Liberi Reader

So this is the Rhodes Island Siesta branch office?

How did you know—

I happen to have a few friends at Rhodes Island.

You're a tour guide, aren't you? Don't tell me you're giving tours of a pharmaceutical company now.

I, I was driving a guest...

Save me the excuses.

It's dangerous for an Oripathy patient to hide his identity, regardless of reason. It's against the law, even in Siesta.

Yes, I know!

But what am I supposed to...?

Then you work so many jobs—and swindled me—because of Oripathy?

...and family.

What happens to me doesn't matter, but I worry about what happens to them when I'm gone.

I just need time... until the shop moves and we have a new future...

Hm...

Don't look at me like that. I'm not asking for your sympathy.

No, I just remembered how much you charged me the other day compared to the average taxi price here.

Well, you lied about being a normal tourist...

Oh? You've got a sharper tongue than one would think.

What do you want?

Let's make a deal.

You saw that chap from MountainDash Logistics the other day, in the bar. He's my competitor.

We're competing for the rebuilding rights in the commercial district, but he has home-ground advantage. I need some local help to even the odds.

You work for me, and I never saw you today. How's that?

You're trying to blackmail—

Now, now, there's no need for such language. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. And don't worry, you'll be paid.

I don't need a handout...

And I'm not giving any handouts. All I want is a fair deal.

What's your deal?

I run a clean business here. We don't do forced relocations and the like. If everybody wins, so much the better.

Now, there's always going to be controversy when it comes to rebuilding. But I promise that I'll do better than MountainDash Logistics.

We've already worked together once, after all. May I count on your vote?

I just want my family's bar to be relocated smoothly...

Deal, then.

Oh, and one little word of advice.

No matter what you have to deal with, Oripathy treatment is not something that can be delayed. You should make up your mind soon.

Aren't you concerned about dealing with an Infected?

......

I have a friend who's Infected too.

......

Did you really see it?

Yes! I saw the ice cream come in here!

You just wanted to come to the museum.

I knew we wouldn't find it. He was lying to us. He didn't go to all those places...

How did you get in? Admission is closed.

Sorry... we'll be going.

Have you seen my dad?

Your dad?

We're looking for a... er... er... adventurer?

He went to a lot of places! In the photos he sent us, there were volcanoes, snow mountains, hills in nomadic cities...

His photo might be in the Volcano Museum!

What's your father's name?

Chuck!

I've never heard of a volcanologist by that name. Maybe you should ask elsewhere.

I may know your dad.

What are you doing here, Adele? And you look awful...

You've seen him?

You said your dad was an adventurer?

Where has he been?

I don't know... he always sends back photos when he visits a place.

I think the last one was from Sargon.

Sargon! I knew it.

My parents were volcanic researchers. They told me a story about when they were surveying in Sargon...

They quickly lost their way in the thick branches and leaves of the rainforest, and it felt like they were wandering around the stomach of a great beast.

Just as they thought they would never get out, they saw a man with leaves all over him.

'Are you lost? Do you need any help?'

He pointed the way for them and took them out of the rainforest. They even saw a sight of sunny rain. My parents were really thankful.

'Thank you so much for helping us out of there! What is your name, sir?'

The man brushed off the leaves, took a photo of the rainforest, and said, 'No need to thank me. The name's Chuck. I'm taking this photo to send to my kids.'

And that's how the photo made it to you.

Really? Sounds made-up...

Of course it's true!

I think I have a photo here somewhere...

Look, here's your dad.

......

(I'm still not sure that's actually my dad...)

(I can't see him clearly, but...)

(I hope he's my dad! That means he helped other adventurers find their way and sent us a photo! What a cool dad!)

(I didn't know you were a storyteller.)

(Just repeating something I heard from mom when I was little, with a few adjustments here and there.)

(There's no reason for a professional volcanic survey team to accept help from an amateur. The story sounds entirely unscientific.)

(Science exists to bring hope to people, doesn't it?

Well, we can't have them running around the museum like this. If their parent or guardian isn't here, I'll take them home.

