Kakania: ...
Laplace Researcher: Ma'am, listen.
Laplace Researcher: Can you please put that down first?
Kakania: ...
Eyes empty, she ignores the researcher's tentative advice and continues to grasp the shard in her palm.
It's a shard of mirror.
Kakania: deep breath
Her mirror shattered during the "Storm." This is one piece of it.
But she can't recall who broke it.
Perhaps it was some frantic passerby or simply herself.
Kakania fights against her impulse to grasp the shard even tighter. There is already a cut in her hand. It would be best not to make it deeper.
The Foundation made a mistake. They failed to check her handbag for any dangerous items.
Foundation Staff Member I: Ma'am, the Foundation will accept you as a refugee in accordance with the "Storm" Act.
Foundation Staff Member I: And according to Article 43, Section 2, of the Act, "If a person has survived the 'Storm' with no obvious side effects, they will be put under quarantine control."
Foundation Staff Member I: It also says, "Under special circumstances, ask a member of staff involved in immunity protection production to intervene."
Foundation Staff Member I: So ...
Kakania: ...
Foundation Staff Member I: So we've invited Madam Lucy, the lead of immunity equipment production, to come speak with you. Please put down the sharp object and wait—
She's interrupted by the clanging of steel footsteps and a voice from outside the room.
Lucy: I have been informed that I am needed here.
Foundation Staff Member I: Madam Lucy! That was quick.
Kakania: Hm?
Kakania: Madam Lucy. Is that you?
The footsteps grow steadily louder until Madam Lucy is standing squarely in the doorframe.
Lucy: Yes. It is me. And you are ...
Her scanning process finishes within a second.
Lucy: Ms. Klara Vingler.
Kakania: That's right!
Kakania: We've only heard each other over the phone. I'm impressed you recognized me so easily!
Lucy: Your name is written on the end of the bed.
She points to the name tag. She had simply scanned the room.
Kakania: Oh, the name card. Of course. Haha.
The staff member nods and passes the file to Lucy.
Foundation Staff Member I: I'll leave her to you then, madam. And please be wary of the glass shard in her hand.
Lucy: Not to worry. A shard of glass cannot harm me.
She reaches out a shiny steel hand to Kakania.
Lucy: It is a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Vingler. You are the only one who made the knot and successfully survived the "Storm." I have many questions for you.
Lucy: Especially about your condition, side effects, and what it felt like in the throes of the "Storm."
Lucy: However, due to my suspension from Laplace, my colleagues will carry out the querying for me. Your answers will be of significant help to my research.
Lucy: As a time-traveler, you must have many questions for us as well. I will try my best to answer them for you.
Kakania: You're suspended?
Lucy: Is that your first question?
Lucy: The answer is yes. I received a suspension order because ...
The robot tilts her head, searching for the reason in her almost-ruined database.
Lucy: I violated the confidentiality agreement. I told an arcanist in Vienna about the knot. Her name was ...
Kakania: Kakania, I suppose?
Lucy: Yes, that seems to be the name.
Lucy: How impressive. We have never met before, yet you immediately filled the hole in my data. How did you do that, Ms. Vingler?
Kakania: Because I'm the one you told—I'm Kakania!
Kakania: What on earth is going on? Have you forgotten about our conversations on the phone?
Kakania: Good lord, just when I think I've found someone I actually know in this era!
Despite Kakania's increasing panic, Lucy remains remarkably calm.
Lucy: Do not worry, Dr. Kakania. My memory loss was an inevitable side effect of the "Storm" immunity experiment.
Lucy: The data I still have left should be sufficient to answer most of your questions, though some details will be missing.
Lucy: Are there any other questions you would like to ask me?
Kakania: Experiment side effects?
Kakania: I suppose the situation here is no easier than mine.
Realizing the sensitivity of the topic, she doesn't press for more details.
Kakania: "Immunity," you said.
Kakania: Ms. Marcus calls it a catastrophe, and you call it the "Storm." Is it some kind of disease?
Kakania: Like plague or smallpox?
Lucy: I am unable to answer this question. It is an unknown phenomenon. "Storm," "disease," and "immunity" are just terms we use to try and understand it.
Lucy: But an answer I can provide is: This is a disaster of time that covers the world. Only a few areas are unaffected by it. Both its origin and regularity remain unknown.
Lucy: Using the ritual provided by yourself and Investigator Marcus, we successfully found a method that protects people from the "reverse." Although it has its limits.
Kakania: That's it?
Lucy: That is the summary of the situation.
Even the person with the most knowledge on this subject has little understanding.
Lucy: Our research on "Storm" immunity is still in its initial stages. We are far from fully understanding it.
Lucy: Details like lineage, the thickness of pneuma where you cast the ritual, and the order you tie the knot may affect the results.
Lucy: It is necessary for us to cross-check our data with those who survived the "Storm." Furthermore, you are a crucial witness of the Vienna Incident.
Lucy: We hope you will cooperate with the examination and querying, Dr. Kakania.
Kakania: I understand, madam.
Kakania: I must thank you. Thank you again for giving me this opportunity. You kept your word and taught me how to tie the knot, but now I have almost nothing to give in return.
Kakania: I'm simply here as living proof that the possibility of survival is not zero. That's all I have to offer.
Kakania: I haven't a clue as to how or why it took effect. I'm afraid I'm useless to this place and to you.
Lucy: Is that so?
Lucy: Perhaps there is one thing you can do: undo the hypnosis on Ms. Dittarsdorf.
Kakania: Isolde?!
She jumps out of bed like a startled bird. Lucy just keeps talking.
Lucy: Since she is a former member of Manus Vindictae, the Foundation attempted to question Ms. Isolde von Dittarsdorf. However, she did not cooperate, or rather, could not cooperate.
Kakania: I-Is she alright? I was present for most of what happened, too. Maybe the Foundation can question me instead.
Lucy continues to ignore her.
Lucy: In brief, she has been in a state of hypnosis since she arrived at the Foundation. She still believes she is living a regular life in Vienna. Thus, we have made no progress.
Lucy: Investigator Marcus mentioned in her report that it was you who hypnotized Ms. Dittarsdorf.
Kakania takes a step back in horrified disbelief.
Kakania: No, it can't be!
Kakania: I hardly ever hypnotize my patients, and when I do, I'm extremely cautious about it. I didn't know it was even possible for hypnosis to last so long!
Kakania: No, I would never make such a rudimentary mistake! W-Would I?
Kakania: Oh, my! What have I done!
Lucy: We have adopted every known method to undo the hypnosis, but all have failed. We came to the conclusion that you used your arcane skill to hypnotize her. That is why we need your help.
Lucy: Can you undo her hypnosis by casting your arcane skill?
Kakania: I-I ...
She stares at Lucy, her breath rasping in her chest, unable to speak through the shock.
Lucy: Take a deep breath, Dr. Kakania.
Kakania: panting
Lucy: Relax. Try to control the pace of your breathing. Breathe in, breathe out.
Kakania: panting
Kakania: panting I, I ...
Kakania: I ... inhale
Kakania: exhale I can't.
Lucy: But you have taken a deep breath already.
Kakania: No, not that. It's my arcane skill.
Kakania: I can no longer use it.
Kakania looks down at the shard clenched in her hand. A drop of blood is running down her palm.
She forces herself to look up. With a bitter smile, she presents the shard to Lucy.
Kakania: As you said, experiments always have side effects. You lost something. So did I.
Kakania: My mirror is broken.
Kakania: Believe it or not, I cannot use it to cast my arcane skills anymore.
