story_slchan_2_1

Hah! One more!

Jump!

Safe!

That was a hard cliff.

Almost halfway to the top. I'll take a break here.

Is that... smoke? Why would someone start a fire out here in the middle of nowhere, in broad daylight to boot?

Could it be a distress signal?

Hard to gather firewood with my leg like this. Hope a hunter passes by and sees it...

Better be a human and not some wild beast...

Who's there?!

Don't worry, I'm just a mountain climber. I saw the smoke and thought it might be a distress signal.

Oh... thank goodness.

Someone actually came.

Is your leg hurt?

Yeah, I took a fall off a steep slope.

What's a Sankta doing on this mountain?

Ah, I'm from the Notarial Hall, and I'm executing a will of the deceased.

The instructions were to seek out a Sankta who left Laterano many years ago. I learned that he's living on one of these mountains.

I was searching around these parts, and, well... you can guess the rest.

The Notarial Hall sure works you hard, huh.

You know of the Notarial Hall?

Yeah. I'm with Rhodes Island. Have you heard of it?

Rhodes Island—ah, Federico.

My sympathies.

Haha. It's okay. We call him Executor, I think he's fun.

As long as you're not on a mission with him.

Could you help me get down the mountain?

I'll rest and recover in the town there before proceeding to execute the will.

You're continuing your mission?

Yes.

Alright, grab my hand.

So the Sankta came after all.

Samara, is it? I've been wondering... you Notarial Hall people seem just as busy as our operators, always on the move.

Why do you go so far for someone who left your city?

The law binds us, even if they've left Laterano.

The law...? You mean like in <i>Kjeragandr?</i>

<i>Kjeragandr?</i> Ah, you're from Kjerag, aren't you? I should have realized.

Yes, faith in Kjeragandr binds the people of Kjerag together.

Hm... there are subtle differences. From what I know, followers of Kjeragandr believe that Kjeragandr protects the people of Kjerag in subtle and mysterious ways.

For us, our faith is in the law of Laterano itself. We believe that there is a set of rules that binds us together.

We care for each other, understand each other, and hold ourselves accountable to each other.

That's how the Notarial Hall came to be, because we believe that all of us have a duty to do what we can for our people.

Kjeragandr's faithful care for each other too, but we're more subtle about it, because we believe that Kjeragandr has a plan for everything.

That's what you believe? Interesting.

This is my first real exposure to the Kjeragandr faith. I'd love to sit down and have a chat with you, if I had the time.

Unfortunately, I have a mission to complete, but thank you for helping me here, Ensia.

Once I've executed this will, maybe we could catch up—

Would you mind telling me more about the will? I might be able to help more.

Oh?

The mountains around here are steep, and dangerous for novice climbers. My mountaineering experience could be useful.

Of course, if it's classified or something, I won't push it.

Well, there's nothing particularly confidential about it.

Are you sure you want to do this, though?

It's no trouble. My field assignment is already done, and I've got some time before I have to return to base.

I wouldn't be climbing here otherwise.

In that case, I don't think I have the luxury of turning you down.

A renowned gun-knight, Reverend Regis, passed away recently.

In his will, he asked the Notarial Hall to find his brother, a scholar by the name of Legis, who left Laterano forty years ago after a rift between them.

A rift?

It occurred so long ago that it's unlikely anyone other than the two brothers know what happened. All we know is it had something to do with conflicting views on war.

His Holiness the Pope supported Reverend Regis's position, and Reverend Legis chose to go into exile.

Reverend Regis knew that Reverend Legis would not return to Laterano as long as he was there, so his hope was that Legis might return after his death.

If Reverend Legis is already...

He included instructions to bring back a token of Reverend Legis's, so that the brothers may be interred together.

To reunite a pair of estranged brothers...

I'm totally on board!

Any other details to go on?

I asked around and nobody had much contact with Reverend Legis, with the exception of a hunter by the name of Tiana.

I wasn't able to find her, so I started searching the nearby mountains.

A hunter?

Ah... that explains a lot.

Oh?

(Whisper) Maybe you didn't notice because you were injured, but we were followed.

(Whisper) What?!

(Whisper) I thought it was bandits looking for their mark, but now it seems likely it's the hunter you were talking about—

(Whisper) Head down.

Tsk.

Wait here.

I'll go after her!

Is there a signal here? Oh, thank goodness, I can reach one of the nearby nomadic cities.

Executor Samara reporting in. I need assistance.

Oh... Your Eminence?

She's a fast climber.

But I'm not too shabby myself!

Stop right there!

Hmph.

You're Tiana, aren't you?

Just a hunter passing by.

Drop the act. You wouldn't have tailed us for so long if you were just passing by.

You know why Samara is here.

You're Sarkaz?!

So what if I am?

Why would a Sarkaz—

Whoa—

You can move, I'll give you that.

Well, you sure can't shoot!

You think so?

(Wait, she's not aiming for me.)

(Could it be—!)

Too late.

Crap—!

Ouch—

Well, this is a deep pit.

You were luring me into a pit trap from the beginning, weren't you?

Not just that. I also saw how good you were at mountaineering and took your climbing gear.

