Part 31: Chapter 30: Disaster

Chapter 30: Disaster

Loading Excerpt- Personal Logs, C. Bartel
Shun asked if we could go check on Frelia, so we headed back to the Grand Bell. It turned out we weren't going to have time to take a breather.

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What's wrong, Frelia?
I think I lost the feeling in a part of the B-Villa area...
What!?
What's wrong!?
Again. This time, the area from Cat Mansion to Enna will fall...
The lift generator in the Cat Mansion... As far as I remember, it was operating pretty well.
Does that mean Frelia's power is decreasing more rapidly?
That too, but... seeing this situation, it seems there's something else.
I feel it's intentional. Like someone's controlling something behind all this.
So you mean, they're hacking Frelia?
That's right. It's quite hard to believe, but...
Really? It's pretty easy to do if you're in the Binary Field.
......
Who are you, anyway?

Such a good question.



...Fine. What bothers me is that there's no pattern to the falling locations.
It's not natural, but I do see a definite, intentional pattern.
...What?
Kanakana Pier, and the Cat Mansion. Both have texts and documents from 400 years ago.
...Oh yeah, there's a lot in the Cat Mansion, too!
But... who could be?
We don't have time to guess. We have to take action...
This time, it's an area that's full of people living there!
That's right. Let's go to the lift generator at the Cat Mansion.



We could feel the ground shake even in Pastalia.



The Enna area... fell...
Let's go to Enna!

The city was in ruins.



Horrible...
What happened here!?
Auntie: The Cat Mansion suddenly started to fall!
Uncle: From there to Enna, the ground collapsed and the town's a mess!
Auntie: It's the end of this town...
Uncle: This world is coming to an end...
......
Why...?
Big Sis: Someone! Help!
Lady Cloche!
What's wrong!?
Big Sis: The kids! They went to play in the underground pass and they haven't returned!
Auntie: At this rate, who knows when there'll be another collapse...
Enna Chairman: Hey! It's dangerous!
...Grh! Such a wild princess.
Let's go!

Deep in the underground passage we found the kids.



Boy A: Hey, it's a rescue squad! We're saved!
Girl A: Yay! Everyone! We're gonna be saved!
Let's get out quick. If another quake hits, we'll really be in danger.
Girl A: Huh? Hey... I've seen you before.
...Huh?
Girl A: Oh I know! Holy Maiden! You're Lady Cloche, right?
Boy A: Lady Cloche!? No way! You're saying the Holy Maiden came to save us!?
Girl B: She's right. I've seen her before, too!
Wha-hey?
Come on, everyone hurry! Even if you meet the Holy Maiden, it's pointless if you don't get home alive!
Big Sis: Um! Jean is... this kid hurt his leg, and can't walk.
...This is... terrible.



Girl A: It's Song Magic! Lady Cloche's Song Magic!
Boy A: Wow! This is my first time seeing Song Magic!
Girl B: How pretty...



Auntie: They'll be fine! If that's really Lady Cloche, she's the maiden...
Enna Chairman: ...Alright. I'll believe in them.
Big Bro: They're back! They came back!
Enna Chairman: Ohh! Everyone, you're all safe!
Auntie: Jean! Jean... I'm so glad you're okay!
He had an injured leg. I treated him with healing magic but I suggest going to see a doctor anyway.
Auntie: What!? Magic...!?
Jean: Momma! It was so cool. Lady Cloche's Song was super awesome!
Auntie: Thank you. Thank you so very much.
...I'm so glad.
Enna Chairman: ......

We all went to Spica's to rest.



You said it yourself, people have roles. What is yours?
Please refrain from endangering your life until you accomplish y-
But there wasn't a choice in that situation not to save them!
I refuse to abandon a single person in this world!
Even if it costs my life, I'm saving this world!
What do you think your life is!? It's not just yours alone!
...!
Hey, Leglius, that's going too far.
Do you trust us, Lady Cloche?
It's not about that!
Our duty is to serve you with our lives, and protect you.
We understand your feelings the best.
That's why you should use me or Croix to take your place.
......
We are here for you. We will jump into danger so you won't have to.
You cannot die. That's a part of your duty.
...I see.



That's why people like me and Croix swore our loyalty to you.
Please keep this in mind.
...I understand. I will take better care of myself from now on.
Huh? You're pretty obedient today.
Because, it's true. It's my duty to stay alive.
That's the most important part of saving this world...
...So young. Wonderful.
Enna Chairman: Uhm, I'm sorry to interrupt you guys.
You were from earlier...
Enna Chairman: Yes. I'm the chairman of the Enna Community Council.
Thank you very much for today.
Auntie: Thank you so much. How could I ever show you enough gratitude for saving my child?
Enna Chairman: It was like seeing a Goddess in this hellish situation.
I know there are people who say bad things about you...
But after seeing that, I feel embarrassed for being swayed by such words...
......