You look tired, Adele. You should get some rest too.

Come, kids, I'll take you home.

Kahn, I think I should do it.

But you...

It's fine. Let me do it.

They look lonely... I'll keep them company.

Enis!

Enis!

Where did you go?

I found out where dad went!

Make sure you tell your family the next time you go out.

It's you...?

Huh? You're...

I, I...

......

I'm the one who ran into you today and knocked you out... I'm Enis. I'm their brother. Are you okay? Any dizziness? Dr. Ceylon said... er, she said...

I'm sorry! I didn't mean to run off, but I had to go to work. I'll pay your medical expenses—

Dr. Ceylon told me everything. It's not your fault.

Your little brother and sister must be hungry. You should go home.

Er...

Thank you so much... what's your name?

Call me Adele.

I'll remember... little ones, don't you have something to say to Adele?

Thank you, Adele!

Huh? Who's there?

That's so nice to see.

......

Mr. Enis, do you know one Mr. Pelipper?

The Volcano Museum needs obsidian for its research. I heard you may be able to acquire some...

Damn, he just can't keep his mouth shut, can he...?

Could I buy some from you?

You helped me so much, I should repay the favor.

I dug these up around the volcano three months ago. They don't look great, but maybe they'll be useful for your research.

Thank you very much!

However, I must ask you to stay away from the volcano. If you know anyone else who is mining for obsidian, please also tell them to stop doing so.

Mount Siesta has entered its active period. Even if it hasn't erupted yet, Originium activity in the area continues to increase.

There is a risk of Oripathy infection without professional protective equipment.

Well, I...

......

Alright, I promise I won't go anymore.

And thank you for playing with my siblings. That should have been my responsibility as big brother.

It's okay. They're very cute. I had a good time too.

By the way, your siblings said that your father has not been home for a long time?

He's a, er, adventurer? Traveler? Explorer?

It's not like he's gone off the grid or anything. He sends postcards and money back on a regular basis.

You can be present without actually being there. However...

By the time we get a letter from him, he's already off to the next place. All we know is that there's someone out there, going from one corner of the land to the other.

Sometimes I want to see for myself where he's been.

Harley raised us here while running the shop. But she says that life is a journey, and everyone chooses the sights they want to see.

If you don't mind me asking... why are the three of you all different races?

Well, we're not blood-related...

All three of us were adopted.

Oh...

No need to look at me like that. It's not exactly taboo.

People come and go every year, some seeking a new life, some seeking romance.

Many leave in disappointment when they find that life here isn't all it's cracked up to be, leaving behind children like us.

I can tell your siblings love you.

It must seem strange to outsiders, but for me, family is family. Ties of blood aren't that important.

I don't know what my birth parents looked like. Maybe they abandoned me, or maybe they loved me, and got into an accident.

My new parents didn't hide anything from me. The little ones will be told the truth too, once they're a little older.

......

And how long were you planning to hide it from me, Enis?

—Mom?

Alright, I admit, I have thought of remaking this place into a hot springs resort...

I promise I won't try to do it behind your back! I won't do anything without your permission—

Once you've gotten everything in order, once arrangements for our future have been made the way you wanted.

Then you'll leave your mother and siblings behind the way you clear a drunkard out of the bar, and find a place to wait for Oripathy to take you?

Is that the journey you've chosen for yourself?

......

...You knew?

I was waiting for you to tell me.

Mr. Enis, you're already—

I...

Well, blame me and my fat fingers... I got scratched by Originium when I was digging for obsidian at the volcano.

I thought I was good at climbing...

Yeah, I learned my lesson...

No, the only thing you learned to is to hide things from me, and you're not half as good as you think you are at it.

You've got that look on your face that says 'I'm gonna finish everything, go far away, and tell my blissfully ignorant mother everything in a farewell letter after I die.' You think it's cool.

I... I...

Now you've got that look on your face that says 'I can't even say that's not what's going on'.

