level_act46side_05_end

You've been tampering with the locks again. You just won't give up, will you?

Unfortunately, the area that the search parties are looking is at least five kilometers from here. Don't expect them to hear your distress signal.

Hmph...

At least eat something.

Malnutrition during the recovery process will increase the time needed for bones to mend by twenty percent, and the chance of complications by thirty-five percent.

It's not my intention to hurt you, or leave an outstanding warrior with a permanent disability.

Cut the crap!

I warn you, you'd better kill me now...

I suppose that's an option...

As I said, however, I have no intention of bringing harm to Kjerag, and I certainly feel no need to take innocent Kjerag lives.

Besides, it was a miracle that we survived that avalanche at all...

It was, in your people's words, 'Kjeragandr's protection'. Right?

Shouldn't that be a sign to a faithful follower of Kjeragandr to value her own life?

No intention of bringing harm to Kjerag? You've been spying for the Victorians and stealing Kjerag's military secrets!

Such an unfair accusation.

Do you really think a few battleships constitute Kjerag's most important secret?

You speak of your god's blessings all the time, but have you really thought about what your god is?

What are you talking about... Kjeragandr is not to be questioned or doubted—

That didn't resonate? Well... I guess the only reason I'm talking to you about this is because there's nothing to do here to pass the time.

Ah well, doesn't matter anyway.

If you want to pass the time, I've got something to ask you.

How did a Victorian spy work for Rhine Lab for so long?

Why are you so sure that I'm a Victorian spy, when I've been working at Rhine Lab for so long?

Well... if you really want to hear it, I could tell you a little story—

There was once a girl in Victoria, who was incredibly fascinated to know how everything worked, and she wanted to spend her whole life studying.

A dozen years later, she went to Columbia as visiting scholar from the Royal Victorian Academy of Sciences...

It was not the research foundations of Victoria that found her, but an intelligence agency.

From that day forth, the only thing she was allowed to be curious about was the secret documents of the Columbian government.

But her curiosity was not so easily stated. As she dug through Columbia's secrets, she found an opportunity to satisfy the very depths of her curiosity...

At the end of the day, though, there is little that separates Columbia and Victoria.

People fight over the slightest morsel of profit, the order that took so much hard work to build is now teetering on the brink of ruinous war...

Who has the time to gaze up at the heavens... or even down at the ground we stand on, of which we know so little about?

...I find it all a tedious bore.

Early morning, Hall of Writings, Vine-Bead Court.

Good thing the window isn't too high.

The clerics have gone to their morning prayers... the observation station is a sensitive topic right now. I need to avoid them.

Maps, geographical records... anything that can help...

The morning sun shines through the window, and falls gently on the aged books.

Elena dusts off the books in front of her, but finds the writing of the clerics difficult to decipher. She begins to regret not bringing a dictionary of the Kjeragi language.

How do they categorize this stuff? This one's... a collection of quotes?

'Kjeragandr, showed Herself, to me, and said—'

'Seek not my temple, but my heart.'

Whoa—!

Elena lets go in panic, and the heavy book hits the floor.

Through the bookshelves, she sees a surprised face under a hood, and a crossbow pointed at her face.

I think she's surrendering, Enya. What do we do?

Who's saying anything about surrendering?!

Wait a moment... Enya? Enya Silverash?

Y-You're the Saintess?

Shh—

Elena nods in realization.

Keep quiet, and we can talk. Alright?

Elena nods carefully.

Put away your crossbow, Joanna. Let's not scare our friend here.

But she sneaked into the Vine-Bead Court. Doesn't seem like something a good person would do.

Well, we sneaked in too...

Your attire... are you from Rhine Lab?

Yes! I'm Elena, a researcher in the Energy Section.

I'm sorry. I was just looking for a map of Kjerag, preferably recording the locations of mountains and Originium veins...

If I find that special vein, maybe I could—

...You could what?

Elena glances at the young woman before her, who looks about the same age as her, while being the undisputed sovereign of this country.

Elena is unsure if what she is about to say might offend her, but when she sees the pure curiosity on her face...

Maybe... I can explain how this Catastrophe happened!

You mean that Kjerag has been safe from Catastrophe for a thousand years because of a hidden Originium vein?

Yes! There is an undiscovered Originium vein in the mountains surrounding Kjerag, which created an energy field that prevented Catastrophes from forming.

Impossible! It's Kjeragandr that protects Kjerag!

Has anyone ever seen Kjeragandr with their own eyes?

I—

Many people have witnessed the miracles of Kjeragandr with their own eyes!

I respect your culture and traditions, but that doesn't prove anything.

Just because you see something that can't be explained right now doesn't prove the existence of some supernatural being behind it.

And how do you prove the veins have anything to do with it?

The interactions between Originium is extremely complex, and what we know is only the tip of the iceberg.

Rhine Lab has conducted a number of experiments in recent years.

Under certain conditions, Originium can form energy fields that cause atmospheric Originium particles to disperse rather than converge, preventing the formation of Catastrophes.

This is something that we have not yet been able to recreate under controlled conditions...

But if an Originium vein with the right conditions exists... then preventing Catastrophe may be a real possibility.

I've made detailed calculations—

Excuse me, can I borrow this map?

Elena takes out her notebook and show it to the other two. She goes on a long explanation about the formulas as she draws on the page, not paying attention to whether her listeners are able to keep up.

