Part 37: Whoever is responsible doesn't have a lot of common sense.

-Creeping Crisis-





Soldier: We're under attack!



Officer: HOLD your lines! Stay in position!



Hrmmm. It seems I was right. Ordering a work stoppage at the port was the right idea.



Cassius, just what kind of magic did you use?
What magic? It's just logic, Morgan. The logic of our foes' desires.
After three 'rehearsals'...it was simply a question of what made the most tempting target.



Hazel: They've suffered a fairly large earthquake!
We were right...
Wh-What happened?! Is anyone hurt?!
Hazel: Thankfully, there don't seem to be any injuries. I think they mentioned they prepared in advance.
It seems Cassius CAN beat an earthquake.
Thank the Goddess...
Hah! That's Cassius, all right. The man has the danger sense of a fox.
Now then. The Capel should have the results for us.

So, let's see.
...Ohhhh. This is interesting...
What is it, Professor? Did we learn something?
I do believe we have. According to this, the flows along the septium veins were altered significantly prior to the earthquake. The unusual flows gathered beneath a single location, apparently. Since it occurred quite close to the surface, it had little effect beyond the immediate area.
So that'd mean...Aw, hell.
H-Hang on a second. You're saying someone's controlling SEPTIUM VEINS in order to generate earthquakes on purpose?!
So it's literally an earthquake weapon? That's horrific...
You have the right of it. A weapon that can cause earthquakes anywhere with septium veins.
B-B-But, Grandpa! Controlling septium veins? Is that even possible?!
It's well beyond the capabilities of any earth-moving technology I'm aware of.
I agree.
However, we cannot deny the evidence in front of us. Someone has made it possible.
Well, tough for them!
Professor, can you use the data to figure out where the weapon is?! If you can, we'll go stop it!
Yeah!
Damn straight!
Hmm. Perhaps I can!
Right, pull back to the data at the start of the disturbance...Now, in what direction does the flow disturbance begin...I have it. 165.88 by -228.35...
Huh...
Tita, do you know where that is?
I think so...

The coordinates are selge from Zeiss' center, so...



If east 12 selge, north 378 is Leiston Fortress...



East 165 selge, south -228 selge would be...
You're all just lucky I know my cardinal directions.



Yeah. I think it'd be about here.



What?
Hell of a place to hide.
Now it all makes sense. What better way to decompress from the shock of an earthquake, than a relaxing hot springs vacation? Mrs. Mao would have made a fortune. And were it not for the failure of her elite sheep assassins, she might even have gotten away with it. But she's gone too far this time.



So the origin of the disturbance is somewhere near the hot springs, then?
I can't say for certain, but it seems likely. So, what do you plan to do?
Isn't it obvious?! We're gonna go check it out right now!
Yeah, we need to move, and fast.
Indeed. So...
Tita, go with them. They will need your knowledge and technical skill in their investigation.
'Mostly your knowledge and technical skill relating to miniguns.'
Oh! Um...
Okay! I'll do everything I can to help, I promise!
Well, uh. This might be kind of dangerous.
On the other hand, Tita WILL be a big help, so I sure can't say no!
For the love of...Fine, whatever.
You just be careful, okay, squirt?
I will!
I'll contact Elmo ahead of you. I'm sure Mrs. Mao will be glad to help your investigation.
Thanks, Mr. Murdock.
Hazel, get Mrs. Mao at the Elmo Inn on the line at once.
Hazel: Yes, sir!

-Silence-



If I discover anything, I'll contact Elmo at once.
Thanks, Professor. If we find anything, we'll call you right away.
Excellent. Good luck, everyone.
All right! Let's get to Elmo!

-Factory City of Zeiss-





Wow. You really do know everything, Kilika.
Hazel contacted me. To target Leiston Fortress...Whoever is responsible doesn't have a lot of common sense. Be very careful as you go.
Yeah, that's the plan.
Good work. I've got the pay for all your investigations to date ready.

One of the more serious ailments--the target can't take any actions, and can be instakilled by any additional weapon hit. None of the low-tier ailment-on-hit quartz take effect often enough for my liking, though.
Be sure to get everything ready before you head to Elmo. Well, then, do be careful...



-A Cat Relaxing in the Sun-



Mrs. Maaaaao!



Murdock called ahead of you lot, told me what's happening. There've been earthquakes all over the region, eh? Odd...
Odd, nothing. This whole thing is bizarre, but maybe you can help us...
Actually, I'd like to turn that around. I was about to contact the guild anyway. Something strange happened just a few hours ago.
What?!
An earthquake hit here, too?!
I almost wish...An earthquake might be less destructive...
Well, picture's worth a thousand words, eh? Come see for yourself...



The springs are boiling over!
What the hell? It's not supposed to get this hot!
Believe me, I'd like to know what's going on here too...
Right after I got off the phone with Murdock, I heard a big fuss out here. I came out to see what was going on, and found...this.
Maybe...the pump is broken, somehow? It might be emitting heat, or...Wait, no, it couldn't heat ALL this water...
No, the pump's working just fine, I checked it a second ago. The way I see it, something at the source of the springs must've changed.
So...I'm guessing temperature changes like this aren't too common?
It's never happened while I've been here...and I've been here half a century!
It's worrying, to say the least.
To be honest, this may have something to do with the earthquakes.
If something is stimulating the septium veins, might that heat the water further?
Um, that's...really likely, actually! And if the water keeps getting hotter, the springs'll be too dangerous to live near...
Like heck we'll let that happen! C'mon, let's go find the problem!
Ma'am, where's the springs' source? Can we go check it out?
I thought you might ask that, so I fished this out the back of a drawer.
Go on, take it!

A key?
Mmhm! It's the key to the wooden gate near the pump shed. The cave down to the source of the springs is that way.
Sweet! Thanks, Mrs. Mao!
I didn't know there was a cave like that!
Heh, thanks for gettin' things ready for us, ma'am.
Oh, don't worry. We're the ones asking you for a favor, after all!
I can't well let the customers boil themselves like eggs, and we can't even use our water for washing. I'm counting on you all to get to the bottom of this!
You can bet we will!



I think it'd be wise to make absolutely sure we're prepared before we go in.
Yeah. We just might find who we're lookin' for inside. Let's make sure we go in loaded and ready.