I-I didn't think it was cool. I just felt like it's what I have to do as a big brother... as a part of this family.

After all, w-we're not...

......

Even if you didn't do anything, you'll still be their brother, and my son. There is no bargaining in love.

If you insist on bargaining with me about this, young man, let me tell you that you'll be working off your debt for a long time.

......

Oh, sorry, I thought some background music was in order for a scene like this.

Name's Byrd. Traveling troubadour.

Our resident singer now.

You can afford a resident singer?

No, but this one only wants to be paid a story.

Your Kazimierz story was wonderful. It helped a great deal in understanding the folk tunes of those parts.

Can I borrow your guitar?

Let me play a song.

So you came here.

How far can you see from here?

It's all dark... just empty seas.

Not being able to see means you can imagine!

There's actually an island on the far side of the sea, and everyone who leaves Siesta lives on the island.

I'm a little scared... when we grow up, will our parents and Enis leave us...

He won't!

Enis says we're an adventure team!

A team doesn't leave each other. We'll go back to Old Siesta, and many other places...

......

You can't tell there's something on Enis's mind?

What? How do you have something on a mind?

......

You're an idiot.

......

Hey—Old Siesta—

I miss you—

Will you stop being angry?

It's a loss for the Obsidian Festival that your performance was not part of it.

There's nothing to be lost. Siesta has heard my music many times. I don't need to compete for attention with young people at a music festival.

You're a Siestan with rock n' roll spirit.

In my case, I added the Siestan identity to a rock n' roll spirit.

Chuck and I met on our travels in Siesta.

We heard about the wondrous sight of the 'White Volcano,' how the entire volcano turns white like a marshmallow under certain weather conditions.

We spent a year in Siesta without seeing a sight of it, but we fell in love with the city and settled down here, opening a little shop.

If we couldn't find the 'White Volcano,' we could make one ourselves.

So that's how the shop got its name? I thought you two just came up with it on the fly.

Dr. Keller has talked about the legend of the White Volcano before... but does it really exist?

Might be snow if it's just the top of the mountain, but when you're talking about the whole mountain... I don't know of any phenomenon like that.

Whether it actually exists or not is not important. The scene of legends has taken root in new soil, even creating a new legend of its own—

What a beautiful story.

This reminds me of an old song that was written in Siesta.

May I?

White... Volcano?

The original Messenger for this batch called in sick. The letter was already like that when I got it. This was the only place I could think of when I saw 'volcano' on the envelope.

I know as much as you do, if there's no information about the sender on the letter, there's no information.

'How have you been? I'm doing fine here.'

'It's been a long time. I miss you.'

'The volcano is a spectacular sight. The winds are strong at the peak.'

'Love, Your Father'

Mr. Enis... might this photo be from your father?

My father?

This is... Mount Unna! He really did go there!

Mom! Dad sent a photo! Want to see?

Write back to him and tell him that he loses his bet if he sends another postcard photo and not one that he actually took himself.

After all, I raised my son to be cool, while all he does is steal other people's photos.

Real adventurers don't do that.

I'll bring these obsidian samples back. We should have a more accurate estimate of the eruption time.

Glad to be of help.

...Adele, do you know why Keller called you to Siesta?

Some of the exhibits in the Volcano Museum were connected to my parents' research. Dr. Keller asked me to help organize things.

I'm not sure I understand your concerns...

In their last days, my parents were studying the relationship between Originium veins and volcanic activity. There are many other people doing the same. Why would there be danger?

......

I wasn't sure it was my place to tell you what Dr. Naumann tried to hide from you... but hide this any longer, and you may never have the chance to learn the truth.

......

In the year before Dr. Naumann died, her lab was frequently contacted by the personal army of a Leithanian Kurfürst.

Army...?

The Naumanns were experts in Originium and ecology. Their research converged on the prediction and prevention of Catastrophes.

But someone may have seen another possibility in their research.

Weaponization...

I was studying abroad at the time, so what I knew was limited to rumors in my classmates' messages.

There was only one person who had access to their research.

Keller.