Part 107: Luca's Soulspace, Level 2 Part 1

Loading Excerpt: Personal Log, C Bartel
We had just picked up Luca in Enna when she wanted to dive all of a sudden. She seemed insistent.


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: Whoa... I've never seen this either. It's so small! Too small!
: It's completely different from the previous level...
: Well I can say just one thing. The last level was world Luca created for Dive Therapy. But this world... is Luca's real mind.
: ...I see.
: Aaanyway! Listen up!
: Why all the sudden...?
: Doesn't matter! Just listen up! You will not be protected as you were in the Dive Therapy, and your life may be in danger. So! I suggest you purchase the Goro Health Insurance!
: Goro Health Insurance...!?
I had no idea at the start what she was talking about, but I figured it out by the end of the dive.
: Yes! With a down payment of 5000DP, Goro will save you out of any danger unconditionally!
: What, I need to put a down payment!?
: Well, this is a business for me! I can't give in about that!
: No, I don't need it.
: Whoa, mister! You will also get Critical Down special contract and a coverage for the damages!
: No, I don't want it...
: Ugh! Fine then! I'll give you a free trial for a little bit, so just join it already!
: F, fine, I will. Your salesmanship is pretty weak...
: Hey! I'm trying to help you out here!
: Okay, okay, thank you.




: Are you okay? You look like you're not feeling very well...
: ...!? Oh... really? I feel fine! See, look, I'm doing fine! Thanks for asking though.
: Oh, alright... That's good then. Anyway, this world is... pretty small. There is just one old coffee shop...
: Do you think so? Well it happens.
: Is that how it works...?
: Yep! Cosmospheres feed off of incomplete inner thoughts. If there is no incompletion, there is no need for a world to exist.
: So...does that mean that person doesn't have any problems or traumatic experiences?
: I think?
: How's that possible!?
: Well, it doesn't mean they don't have any problems, it's just that their problems aren't bothering them...
: ...It's so complicated.
: It just means that... I'm enjoying my life right now. Because... I have...
: Luca!?
: ...I have... you... Croix...
: Luca! See, you are sick! You shouldn't hold it back!
: I'm fine! ...! *Thump*





: Luca, are you ok? Are you just tired... Just rest for now.
: I'm sorry... Croix...
: It's fine. I don't want you to strain yourself.
: No... that's not what I mean... You know, you can go back now...? I'll be fine, so...
: Don't worry about it.
: I'm not... I just feel bad for you...
: Yeah, and I said it's okay.
: ......


Loading... Unholy Error! Something is seriously wrong. If you see this message and you're not a developer, contact the Tower Administration immediately.

: Hmmm, what's up?
: Goro, what good timing. Luca is down with the sickness... Is there any way to heal her?
I'm really hoping that was intentional and not just NISA. Because it's kind of funny.
: Hmm... Well that's the kind of stuff I shouldn't be giving away. Well, why don't you go find it yourself? You will find it fast, since this world is so small.
: Oh, yeah you're right I guess...
: This is... not... right...



: ...Croix...
: How are you? Are you feeling better?
: Y, yeah! I feel a lot better...!
: R, really...? You don't look like it... I'm trying to find a way to make you better. Just give me a little more time, and I should be able to find it.
: No, it's okay. I'll be fine, and I don't want you to work so hard for me...
: Well, but...you look worse than the last time I saw you...
: Just stop! Stop worrying about me so much!
: Oh, fine...




: ...Nothing here either...
???: Hello...
: What was that...?

: Whoa! Who are you...!?
Brilliant Ring: My name is Brilliant Ring. I'm a resident of this world.
: Oh... good... I wa sjust getting lost all alone.
Brilliant Ring: Hey, what is going on in this world? I was locked in a place when I woke up.
: What...? This world isn't supposed to be like this to start with...?
Brilliant Ring: Nope! It's bigger than this, and no one is here. I was locked inside this cube...
: So you don't know much about it either... What is going on here? Luca is all sick too...
Brilliant Ring: Ehh!? Luca!? She's here too!?
: Oh, uh huh... She's been very sick... and I'm just looking for a way to make her better...
Brilliant Ring: Well if you know where Luca is, can you take me to her?
: Oh, sure.
Magic [Soft Tune Heal: Lv 2] "Brilliant Ring" acquired!



: Luca, I don't know if she can help, but I brought someone with me. She wants to meet you.
: ..What!?
Brilliant Ring: Luca...? Is it Luca...?
: ...! Oh, um... it's you! Hello!
Brilliant Ring: Do you... remember me?
: O, of course!
: ...?
Brilliant Ring: ...You...are...
: ...What? What is it...?
Brilliant Ring: I'm sorry, Croix... can I talk to you?

: It... is... not... whole...
Brilliant Ring: I'm sorry but... that's not Luca.
: What!? No way...!
Brilliant Ring: Well, she is Luca... but she's not from this world. What is happening here...!?
: That's what I want to know...
Brilliant Ring: You're an outsider, right!? You have to have done this! You better keep that in mind!
: Oh, I see... I'm sorry.
Brilliant RIng: Anyway, let's go find out what's wrong.




