

Our well-laid plans ended in failure. The three surviving Hunters washed ashore on unfamiliar land, before being reunited with the Hunter who was last to leave the nest.

The information Ulpianus brought—that there are more than one Firstborn in the ocean—is more than shocking, it's highly 'effective.'

Effective in explaining why the Seaborn's actions have become more disruptive despite your success with the mission objective. Effective in addressing all our questions.

And why does that make you skeptical?

Because it's an answer so perfect that it's either the incontrovertible truth, or was designed specifically to put our questions to rest.

Whether or not to believe the information he gave you will have an enormous impact on our warfare design.

If Ulpianus lives, then the most effective way to verify his claims would be to track him down, perhaps even question him directly.

You have been quiet, Advisor Blandus.

Do you have anything to add regarding Ulpianus?

You were once students under the same mentor, and it was your trust in him that led you to join the Abyssal Hunter project despite your reservations.

But I also trust your knowledge and ethics as an Ægir. You need not recuse yourself.

All I can say, Madame Consul, is that I can be accountable for every word I say here at this tribunal.

I will not intentionally put forward a hypothesis in his favor, nor will I make any conjectures that could hurt him.

That is all.

Sounds like you two are pretty close.;I guess even a loner has friends.

Ulpianus does not answer. The questioning continues, but Blandus says no more. Suddenly, he looks up towards you, as though he's sensed something.

You meet his weary gaze across the length of the Sophontheatrum.

He seems to have noticed something. The consul next to him and several other Ægir catch that peculiar moment, and some of them follow his gaze.

...;Em...

You look to your side and find the seat empty.

Don't mind me. Just a landlubber here to watch.;Sorry, am I interrupting?;Do I need to speak?

The tribunal has arrived at an adequate conclusion.

Gladiia, Skadi, Laurentina, and the rest of the Abyssal Hunters have made tremendous sacrifices and contributions to Ægir.

It is a blessing for Ægir that new ideas continue to emerge from their knowledge and experience even after five years.

They have demonstrated that they are both innocent and safe, and that their return at this stage of the Waterway Program is not a threat, but a reassurance.

Yet now our attention turns to another of the surviving Hunters, Ulpianus.

He has concealed his movements for reasons unknown, and has attempted to influence the other Hunters. Both actions clearly contravene his duty.

Based on our present information, we are unable to determine his motives, goals, or even whether he still qualifies as Ægir.

Ulpianus must be found. If his intentions are indeed benign, as Gladiia claims, our suspicions must be cleared through proper questioning.

Those whose questions have been answered may now leave. Those whose questions have not may continue their inquiries.

Do you have anything to add, Consul Gladiia?

The coral-shaped terminal at the center of the Sophontheatrum slowly closes and sinks into the ground. The space is now flat and empty, like a stage ready for a new play.

Gladiia stands alone on it.

I have told you all I know.

I have no objections to the tribunal's conclusion, nor to the suspicions cast upon Ulpianus.

People begin to file out, many turning to nod towards Gladiia as they reach the exit.

The remaining audience continue to ask questions, and Gladiia responds to each one, whether she is able to answer or not.

The water caustics cast by the dome weave a picture of light and shadow with the ring of light surrounding the space, dancing on Gladiia's expressionless face.

Even as an Ægir, I find this hard to understand sometimes.

They fling words at her like spears one moment, then thank her for her contributions the next.

They're sincere, you know. Science requires people to separate facts from feelings, and they're good at it.

I know. I'm just... *sigh* Never mind.

As for Captain Ulpianus, all they have are suspicions. Swordfish, the Doctor, Kal'tsit... someone will think of a way.

What next?

We wait for Swordfish. Which, unfortunately, will take a while. *sigh*...

You're sighing too?

She used to visit the Sophontheatrum to watch plays whenever there wasn't a mission. Sometimes I went with her.

Captain Gladiia...

She's fairly well-versed in the arts. Her mother's influence, supposedly.

Unlike everyone else, however, she liked the highest, furthest seats, so I would always end up having to sit apart from her.

Why?

For her, keeping the distance helps filter out the noise. Ignoring some of the finer details makes it easier for her to fully immerse herself in the story.

Right now, though, she's the one at center stage.

She’s lost her accustomed sense of distance, becoming the subject of judgment, scrutiny, and discussion. No one in her position can remain unperturbed.

I'm starting to get why I sighed.

Why?

Because only now does it really feel like we're back.