Hofmann: Burn these letters, Marcus.
Hofmann: Destroy them in accordance with the Field Mission Manual Article 341 so that no one else can read them.
Hofmann walks briskly, handing over the latest reviewed letter to her assistant.
Marcus: Ok, Madam Hofmann ... But shouldn't we reply to these messages from the Field squad?
Hofmann: Don't bother. The secret letters are sent to all active investigators above rank four.
Hofmann: The squad is like the watchers of the Critical Points. They collect and record every event different to the ones in history and report to the Foundation. These incidents will be the index for evaluating the stability of the current era.
Hofmann: In other words, the more reports they send, the more unstable the era is.
Hofmann: This keeps every field investigator up to date on the situation so they can plan their next move. In the past, we have seen too many tragedies caused by a lack of information.
Hofmann: But now, our own task is more urgent.
Hofmann bites her lip, rushing Marcus around a corner.
Recent events have added a few more strands of white to her hair.
Hofmann: "The Circle" publicly committed treason, Isolde and Heinrich disappeared, Kakania became wanted.
Hofmann: The Leopoldstadt riots and the march of the lower-class arcanists may be directly related to them.
Hofmann: Heinrich and Isolde's speech is like the spark that ignited the powder keg that is Vienna. The riots have been going on for days.
Marcus: But ... Why was Ms. Kakania wanted?
Marcus: She didn't act out of line in the exhibition, and seemed totally unaware of the speech. All she had was the book which didn't belong to this era. Clearly, Heinrich didn't tell her a thing!
Hofmann: It's because she is the known founder of "The Circle," and a middle class with no background.
Hofmann: This is good news for us, Marcus. We can start with Kakania. They didn't protect her from being wanted, which means she hasn't been fully assimilated into this elite group of nobles.
Hofmann: How typical of Manus Vindictae. We need to find her fast.
Hofmann: Luckily, the Spider Tail you put on her is reacting.
*crash*
Stones scrape over the top of her head.
The investigators turn back in shock.
The statue standing at the entrance to the Foundation's Vienna branch has just been shattered to pieces.
A hysterical laugh can be heard booming from the fourth-floor window.
Rioter: Hahahaha! Go to hell, you dirty, disgusting officials!
Rioter: For a kingdom of freedom!
Marcus: ...!
Marcus: For a ... kingdom of freedom ...?
Hofmann: Shoot, they're attacking the Foundation branch?
Hofmann: Focus on what's important, Marcus! Someone's summoned a bunch of critters on Carinthian Street! They're coming this way!
COMBAT
Hofmann: coughing
A strangely scented smoke spreads out over the street, making the already chaotic scene even more incomprehensible.
Hofmann: Something's wrong with this mist. Maybe the evaporation of the arcane potion. cough Devil's Shoestring, judging by the smell ... For better diffusivity?
Hofmann: Marcus, cover your mouth and nose. We'll enter the Foundation's branch when it clears up.
Hofmann pulls Marcus's hand, darting through the crowd at speed to avoid inhaling more of the unknown gas.
At last, they reach an area not yet engulfed by chaos.
For now, all that's left for them is to wait.
Marcus: ...
The unseasoned investigator stands stunned and uncharacteristically vacant in mind.
Hofmann: Marcus, are you ok? Did the mist get to you?
Marcus: No ...
Marcus pats her head, where a layer of cold sweat has formed.
Marcus: Madam Hofmann, the terrorists and the people in the march, what they shouted, "for a kingdom of freedom" ...
Marcus: That's-that's what Ms. Dittarsdorf said in the exhibit, and she quoted that from Dr. Kakania ...
Marcus: And-and it was me ... I told that to Dr. Kakania! I told her about the island, I told her it's a place of freedom for arcanists!
Marcus: So-so I'm the one who caused this turmoil! I told them the secret of the Golden Isle and caused the chain reaction!
Hofmann: ...
Hofmann seems to have neither words of comfort nor criticism planned. She bites her tongue in her mouth.
Marcus, meanwhile, collapses slowly to the ground as she holds her head.
Marcus: I didn't listen to you ... I'm too reckless, I lack rational thinking, I'm unstable and out of control ... And the one thing I can control, my arcane skill, didn't help at all ...
Marcus: You vouched for me and appointed me to the field mission from the headquarters, but I ...!
Hofmann: ... Maybe it is like what you said.
Hofmann rubs her temples figuratively, ignoring the now-pale complexion of her subordinate.
Hofmann: Maybe you did play a role in this era, causing a butterfly effect in history ...
