[......]
Mk46: We’ve finished clearing out the enemies, and the last signal’s vanished.
RO, can you hear me?
RO635: I ー glub ー can hear you, would you mind ー blub ー opening the gate ー
Mk46: But there’s no gate switch here, is there?
RO635: Dammit… isn’t the control panel in their HQー
Since you’ve wiped them all out, hurry up and reconnect the remote interface!
M4 SOPMOD II: Ahhh… don’t move around, RO, I’m going to fall into the water!
RO635: I can think of a hundred ways to die… but I didn’t expect being short-circuited by being submerged in water to be one of them…
When I get a new body, I’m going to ask Persica for one with good waterproofing...
M4 SOPMOD II: Hey hey, don’t give up so easily! You can still back up your digimind if you short circuit, I can’t change bodies like you can!
[Suddenly, a gate slowly opens in the distance. The water immediately flows out and the water level begins slowly falling.]
RO635: Huh? The gate… opened by itself?
M4 SOPMOD II: Did Mk46 and the others find the switch? Ah… this water stinks, I can’t stand it, where’s the off switch for my sense of smell...
RO635: Get off my head first before saying that...
M4 SOPMOD II: The water hasn’t all flowed away yet, let me stay up here for a little longer!
???: In the end, the problem was solved by wiping all the enemies out. I expected nothing less of the renowned Griffin Commander.
RO635: This voice...
K...san?
K: Very good, at least you didn’t call me “Source-san” this time round.
RO635: First, I need to thank you.
Did you save us?
K: Me? Oh no, I’m just an ordinary human being.
The gates need to be activated through the control panel or remotely hacked. I can’t split myself and I don’t specialize in electronic warfare either.
RO635: Then who…?
K: If you want to thank someone, thank your guardian angel. Otherwise you would have been finished on the streets.
RO635: Guardian… angel?
K: I told you just now, we could talk if you survived. So now we can talk.
RO635: Let’s leave that aside for now...
Ah… do you know where Angelia is?
K: Are Griffin dolls all so impatient? Shouldn’t we start talking about what’s in front of us?
RO635: ..Then… why are you so familiar with the sewers, K-san?
K: Marlohe, verify the corpses they left behind.
Maid Doll: Yes.
K: Before I answer your questions, I have a condition.
I will be taking samples from the enemies you killed. That will be the price of answering your questions. How about it? Very worthwhile, right?
RO635: Commander… yes… alright, I promise. Can you answer my question just now?
K: The sewers are my escape route. I know where every rat down here lives. I have to applaud their tenacity in being able to chase me all the way here.
I’ve been looking into these white things for a while, so I attracted their attention. My plan was to lure them into the sewers and then sneak away, but since you showed up, I decided to go one step further ー after all, a chance to obtain samples doesn’t come by easily.
RO635: These white enemies… what are they...
K: You’ll have to ask their corpses. They’re not like you dolls. These machines contain humans ー or should I say, parts of them.
RO635: Humans!?
K: Of course, there’s no need to feel guilty when you shoot them. The humans inside are long since dead. It is “faith” that drives their actions.
RO635: F...faith? The more you say, the more confused I get.
K: That’s right, faith. Or at least that’s what they call it.
Of course, we know that’s all nonsense, but to their devotees, it’s like a miracle.
RO635: Devotees… so you’re saying these “people” believe in something, and then they act… it sounds just like a cult...
K: To the people outside the cities, being infected by the Eurosky Low-Emission Infectious Disease is practically the same as dying.
So anyone who claims they can fight it will gain the adoration of a great deal of people who have been plunged into despair.
RO635: ELID?I’ve seen that before...
K: When people in despair glimpse hope, their desire to survive generates tremendous energy. And that energy is all too easily used.
Even after being stuffed into these metal boxes, the thought of being able to survive one more day is enough to give one’s life for, even after death, don’t you think?
RO635: So… someone used despair to form a cult…
And then they used the cult to build a private army…?
K: Hmph… a cult, huh? I haven’t fully investigated it yet, but I think your guess is pretty close.
They have no background at all, they wield extremely advanced weapons, and their soldiers are fearless. Sounds scary, don’t you think?
RO635: ...
K: A year ago, the number of people going missing in the Yellow Zones suddenly spiked, but the number of organized violence incident also rose dramatically.
And then half a year ago, while the number of missing persons cases didn’t go down, the number of group incidents began to fall.
The PMCs responsible for regional safety were very happy, but they didn’t notice that this implied that there was an organization backing them now.
RO635: We fought them several months ago, but I didn’t think their units would be like this… who are they, and what are their motives...
K: You were lucky to survive that incident.
But you were in a hurry to retreat, and so all the evidence which remained was cleared away.
As for their motives, who knows? All I know is that their arrival in this city was not a coincidence, just like how your presence here is not a coincidence either.
RO635: Our presence here… is not a coincidence...
K: Take it, It’s a greeting gift for Griffin.
RO635: What’s in this suitcase?
K: It contains something that will help your future operations.
K: Also, I know you’re watching us through your terminal, Commander.
While I don’t know what you look like, from your performance just now, I can see why so many people fear you.
But in this city, you don’t want to be my enemy, just as I don’t want to be your enemy for the time being.
Still, this is just a greeting.
Should I say… “Pleased to meet you” or “Welcome to Belgrade”?
I’ve been waiting a long time for you.
So now…
Angelia… let me tell you about her story
Where would you like me to begin?