Liberi Reader

—When did they appear?

I'm not sure. But the 'Gramophone' didn't start...

I told you before not to rely on those experimental automatic Arts devices.

If they have some educated Leithanians in that Infected group, they could have easily turned a machine against us.

Too late for that. The Infected quarter is crawling with them. They're whipping them up.

...The people here should be above that kind of provocation.

B-but there are more and more protesters every day. They're gathering up and—

What are their demands?

They want us to start supplying Zwölftontechnik Strasse again... and they want all quarantine measures on Zwölftontechnik Strasse lifted.

...Nonsense.

Of course, their main demand is that we give an appropriate response to the fire...

They don't give a rat's ass about the fire. Just you wait, everyone will forget what this was about soon enough.

What should we do? Rhodes Island is already here. It's only a matter of time before they find out.

We all know that. Why do you think I sent Tatjana with them?

Before we lay it all out for Rhodes Island, we have to be sure what kind of company they are. We have to know if they're Atro's kind of Infected, or 'the other' kind.

I'm not sure that's right... Won't things just get worse once they find out on their own what we're hiding?

Ha... Think what you will. If they're the type to turn the other cheek, that's what they'll do. You and I both know what's going on here in Wolumonde.

I know, but—

—Then don't try to play the good guy here. Things don't work out for the good guys. We need to focus on outcomes.

*Cough* *cough*... What about the real nasty ones? Like the devils?

They haven't made formal contact yet...

They're a bunch of vultures, stirring up our people, looking to divide and conquer. How trite of them.

They're playing it cool, probing our defenses. When they're sure there's no Gendarmerie garrisoned in Wolumonde...

Everyone here is ready to fight. And we have the L-44 'Gramophone' defense system.

But you're not Gendarmerie... *Sigh*, I'm just trying not to get anyone killed, *cough*— *cough* *cough* *hack*—

Take care of yourself. Wolumonde can't afford to lose you.

Really? I don't think it makes much difference...

Who else could keep Wolumonde's defenses up without a single Gendarmerie?

It's just stubborn blood. Leithanian nobles won't stoop to doing their own dirty work. Give them one more push and you'll see this place go to hell in a handbasket.

If we don't come up with something soon, this game is over.

We have to get back on our normal course before winter. Stay stuck in this wasteland and watch starvation and rioting destroy the town.

Maybe... Yes, you're right.

It's already getting cold, *cough*—

...I hope Wolumonde still has other options.

Hey! Where are you two from?!

Are you here to help those morons keep us locked up in here to die?!

Know your place!

Who were you talking to just now? What did you tell him?

Hah. You scared? You should be!

It's because you bureaucrats can't do shit that Wolumonde is in this mess!

Why don't you let us try running the show for a while?!

This isn't anyone's fault!

You're just gonna call it a Catastrophe and be done with it?! It's your fault we couldn't steer away from it in the first place!

...You're begging for a fight, Infected.

Have you been to any other cities? Have you seen how other Infected live?

Even I can see that Wolumonde is in a crisis, but the non-infected are going through the same tough times as you Infected. Shouldn't you be working together to get through this?

Huh? And who the hell are you?

I'm a Rhodes Island Operator, an Infected doctor. We help the Infected through crises, as long as they're not stirring up trouble for no reason.

G-good day. C-could you please stop resisting...?

Pfah! You're here to kick us around. If I let you, that is—!

You want us to work together? Why don't you ask the woman who started all this?

That...

Hey, you. You're infected, aren't you?

Mhm.

Nine-tailed Vulpos are pretty rare. Sooner or later, you'll end up just like us.

I don't think so... Everyone's so nice to me...

For now. But that won't last forever. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon enough.

If only Dr. Atro was here...

Hey! What are you doing?! Let go!

What did you just say?

Folinic, calm down!

Did you just say 'Dr. Atro?'

Where is she? Is she alright?

What do you mean where is she? The fire took everything from us!

They've been pushing us out since the Great Rift appeared. They're terrified!

They even rounded up the Infected who came here seeking refuge! Why? Because they have to control us, to lock us up like animals, all to satisfy their twisted idea of humanism!

That's not true... the Schultz isn't like that!

Feh. Whatever. If that's all it was, we'd be fine too...

At least we had Dr. Atro. At least we had each other. Even if we lost this quarter, we at least had a place to stay...

But they... they killed Dr. Atro, and our friends!

Because of that fire!

...Wh-what do you want?

...Atro should have survived that fire.

Huh?!

Oh, I get it. They lied to you. Of course. They lie to everyone.

It wasn't an accident. It was arson. It was murder. It was self-righteous moralizers showing their true colors.

I'm not your therapist. Let's cool the emotional venting—

Heh. You know what they didn't tell you?

Wait, stop!

...The day that fire happened, not a single person made it out of that tent!

......!

You mean...?

I think you know whose side you should be on.

Enough.

Gah! Take it easy already!

...Behave yourself. You're under arrest.

You're no Gendarmerie! None of you are! There's no law here! All we got is leftovers from the settlers!

The Schultz will decide your fate. I'm sorry.

Hmph. You wouldn't dare kill me. You wouldn't risk a mass Infected uprising!

I guess I'll just wait for you to exile me to the wasteland so I can join up with the—

...You and your friends are convinced that we are the ones behind all this.

But we're all fellow citizens of Wolumonde, and we're all a part of this town together. We've lived in peace for so many years—

Why would you trust some the word of some strange outsiders over ours?

What have we done wrong?

...Because you are not one of the Winterwisp. Nor are you Infected. You're just a sheltered little girl.

You forget what it means to be Infected. You forget what Oripathy is. I know better than you. It's that simple.

Here! Tatjana is here!

And Rhodes Island! Are you two okay?

Yes, we're fine!

Take them away, please.

Ugh. I have to see Severin again...

We'll make sure they don't do anything else. But Miss Tatjana, what of the two from Rhodes Island?

I will take care of them.

Very well. Then, we'll go on ahead.

Now can you give me an explanation?

Miss Folinic...

I... I will tell you everything.

I don't know what Schultz Severin and the councilors are thinking. But I believe... Miss Folinic and Miss Suzuran, I believe you deserve to know the truth.

Considering how you just helped me...

You're wasting time. I just want to know... is she alive?

I... I don't know...

You don't know?!

Please, Miss Folinic.

Miss Tatjana... why are you lying to me?

None of us are really ready to accept it ourselves.

Please understand, we don't know what Rhodes Island is like. We had to be sure we could trust—

Even if we were ruthless, cold-blooded corporate raiders out to make everything worse for Wolumonde, that's no excuse for you to deceive our people!

I'm sorry... I really am...

We were planning to tell you the truth...! We, we've been doing everything we can to investigate the Infected outside the town!

But I know. I know that's all just for our own sake. It's no excuse...

Exactly right. You're making excuses. But... it's fine.

All I want... is the truth. Rhodes Island won't abandon you. We wouldn't look past a town suffering a crisis like this.

...!

That would make Atro very unhappy. She's such a baby whenever she gets sad. And I hate seeing her cry.

It's not too late. For either of us.

Helping the Infected and solving their problems is what being a Rhodes Island Operator is all about.

Miss Tatjana, there's so much we can do if we just trust each other!

Thanks.

Before the Catastrophe, the Schultz asked Dr. Atro if she would leave with the refugees...

Dr. Atro said the same thing—'Rhodes Island won't abandon you.'

Please come with me.