The Sarkaz hunter pokes her head out and shows Cliffheart her backpack.

When did you...?

Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. I'll go into town and tell them to send help.

I'll leave your backpack there. Once the rescuers arrive, take your stuff, and scram.

Why are you doing this?

My demands are simple.

Tell the Notarial Hall that Legis is not going back to Laterano.

I really should be more careful.

Ugh, this is a spiked cage...

Looks like it was a beast trap, the kind that poachers use.

But the spikes have been removed. I guess she really didn't want to kill me.

She probably removed them, in preparation for a day like this.

And in that case...

That Feline looks like she's tough enough to survive for a while.

I'll get the old man's stuff, then report to the town.

What a bother.

What?!

You left enough of the trap's mechanisms for me to climb out.

My hook's faster than your bow at this range.

Gah.

I just want to see Reverend Legis.

He doesn't want to see you. Get lost.

Take this, then!

Hmph—

Huh?

Look out! That rock isn't stable!

Wha—

Grab my hook!

Let go! I'm too heavy!

No!

I'm not leaving you behind!

If I can't pull you up... brace for impact!

Ghh—

Are you okay?

You should have let go.

You spared my life. One good turn for another.

That's not how it works.

I didn't mean anything by it when I mentioned you were Sarkaz. I was just surprised.

...I don't blame you. Anyone would be.

You might know that he has a brother—

Regis. Let me guess, he's dead, and now he wants his brother to go back to Laterano, is that it?

Yes.

He's not going back.

You're looking for him now? After so many decades?

It's Reverend Regis's last wish.

Plus, no matter how big their differences, settling these differences is what family is all about.

What makes you say that?

My brother and sister aren't on good terms.

B-But they're still siblings at the end of the day. All they need is the chance to open their hearts to each other.

You're trying to convince me when you don't even sound sure yourself.

Because if I give up, we'll never sit together again as a family.

And I know that, deep down, they care about each other.

There's nothing you can do.

Why's that?

Because...

Legis is dead.

*cough* Ugh, the dust.

I haven't been here since he died.

What was he to you?

I didn't know my parents. I was raised by a beggar in town. I guess you could call him my dad.

The townsfolk were okay, but no one was willing to take in a Sarkaz. I started to hunt for a living, after my dad died.

On one of those hunting trips, I ran into a big one and almost died. It was a passing Sankta who saved my life.

He shared some meat with me and told me I couldn't shoot worth a damn.

Ha.

I still remember... he froze for a moment when he saw me up close for the first time.

It took me a long time to realize it was because he realized I was Sarkaz, and thought about killing me.

But I was just a wild child who grew up in the middle of nowhere. I didn't know any of that.

I still don't really understand it, even now.

I had never seen a Sankta. I don't know why I should hate the halo heads. Plenty of worse people in town.

History is complicated.

Hey, that's what the old man said. I didn't take you for a scholar.

I'll take that as a compliment.

Well, I asked him to teach me how to shoot a bow.

But he didn't want me anywhere close. He chased me away with his gun whenever I went near.

It's funny, now that I think about it. He probably wanted to kill me many, many times, but I didn't get that. I thought it was all fun and games.

Maybe he got tired of chasing me away, but we eventually reached a kind of understanding. I would hide near his house, and he would show a move or two, pretending not to notice me.

What happened to him?

A bunch of Sarkaz bandits came three years ago. They tried to recruit me when they saw I was Sarkaz and could handle myself.

When I refused, they kidnapped me and tried to coerce me into joining.

The old man came to rescue me alone. I survived. He didn't.

...I'm sorry.

He never considered me his student. I don't think he would've wanted a Sarkaz student.

Without the skills I learned from him, though, I would have been dead long ago.

He never left this place, and no one ever came to look for him.

Now, his brother wants him to go back to Laterano? No way, not even if it's just his stuff.

He doesn't belong to Laterano. He belongs to this place.

Give up and leave, if you get it. Or you can die here.

Can I take a look around?

Suit yourself.

What are these books?

The old man liked to read. He tried to teach me, but gave up when he realized I was hopeless at it.

Histories of the Sarkaz and Sankta...

A lot of notes and annotations...

Hm? There's a piece of paper here.

A letter?

Dear Regis. It is precisely because we were brothers that we were never able to come to a compromise through our empathy, for it would be insult to one another.

Was leaving the only option, though? Thinking back on it, perhaps there was a better way.

But we should not regret our choices.

Just because we made a choice does not mean the path not taken has lost its meaning.

That was why I chose to leave Laterano.

I do not think I shall ever return.

I will miss your strawberry milkshakes, though.

Cura ut valeas, Legis.

Look at this, Tiana.

Legis didn't hold a grudge against Regis or Laterano.

He just made a choice, and chose not to return to Laterano because of it.

So what?

Either way, he doesn't want to go back to Laterano, does he?

It's not about going back to Laterano.

The brothers didn't have any bad blood towards one another. It's that simple.

People believe there is no conflict between the Sankta because they share emotions through empathy.

The reality is rather different. Sharing emotions may help you understand why the other side thinks a certain way, but it doesn't mean you must accept it.

On minor matters, the Sankta can certainly reach a compromise through empathy.