Finally, Elena confidently draws a circle at a location in the foothills on the map.

...Therefore, the Originium Vein Theory is the most likely explanation for Kjerag's lack of Catastrophes!

I'm quite sure that my calculations are accurate, and if we find an Originium vein at this location, it would explain everything!

Joanna is in a daze. She glances at Enya, hoping the Saintess will rebuke this blasphemy.

But the Saintess is quiet, biting her lower lip lightly.

(Whispers) Say something! I don't know what the hell she's writing!

How do you explain the recent Catastrophe, then?

Based on the data, I suspect something from beyond the Starpod fell on Mount Karlan the day before the Catastrophe.

Look! These are the data that the station observed the day before the Catastrophe. These are infrasound waves created by the impact of the extraterrestrial object.

Elena turns on her portable terminal, displaying a sharp break on the line graph.

This object must be massive in size and scale. I think the Catastrophe was caused by it falling onto the central area of the vein, causing a shift in the energy field!

There are reasons for all these things! It's not magic, or the work of a god!

Enya cannot comprehend what she is hearing. Her memory begins to blur, and she feels a sort of link being torn apart.

'Kjarr.'

A familiar voice, belonging to a friend, a miracle, or... a hallucination?

She can't believe it. She must not. Fear and loneliness comes over her, and it is all she could do to keep her arms from trembling.

Say something, Enya...

I... I can understand Elena's position.

However, I recall a section of the <i>Kjeragandr...</i>

'Her heart is the heart of Karlan, deep within the mountains. From the beating of Her heart grew the flesh and bones of Kjerag.'

This is the description of the origins of Kjerag, as the scriptures record.

We used to assume that the Heart of Karlan was Lake Silberneherze, which was why we built Kjeragandr's statue there.

In my studies these past several days, however, I found that the ancient tomes considered the freezing of the Heart of Karlan to be an unusual phenomenon. But Lake Silberneherze freezes every year...

Sounds like a figure of speech...

Don't interrupt the Saintess while she's thinking!

Maybe the Heart of Karlan actually refers to something else...

The Great Elder guided me to the 'Radsorn', but it is in fact the 'Heart of Karlan' that holds the answer...

You mentioned the central area of this 'special vein'?

Yes! I built a model based on the shape of Kjerag's mountains, and I calculated that the extraterrestrial object likely fell on...

this location.

Isn't this.... the Kjerag-Kazimierz mines?

Mines? Yes! Now it all makes sense!

There's no time to waste! We need to go—

One moment, foreigner! We didn't say anything about letting you around Kjerag on your own, not to mention all the disrespect you've shown to Kjeragandr—

It's alright, Joanna.

We don't force our faith onto others. Besides, we need to find the truth behind this Catastrophe... we'll let her travel with us.

Elena...

Hm?

While Enya and Joanna were talking, Elena put the books back on the shelf, and now sits on the window sill, waving at the other two.

Actually, there's usually no one at the main entrance to the Hall of Writings.

Cold moonlight pours through the dark clouds upon the decorations in Ratatos's room.

Sciurus thought she would be afraid to see Ratatos's things, but she feels so tired that she does not even have the strength for sorrow.

She knows full well that she simply imitated Ratatos in dealing with the other clans, a few days ago.

But the more she tries, the more Ratatos's shadow lingers.

Sciurus looks outside. It seems snow is once again falling on Browntail land.

'Look, Sciurus. Do this to the snowball, and it'll go even further when you throw it. Try it.'

'I don't need you to teach me...'

'I don't want to become you.'

'I hate you. I hate everything you make me do.'

The echoes of memory are like the deafening roar of a mountain collapsing. She feels a lump in her chest.

The dust-covered contracts and letters in the box bear witness to the development of Clan Browntail over the years.

Sciurus examines the marks left behind by Ratatos on the family's business documents, and finds, at the bottom of each page, where the name of the Browntail matriarch should be—

'Sciurus'

'Remember, Sciurus.'

'I'm your older sister, and I'll become the leader of Clan Browntail. So you need to listen to me.'

'Prove that you can do better, if you're not happy about that.'

'When that time comes...'

'I hope you'll carry the future of Clan Browntail on your shoulders.'

Sciurus anxiously flips through the pages.

But each and every document has her name on it.

Until she reaches the bottom of the pile, that little box from her memory—

The secret that belongs to the two of them.

'This holds all the things that I want to give you, but don't want the adults to see.'

'Don't tell anyone. It's a secret.'

'A secret between the two of us, you and me.'

This is...

A communicator?

Sciurus gazes at the device in her hand, the dim light illuminating her hesitation.

The final audio log...

I got Karlan Trade's intel about the suspicious woman. I've been watching her all morning, and I think she's planning to make a run for it.

This voice... it's Monch?

Good. Keep a close eye on her. Don't let her get away, or pass the documents to anyone else.

Yes, ma'am... Karlan Trade says we need to be careful and not draw attention.

Take her alive, if possible. There are a lot of questions we need to ask her.

I'll tell Enciodes to send help from Karlan Trade.

Understood. I'll do my best.

Be careful, and don't leave loose ends.

Finally, there is an unanswered call from Karlan Trade.

Call time... yesterday?

...Karlan Trade?