Outside the temple of art, the mentor imparts a final set of admonitions to her apprentice.
Hofmann: Remember, Marcus, the working staff of the Foundation branch will take care of the dispute in their fashion. We just need to follow him in.
Hofmann: The members of "The Circle" are top priority, but before any of them can be convicted, as said before, all we have to do is ...
Hofmann: ... Silently observe and respect their lives.
Marcus: Understood.
Marcus: ...!
Marcus: I almost bumped into her! That lady in green seemed to be in a bad mood.
Marcus: Shall I ask the gentleman from the branch who she is? Hmm, he seems busy at the moment ...
Marcus: But that gentleman is a person of this era. If I interrupt him, am I also interrupting his original course of action?
Marcus sinks back into her mire of indecision.
Marcus: ...!
Hofmann gently pats Marcus's shoulder, drawing back her focus.
Fortunately, the Vienna branch's officer does not notice this minor episode.
His attention is captured by the arrival of an uninvited acquaintance.
Heinrich: My, my, Mr. Rigoletto! Your hair has grown so fast ... To what do we owe the pleasure? Are you also here for the exquisite art?
Foundation Staff: Can you just be normal for once, Heinrich? And stop calling me by those opera names!
Foundation Staff: Someone reported an arcane disturbance here. I see candles ... Are you holding a seance?
Foundation Staff: I must remind you that arcane rituals are not allowed unless you have a separate permit!
Guest II: Excuse me? That's not fair! The first permit already costed us a ...
Foundation Staff: Please calm yourself, sir, and be mindful of what you implied. The Viennese government has ensured you the greatest possible freedom through working with us.
Foundation Staff: Who do you think cleaned up after you people after those fires, passionate murders, and deadly stampedes? We can't bear the consequences of your "moments of epiphany" forever!
Foundation Staff: Not to mention the seance is one of the most dangerous acts. We've had two colleagues injured, still being treated for mental illness in the Vienna General Hospital.
Foundation Staff: You will find no other place as tolerant and open-minded as this one. In return, you should do your part and cooperate with the government.
Marcus: ...
Hofmann: ...
Heinrich: Seance? What seance? Nothing of the sort, Mr. Rigoletto. This is just a ... rehearsal of the play.
Heinrich: The candles, the settings, and of course, these paintings once bathed in fire!
Heinrich: Yes, this is an art exhibit, a youth rally, or as we prefer to call it, a visualization of the future.
Foundation Staff: I demand a rational conversation. Now, I must question the sanity of this gathering—is there no one here who is of sound mind?
Foundation Staff: If not, I'll have to ...
Isolde: I am terribly sorry ...
Isolde: Mr. Strauss, sorry to have kept you waiting.
Foundation Staff: Ms. Dittarsdorf!
Foundation Staff: Bless you, Madam. I did not expect to see you here!
Isolde: Oh, sorry that we've troubled you. I'm here for my late brother's exhibition, and for a rehearsal of the coming performance.
Isolde: We, we got a little carried away! Made you come all the way here to check on us ...
Foundation Staff: Please, madam. As your friend, I do not wish to cause you discomfort. In fact, Mr. Karl and I were talking about you over brunch earlier, he was truly impressed by your talent at the opera!
Isolde: Ah, Mr. Karl is too kind. Since my mother passed away, he has been such a caring friend to the family.
Foundation Staff: Well then, this was all just a misunderstanding.
Foundation Staff: But madam, please understand that I still have procedures to go through.
Foundation Staff: Ahem, would you mind if I ... investigated a little?
The man leans in, his voice a hushed whisper.
Foundation Staff: By "investigate," you know ... just a quick look around the building.
Isolde: We are grateful to have a responsible employee like you, Mr. Strauss. Please, help yourself.
At the other end of the hall, investigators from headquarters uphold their duties with familiar diligence and effort.
Hofmann: ...
Hofmann imperceptibly shakes her coat, as fine threads, like spider silk, disperse into the air attached to tiny floating particles.
Marcus: Wow, the "Spider Tail" and the "Detection Spores" ...
Marcus: These are Laplace's auxiliary devices for perceiving arcane power ... I've never seen one before. Only investigators of level four or higher are allowed to use them ...