But there are certain things even the Sankta fail to agree upon.

The only consensus they can reach is that they do not agree.

Who are you?!

Velliv, Sanctae Lateranae Eccliesiae Cardinalis, Cardinal of the Holy Lateran Church.

Cardinal?!

Why—

Reverend Gun-knight Regis was highly respected. I happened to be visiting a nearby city, and when I heard there were difficulties executing his will, I felt it was my obligation to get involved.

I didn't expect someone else to take care of the problem before I could intervene, though.

No need to be nervous. I overheard your conversation from outside the door. It seems everything's been resolved with a nice little bow, yes?

Who told you—

The split between the gun-knight Regis and his brother, the scholar Legis, occurred over their attitude towards war.

Velliv raises her gun and points it at the Sarkaz.

Bitch.

I won't let you have your way, Sankta!

Tiana returns the favor, pointing her crossbow at the Sankta.

Reverend Regis and His Holiness approached war with a moderate attitude, while Reverend Legis believed in one that was more proactive and radical.

That was the cause of the split between us.

In his will, Reverend Regis requested the return of Reverend Legis's personal effects, in the event that Reverend Legis became deceased.

Those effects do not include a Sarkaz.

Wait!

This is no business for a mountaineer.

I can ask Rhodes Island to take her in!

If I recall correctly, Rhodes Island has a policy against interfering with a country's internal affairs.

The extent to which that policy is followed is debatable, but I doubt they would want to get involved in this one.

I... I can send her to Kjerag!

Kjerag?

I hope you understand the effect that deploying the Silverash name here will have, Ensia, my child.

You knew who I was from the very beginning, didn't you?

I won't deny it.

If you know my family name, then you also know my siblings.

Enya, Saintess of the Vine-Bead Court. Enciodes, CEO of Karlan Trade. It's becoming difficult to find someone who wouldn't know them.

At the end of the day, though, just my brother and sister. My brother and sister who haven't sat down at the same table for a decade, because of a choice my brother made.

Deep down, I understand.

It's not that my brother and sister don't understand each other, same as these two brothers.

It's the opposite: They understand each other's position, and understand that it's not something they can move past. They understand there are certain things that only the other can do.

That's why they'll never go back to the way they were.

I get it, but I can't give up on the idea.

I just learned that there was a pair of Sankta brothers in the same boat.

They understood that there could be no understanding. They chose to part ways.

But they had each other in their hearts, all the way to the very end.

A touching tale, but what does it have to do with stopping me?

The understanding between my brother and sister isn't about simple acceptance of the other's actions.

The most important thing is that they believe there is something about the other's choice that's correct.

They believe that their choice can affect the other.

Most importantly, when all is said and done, they'll stand at the same goal line.

A fine speech, Ensia.

Velliv lowers her gun.

Why you—

I was just planning to scare you away and let you go. After all, I can't very well let a Sarkaz cross my line of sight and do nothing about it.

But if Ensia has a better plan, I'm happy to go along.

You were sure you would win and planned to spare my life from the beginning?

Did you think otherwise? Consider it an act of magnanimity, even if it might be a little hard to accept.

Sankta bitch...

As Ensia said, Reverend Regis didn't necessarily think that Reverend Legis was wrong.

However, right versus wrong has never been the only factor in anything.

I won't take it all, just a little token. A book, or some manuscripts. Is that acceptable?

...Suit yourself.

I should say, your sincerity was touching, Ensia my child.

You have strengthened my belief that, even though we follow different faiths and live in different environments, we still have much in common with respect to the problems we face.

I can agree with that.

I thought all Sankta were like Exusiai, but now I know there are all kinds of problems between Sankta too.

Understanding that is the first step to understanding Laterano.

By the way, if I recall correctly, the Kjeragandr statue three years in the making is nearly complete. You should be traveling to Kjerag for the unveiling ceremony, shouldn't you?

I could give you a ride, if you want.

Actually, I have a different request. A rather brazen one, I should say.

Oh?

I would like to travel with Samara and learn more about Laterano and the Sankta. Is that okay?

Are you not planning to go back?

Not yet.

This whole thing has given me a lot of food for thought. Maybe there's no real point trying to force them back together.

Maybe they've already sat down together while I've been away.

If they understand each other, if both of them have Kjerag in their hearts, if they're headed for the same goal, just by different paths...

Then I should cast my eyes forward, too.

You came looking for me, didn't you?

Yes. I had made up my mind to come personally when I heard your name from Samara, and what the two of you talked about.

While formal relations were established between Kjerag and Laterano at the Summit of Nations, the Kjeragandr and Lateran faiths have lacked a catalyst for dialogue.

I'll be the catalyst.

Kjerag is certainly in need of cultural dialogue, and there is no doubt that His Holiness will welcome such dialogue with open arms.

But I must ask you again, one last time.

Do you understand what you're doing, Lady Ensia Silverash?

Yes.

In that case, I welcome you on behalf of Laterano.

Thanks.

Oh, but I'll need to visit the nearest Rhodes Island branch office first.

I'll need them to help me find a home for Tiana, and ask the Doctor to deliver a message to my brother.