We headed to the Enna Inn to rest for a bit.



Yeah... well, I'm serious about wanting to save this world.
And I really want Lady Cloche, of all people, to understand that.
Ah hum.
And...
I'm embarrassed to admit that I overlapped my daughter's image on Lady Cloche.
Hahaha! Daddy's little girl personality wins again!
Shut up!
Well, you did say Alicia was a little rebel, too.
Wasn't she like 4 years younger than me?
Yeah... if she was still alive.
Sorry.
My family was a victim of an uncontrolled I.P.D.
What!? But... you said the other day that she went missing...
Right as she was found, she ran straight into an I.P.D. and was killed... Along with my wife.
...Wow.
I didn't have the guts to say the last part before.
......
Isn't it silly?



It's as if I killed my own family.
The reason why I stayed after... was because I didn't want to admit it.
I'm just that weak. I tried to turn a blind eye to the reality of past tragedies.
You know, you shouldn't feel too guilty about it.
...Yeah, I know.
But there's that feeling at the bottom of my heart that doesn't. You know?
...Hehe. You're so funny.
What?
The more I talk to you, the more I think, "You're only human."
Of course. If I wasn't human, what would I be?
A killin' machine.
...Don't be stupid.
But when I first met you, that's what you were like. I thought you had no emotions.
Like the time Cocona had symptoms in the Ironplate Desert and you had to fight Croix...
......



But after traveling like this, and meeting Croix, Reisha... and you...
I think I slowly began to understand...
What true strength really is.

In the morning a quick inventory showed we were a person down. Jacqli was nowhere to be seen.



Good morning, ma'am. Did you sleep well?
Yes, very.
...Huh? Where's Jacqli?
Oh yeah... Where'd she go?
Did you see a girl about this height, with black hair leave here?
Shop Owner: Oh, yes... She left early in the morning, and hasn't come back since.
She left!? Why...?
Did she say anything about where she was going?
Shop Owner: Um, she just silently walked out... looking kinda menacing.
That's Jacqli's way. I hope she's not up to something again.
Let's go find some clues as to where she went.

I mean it's not like I'm worrying we'll never see her again. But with the area being unstable, I am sort of concerned is all. I've got a pretty good idea where she might have gone, though.

Loading Excerpt- Hopes for the Green Land: Collected Writings, J.
I decided to recover what I'd left in the Cat Mansion. I couldn't bear to see my notes in the hands of, well, anyone else ever. Spica having some of them is bad enough.

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Wait! It doesn't look like it's gonna attack.
ELMA-DSRX: Bow wow!
Hahaha! That's so funny. It barks! Haha!
It seems like he doesn't recognize us as enemies.
I guess she's here. Let's look around.

I guess I took a bit longer than I had earlier anticipated, the others showed up while I was still packing. Croix was actually worried, not sure how I feel about that.



If you're leaving, say something before you go.
Why? It's not like I'm a child.
I'll get worried.
...You'll be worried?
Of course.
I'm sorry. I'm not used to this, so I didn't know.
If the lift generator under the Cat Mansion is broken, I thought I should gather my belongings here.
...I see. Well this was yours and Laude's hideout.
I suppose that's correct.
By the way, what's Laude doing now? Do you know anything?
Ever since he escaped the prison during the Ascension, he's gone missing...
Unfortunately, I barely know anything about him.
But, you were always with him.
Our goals were the same.
To obtain the Heart of Gaea.
...So like, maybe you can tell us now...
What Laude is up to?

It's not like I owe Laude anything. We weren't even allies, we were just pursuing the same goal. If anything, his defeat helps me.



His goal was to take the Heart of Gaea back to his homeland.
That's why he was so desperate to create Gaea.
Of course, his goal wasn't the land itself.
It was the Heart of Gaea that was made at the time.
So you and Laude were in a competition to get that Heart of Gaea?
...Naturally, yes.
What were you guys going to do with it? What are you both plotting?
Don't treat me the same as him. Our goals for its use were completely different.
According to the info my friend from the Tower of Tyria sent me...
Tower of Tyria!?
You mentioned that in the prison, too. That he's from the Tower of Tyria...
What are the people from the Tower of Tyria trying to do?
It has nothing to do with you.
Yes it does! They tried to sacrifice this world!
...What are you going to do if I told you? Go to the Tower of Tyria?
I believe you have more important things to do right now.

I swear if I leave for more than ten minutes they start to wander off track. I mean that's the only reason I'm staying. It's not like I'm enjoying myself or anything.