: A mental barrier....
: Well... it's all walls. Nothing special... I guess I wouldn't find any clues here...
???: ...!
: ...Huh?
???: ...!
Brilliant Ring: Do you hear that...!?
???: ...! ...Is someone there!?
: I heard that! Was that...Luca!?
Brilliant Ring: I think it is! So the real world is outside of this cube!
: Hello! We're right here!
: Is someone...in there...!?
Brilliant Ring: I'm going to use the bell to call her! You help me out with it too!
: Alright!
Brilliant Ring: Okay, are you ready!? Yaaahhhh!

: Whoa!
: Phew! I did it!
Brilliant Ring: Luca! I knew it! This is the real Luca!
: She's... the real Luca...?
: What!? What the hell is this place!? Everything is gone, and this place is so small!
: What is going on? What kind of Luca are you? And who is that Luca at the coffee shop!?
: That's my store! I went to stock up on cofee beans, and I couldn't get back... What happened?
: That's what I want to know. Was it not here before?
: Before? This thing just appeared recently. Anyway, I was wondering what was inside... what is this?
: So, what's on the outside of this place?
: Just an ordinary world. So you said a Luca is in here...is that true?
: Yeah, she's here, and she's really sick...
: Okay, well let me meet that Luca so I can talk to her.
: Alright...



: ...is...wrong...Luca.
: C, Croix...! I told you to go back earlier...
: Hey you! What are you doing here! This is my store!
: ...! Y, you are...
: "You are"? Puh-lease! You broke into my world, made that stupid wall, and now you're taking over my store!
: ...What's wrong!? What is this supposed to be all about...?
: Ahhh! W, wait just a second! Croix, I'm sorry! The system must not be working correctly!
: ...The system?
: Um you know, I might have added the wrong amount of Glasno, heheh... I think I needed 50mg more.
: I'm not understanding you...
: Anyway! I have to run maintenance on the system, so this is it for now!
WARNING. System is unstable configuration. Wave fluctuations exceed recommended parameters.
Whoa, hey, wait up!
: Okay, see ya!
Hey!

The screen is shaking here, but you can't see it very well in stills.


WARNING. Critical Down detected!


Critical Down averted.
Brilliant Ring: That was close!
: ...!
: What the?
: What the hell are you doing!? Was that a critical down!?
: What is a critical down?
: It's a way to forcefully delete a Diver from the spiritual world. It could be fatal, too.
: ...meanie.
: ...What?
: I, I did it so that he wouldn't die!
: I'm sorry... but I can't let that slide. You have broken two rules of Dive Therapy already.
: No! Stop! Just... let me go...
: Why would I do that? You can't even stand in this world anyway. Look how weak you look.
: What do you mean? I just don't get it...
: She came here after provoking a fake Paradigm Shift.
: No, no, no! I said it's just an operational mistake.
: You're from the last level. You can't come to the upper level without training. Why are you doing this? Don't you know that you'll die if you keep doing this?
: Luca... Is that true?
: ... Croix... You said you wanted a Paradigm Shift...
: I, I did!?
: Yes you did. You said you wanted a Paradigm Shift to acquire stronger magic!
That doesn't mean that...
I-i didn't want you to dislike me because I wasn't having a Paradigm Shift...
: *Sigh* Well, looks you used Dive Therapy with the wrong intentions. Usually a Paradigm Shift does not happen intentionally, but you can do that using therapy. Haven't you forgotten something?
: ...?
: Looks like you did. The more Paradigm Shifts you have, the closer you get to your true self. But you let it happen when I wasn't ready for it. I didn't want Croix to see me like this yet. I wasn't ready to have him in this world.
Sure Croix might hate me if he saw my past or the truth, but you don't know that. But I know for sure that Croix would hate me if I didn't have a Paradigm Shift! I would rather advance through the levels, if that was going to happen!
: You're not advancing through the levels... You're only pretending. I'm not about to show Croix my world. He should've been happy playing with Dive Therapy! Look at what's happening now. Some strange wall is here, and it locked up Brilliant Ring on top of that.
: I want to go on! I want to keep having Paradigm Shifts!
: I don't want to show Croix any further! It's all Croix and your fault that this world is all messed up! Go put this box away, and kick Croix out!
: Luca!
: ...It's all Croix's fault...
: What?
: You didn't go back to reality when I told you to, and that's why this is happening...
: What!? Me...!?
: Whatever! I don't care anymore!
: Take some responsibility here.
: H, hey! Luca! ...
Brilliant Ring: This is unbelievable... I've never heard of this happening before.
: ...So, what should I do?
Brilliant Ring: The easiest way would be for you to leave this world, and everything will be back to normal. Whelp, good luck!
: But that doesn't solve the core problem...
: Lots of solutions don't.