Hofmann: But trying to be responsible for everything beyond one's capability is a symbol of irrational hubris.
Marcus: —!
Hofmann: First of all, creating chaos in this chaotic time is more than easy. Just look at all the frequent ethnic conflicts, assassinations, and espionage.
Hofmann: If not "The Circle" and Isolde, the Manus will find themselves a different flashpoint.
Hofmann: You never know how the leaked information will simmer. Its subsequent spread is uncontrollable, and remorse would be useless.
Hofmann: The thing is, everyone has their own ideas about that island. Your words just deepened their expectations.
Marcus: ...
Her cheeks finally regain some color.
Hofmann: As for your self assessment ...
Hofmann: We have all heard it: humans are more rational and arcanists are more emotional.
Hofmann: They're sensitive to the darkness in the world, so they can easily become absorbed in their own emotions and ignore reality.
Hofmann: But if we put a human child in the position of an arcanist, who always takes on the world because of his uniqueness, who is never understood for his talents ...
Hofmann: Maybe he too will become impulsive, sensitive, immature and unstable.
Hofmann: And that's why it sometimes dawns on me that if we put an arcanist child in the position of a human being who receives enough love, education, and positive feedback ...
Hofmann: These "instabilities" might be controllable. At least enough to keep them from hurting themselves or others.
Marcus: Madam Hofmann ...
Hofmann: I took you away from the "Storm" in 1912. It's been a long time after that, so I know how precious it must be for you to return to 1914.
Hofmann: And your urge to complete the mission, and go back to Romania.
Hofmann: You're not an impulsive person, Marcus, you're just growing up.
Hofmann: And you do need to grow.
Hofmann brings her hand to her mouth, coughing softly and hesitantly.
Hofmann: As for appointing you, it was by my own will.
Hofmann: Because, the age of humans has come to an end.
Marcus: The age of humans ... is ending?
Marcus staggers back to her feet.
Contrary to her expectations, Hofmann's expression is unchanged.
As if she is merely stating an established fact.
Hofmann: If the eras keep on regressing, human technologies would fail to accumulate.
Hofmann: Meanwhile, arcane skills that depend largely on the individual's potential, will shine.
Hofmann: In this war of reversals, futures, and time, it is you who will survive, not us. And that's why sooner or later, you'll have to go at it alone.
Hofmann: This is the most rational assessment I can make for the continuation of civilization.
Marcus: Rational ...
Marcus: But I've been doing my best to be rational as well. Even though I keep reading and practicing information analysis ...
Marcus: I ... can't make a choice. What if I make a wrong choice? What if there's no right answer? What if I never told Kakania about ...
Hofmann: Enough. You're getting carried away.
Hofmann: There is nothing mysterious about rationality. It simply guides us out of confusion and straight to the essence of things.
Marcus: The essence?
Hofmann: The reason why we're doing a job here is simple, Marcus.
Hofmann: Arcanists keep going to the Manus. It's because they can promise the "salvation," while we can't.
Hofmann: Therefore, decoding their immunity ritual against the "Storm" is top priority. If we can't, being isolated on a small piece of land, we're bound to meet our end in this temporal catastrophe.
Hofmann: We are not the only investigators sent by the headquarters. So our mission is to collect every clue left by the Manus and send them back to Laplace.
Hofmann: Everything else is secondary.
Marcus: ...
Marcus presses her lips tightly, not wanting to speak.
She takes a deep breath, following Hofmann's words as they step out of the darkness.
She can do nothing more than focus intently on their current situation.
Marcus: Madam Hofmann, besides finding Ms. Kakania, there may be another way.
Marcus: That painting, the last work of Theophil, The Salvation. Something's off with it.
Marcus: When I read it in the exhibition, I felt a familiar afflatus. It was concealed in a clever way, but I noticed the traces of concealment.
Hofmann: Manus's arcane skill?
Marcus hesitates for a moment, performing at once a nod and shaking her head, creating a muddled response.
Marcus: But I couldn't read anything more from it. If we can persuade Ms. Kakania to help us with her arcane skill ...
Hofmann: Is her arcane skill similar to yours?
Marcus: No, quite different. I fought her once. I feel that under certain conditions, our arcane skills might be complementary.
Marcus posits wholeheartedly, once again drifting into her own thoughts.
Hofmann: Well done, Marcus. This is something only you can do.
Hofmann: The government has the painting now. The Field Agent Squad can retrieve it for us.
Hofmann nods, loading more bullets into the chamber.
Hofmann: The fog is cleared. Let's go.
Hofmann: Now, we need to find Kakania.