......
Are you saying it's okay to focus on Metafalica for now?
You're quick to catch on. I like that about you.
But just as he said in prison, he's not the type of guy to give up easily.
I hope he's not up to something terrible again, even as we speak.
So, are you from the Tower of Tyria, too?
No. I'm from somewhere else.
What!? So you mean, there's another different tower?
That's right. This world is huge...
...Well, sorry I took up so much of your time.
I'm done here but I also want to stop by Promise Hill.
Promise Hill? At the graves of the Royal Families?
Yes. If it breaks off here, I have a feeling Promise Hill is going to fall, too.
There's something I want to check before that happens.
About the two maidens that created Metafalica 400 years ago...
About Nenesha and Infel?
...Yes.

We headed out to Promise Hill, and as I suspected there was a hidden door.



...Found it. As I thought, it's sealed with a Hymnos Spell.
A Hymnos Spell?
Yes. By talking in the Hymnos language, seals break, or doors open.
Ma num ra exec guol ar infel.
Whoa!
See, like that. Now we can enter their room.

And as I'd hoped, there was something worth the trouble in the tomb.

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This is... a diary from 400 years ago. Let's read it.
Hey! It's not nice to read someone else's diary...
It's been 400 years since the writer died. This isn't a diary, it's a historical document.
......
Hmm... let's see...



Nenesha, the 14th Maiden. I'll never forget the day I first met her.
In one word, naïve. She's kinda slow and daydreamy, and it makes me worry if she'll be alright.
Nenesha was born and pamperedly raised at the Grand Bell. Completely the opposite from me.
And we're supposed to unite our minds as one to sing Metafalica. How much more daring can it be?
Anyway, I'm a Maiden starting from today. We have to get along.



When I'm talking with her, I notice sometimes, Nenesha and I are in very similar circumstances.
Sure, I'm an orphan, and she's spoiled, but we both have no one we can talk to on a personal level.
Maybe that, and us being about the same age, is why we're quickly becoming intimate friends.
Nenesha has become someone very important to me.



To sing Metafalica, we need permission from the Infelsphere Platomine.
Being the one who made it, I'm sad to say it's hard. We need to watch each other's emotions.
But Nenesha and I did our best, and we finally traversed through the Infelsphere.
Finally, the time has come to sing Metafalica with Nenesha. How long I've waited for this day...



I designed Infel Pira. I'm not trying to brag, but it's more complicated than First Era technology.
The theory is perfect. If 1,000 people sing, it should meet the power and wavelength requirements.
But it ended in failure. The people betrayed us. The people who accepted me saw my hint of darkness.
All people have some darkness in their heart. Why did they betray us for that?
Nenesha was killed by the Divine Messenger, because the energy was taken from the Goddess.



The Divine Messenger plans to erase our world. The Divine Army was dragged in to begin a full-scale war.
I never planned to use it like this, but I had no choice, I unleashed Infel Pira on the Divine Army.
No matter what the reason, I can't forgive them for killing Nenesha.



Infel Pira's great power brought us victory over the Divine Army. We have surpassed Divine Power.
However, the citizens still blame us for this. How irresponsible of them.
They deprived me of my happy life with Nenesha. But I did my best to save this world.
Why must I endure this kind of treatment?
Because I'm a maiden? What was my fault? What did I do to them?
Metafalica cannot be created in this world. Why didn't I notice that until now?
Because the world is so ugly... and its people are heartless.



Sounds like she was really shocked at the end...
I understand her feelings while she was writing this diary.
The world is indeed ugly. And people truly are heartless.
Those are the perfect words to describe this world in a concise, accurate way.
...Jacqli!

I understand those feelings very well myself. I was feeling a bit chatty, so I talked with Croix for a while.

What A World:



Not much different than here.
...Ah, but there might have been more naïve peace lovers in the other world.
That means it's peaceful. So different than our world.
I'm not sure about that...
It was almost terminated a few years ago.
...That's pretty much the same as our world...
But there are much more peace-loving idiots there, for sure.
Even the administrator of the tower escapes her duties and travels around the town sometimes.
...What a slack administrator.
Well, I guess that means it's so peaceful there.

Jacqli's Bookshelf:



Not all of them. But I keep some of mine there.
I see... then, the journals on those are yours, too...
You didn't read them, did you?
What are you so mad about?
I'm asking if you read them or not?
I didn't. We hardly had time to even read a book, right?
......
I really didn't!
...Okay, I'm glad you didn't see that.
Had you seen it, I would have...
...You would have...?
...Do you really want to know?
...No, I'd rather not. Thanks.

It's surprisingly easy to talk to Croix. I'm not sure what to think about that. I guess I'll have to sleep on it.

Next Time on Ar Tonelico 2: The Doghouse