The following day, Saturday night.
Since Vacher’s workshop was near the Court of Fontaine, I put on a Fatui Debt Collector’s outfit at the beach and set out on the rescue mission with Capitano.
"This... would’ve been unbearably hot in summer. It’s ridiculously stuffy."
"We’ll be going underwater anyway. It should be fine."
Capitano and I entered the water and went looking for Vacher’s workshop. Maybe because it had been so long since I cleared Fontaine’s storyline, my memory was hazy, but finding the way wasn’t difficult. I remembered there being all sorts of security devices in there...
"There aren’t any security devices. Did he not think anyone would sneak in?"
"I guess he thought nobody could get in because it’s underwater."
There really were no security devices, contrary to expectations. What was this? It shouldn’t have been like this...?
That was how we made our way straight into Vacher’s workshop with ease. There were cages for holding people, Primordial Sea water, and all manner of research reports. And inside those cages...
"Elena..."
Elena was collapsed inside a cell. Two other women were down as well, and one of them had apparently been pushed to the brink of losing her mind; there was barely any black visible in her eyes.
"How dreadful. I have never seen Dottore’s experimental workshops, but imagining they might have a similar atmosphere leaves a foul feeling."
"Capitano, you brought the bottles I told you about, right?"
"Yes. I brought them."
"Do you see the water gushing out over there? Fill them with that. A Fontainian like me will dissolve if I touch it, so you should do it."
"I see. Where did you acquire such knowledge?"
"Didn’t I tell you? I came from up there."
I cut the locks on the cages and pulled the women out. Capitano was collecting the Primordial Sea water.
"Mmh... Eek?! Who are you?!"
Elena woke up and looked at me. My face was hidden behind the Debt Collector’s mask, so she did not recognize me.
"Who are you supposed to be now...? What kind of experiment are you trying to perform on me?! Lady Furina... please, save me..."
"Knock that woman unconscious."
"I was about to."
I struck Elena in the neck and knocked her out. The other two seemed to have endured experiments for a long time, because they did not so much as twitch.
Capitano finished collecting the Primordial Sea water and sealed the cap. Then he skimmed through the research records on Vacher’s desk.
"You said this man’s goal was to bring back his lover?"
"Yes, that’s right. But this isn’t Natlan. She can’t come back."
"What a futile endeavor."
Capitano took out a sheet of paper and began writing something on the desk.
"What are you writing?"
"What is the criminal’s name and origin?"
"Vacher. He used to be an adventurer from Snezhnaya."
"Hmm... then I should write it in Snezhnayan."
Capitano took out another sheet and wrote something on it.
Having learned Snezhnayan at the House of the Hearth, I could tell what he was writing.
‘Don’t do anything foolish, Vacher. The Fatui will be watching you.’
"That’s scary."
"A gift bestowed upon those without justice. Now, let us go."
Capitano and I left Vacher’s workshop carrying the three women and the bottles of Primordial Sea water.
A beach near the Court of Fontaine.
I laid the three women down and rested for a while. Capitano expressed his regret that he had not met Vacher.
"It is a shame. I wanted to see that man’s face for myself."
"You’ll see it in the newspapers later. Vacher is his real name, but he has another one."
"Another name? What is it?"
"He’ll be known as a Fontainian businessman named Marcel. Just keep that in mind. Don’t spread it around to anyone."
"Hmm... understood."
"Ugh... my neck..."
Elena woke on the beach and surveyed her surroundings. The other two women who had been with her were beside her, and when she saw Capitano and me, she began to grasp the situation.
"Um... did you perhaps... save me...?"
I nodded without speaking. If I spoke, my identity could be exposed.
Capitano spoke in my place.
"You should thank this boy. He is the benefactor who rescued you."
Elena promptly dropped to her knees and offered me her thanks.
"Thank you... thank you so much... When I was taken, I truly thought I didn’t know what would happen to me... sob..."
I merely looked at Elena in silence.
"Um... could you at least tell me your name...? I feel that I should at least know my benefactor’s name..."
My name...? I looked at Capitano and gestured for him not to say anything. Capitano nodded as though he understood.
"If you wish to know, come find me. Though I do not know whether you will ever have cause to meet me. I will only tell you that he is my subordinate."
Your subordinate? Since when was I your subordinate?
"Then let us go. You are fortunate. Consider yourselves alive thanks to my subordinate."
Did he really want to make me his subordinate...? Honestly, I’d rather not join the Fatui...
I followed Capitano down the beach and disappeared from sight.
Desperate to learn some information, Elena tried to run after us, but tripped over one of the other women and fell.
"Aah!"
"Hm? Is someone there?"
Hearing the scream, a fisherman looked around. Soon, he spotted the three women lying on the beach.
"Hey, ladies! What are you doing over there?!"
Realizing that she had escaped that hell, Elena cried out to the fisherman for help.
"Please save us!!!!"
Newspapers were not published on Sundays because the publishers were closed. But today was different. An extra edition had been issued.
A reporter from The Steambird cried out while holding up the extra edition.
"Extra edition! Extra edition! The women have returned alive!"
[Three Missing Women Return Alive... Found on a Beach Near the Court of Fontaine]
[One in Critical Condition, Admitted to Intensive Care]
[The Remaining Two Under Observation at the Hospital]
When I returned at dawn on Sunday, Peruel scolded me for asking where I had been. She wasn’t my wife, so why was she sticking her nose into where I went? Then I placed the Primordial Sea water I had obtained this time in the storage room of my bedroom. I had gotten two 1.5-liter bottles, so I thought I could make use of them if I rationed them carefully. Capitano left for Snezhnaya, satisfied. He said he would work to improve the Fatui’s image. Improve their image? I did not know if that would be easy, but it was probably just a scheme to draw me in.
In the morning, Clorinde came to our house to cook. Apparently, the Palais Mermonia had become busy as well. Upon hearing that the women had returned alive, even high-ranking officials had gone in to work despite it being Sunday. It was my doing, but may they rest in peace. After breakfast, I went outside and took an extra edition being handed out by a Steambird reporter. I was relieved to hear that Elena was recovering. As for the other woman... would she survive...? She had been in terrible shape...
I sat in a café drinking coffee and continued reading the extra edition. With a lead in the Serial Disappearance of Young Girls Case finally appearing, the spectacle of them churning out speculative articles was something else. The Fatui had kidnapped them, they had been discarded because there was no demand for selling them as slaves overseas—the paper was full of every imaginable claim. I did not know what would happen once a composite sketch came out, but even then, identifying Vacher would be difficult. That bastard must have been shocked too. The Fatui had left him a threatening letter, after all.
"Hey! Avrora! Is this where you were?"
"Marco."
Marco’s face had brightened. It was because Elena had returned.
"Man, what a relief, right? When I saw her parents’ faces yesterday, I was almost brought to tears."
"Yeah. It’s a relief."
"I asked Elena’s parents, and they said she might be discharged around Wednesday. When that happens, let’s all three of us go eat something good!"
"Sure. Who’s paying, though? You know I don’t have any money."
"Of course I’ll treat you! Isn’t that only natural on a happy day? Hahaha!"
"Sounds good. Let’s do that."
"Then I’ll see you at the institute tomorrow! I have work to do, so I’m off!"
"Take care."
I watched Marco leave and sank into thought. I wondered what Elena would say once she stood before the reporters. Who saved her? What did the criminal look like? What had been done to her? Those questions would naturally come up. I could only hope she had not heard my voice. It would be troublesome if she had.
"Sigh... I’m sure it’ll work itself out... The breeze is cool, and hot coffee tastes good."
It was October, with winter steadily drawing closer.
Comments (0)
Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register