Noticing the excited glances towards her, Hofmann leans in to whisper to the young investigator.
Hofmann: Marcus, come, give me a hand.
Marcus: On it.
Marcus: These burnt pictures ... they're the work of Theophil von Dittarsdorf.
Marcus: They're the perfect subjects for "reading."
The lamp is gripped a little tighter. She lifts her head, as she begins "reading," the world around her becomes a matter of effortless ease to view.
Marcus: Only a third of the picture can be "read" ... But I can see it clearly.
Marcus: Mmm! An ingenious composition that balances the different elements of the picture. Sadly, the creator focused too much on the form and overlooked the content. The frame is made of ... Ah, not important. Next page.
Marcus: This one is luckier. Half of it survived the fire, so we can see the lower half of the lady in the picture. But ... eh, Theophil certainly had a way with women. She was not his first prey.
Marcus: And this one, only a frame remains. The rest of his works are too damaged, but I do remember an intact one somewhere ...
Marcus: ... But aside from this, I don't see anything else. Next page.
Marcus: ...!
She turns, colliding with a pair of light-colored eyes.
Despite the distance, it feels as though Isolde is gazing back at her.
Marcus: People can be "read" too. That person, Ms. Isolde ...
A deep breath. The page unfolds before her eyes once again.
Marcus: Unlike other ladies pursuing the latest fashions in Paris, she still wears the corset, with only some Art Nouveau jewelry by her waist. She's as delicate as a butterfly.
Marcus: She is a renowned medium. The Dittarsdorf family is well known for their mediumship. Nowadays they use that power mostly for art. That is, they summon a spirit to possess their body so they can sing, write, and paint like no other.
Marcus: They also suffered for this power. Wracked by neurosis and hysteria, the family has had very few members despite its long history.
Marcus: Wait a minute ...
Marcus: That picture behind her is still intact! And ... it is enormous ...
Marcus: It that ... The Salvation?
Marcus: Strange. This painting is ...?
Heinrich: You have a keen eye for art, Miss.
Marcus: Ah!
A voice leaps up behind her, bursting from behind the warm smile of the freckle-faced man.
Heinrich: This painting is the work of my dearest friend, Siegmund—The Salvation! The only piece he left behind that survived the consuming flames.
Heinrich: These enchanting, magical circles, one next to another ... Oh, I was only reciting Ms. Kakania. We're both passionate about the subject.
Marcus: ...!
Heinrich: How regrettable, she would've given you a much better explanation if she were here. Her words can easily stir one's soul.
Marcus: Did you say Kakania? You have a friend called Kakania?
Heinrich: Oh, yes. Every artist has their own nickname. I also have the honor of knowing the Orange Knight, Victor of the Rhine, Apfelstrudel ...
Heinrich: Are you a friend of Kakania? Too bad she just left. She should be meeting with Dr. Schwartz by now.
Marcus looks up. Her mentor casts her eyes to the same spot and shakes her head gently.
Marcus: No, the name sounded a little strange to me, that's all ... But I appreciate the explanation, sir.
In the air, the dispersed spores stir imperceptibly.
*bang! bang! crash!*
The dust from the explosion pervades the air, sucking deep into nostrils and open mouths.
Foundation Staff: cough What happened?!
Isolde: ...!
Foundation Staff: Are these ... ghosts? Didn't you say there wasn't a seance? Ms. Dittarsdorf, I would very much like an explanation.
Heinrich: Whoa! They're still chasing me.
Hofmann: ... The "Detection Spores" have taken effect and enveloped the ghosts. Marcus, can you still "read"?
Marcus: Hmm ... I think so!
Hofmann: Good. I'll draw its attention. You take care of the arcanum part.
COMBAT
Foundation Staff: Ms. Dittarsdorf, you told me this was just an opera rehearsal. Now look at this mess—and more importantly, my two assistants are still here!
Foundation Staff: I must ask you for a good reason to report to my superior.
Isolde: ...
The pale girl remains silent, bowing her head.
Karl: Oh! Isolde, my dear, lovely girl.
An all-too-familiar mustachioed face arrives without invitation.
Karl's steps are at a steady trouncing waddle as he approaches and takes Isolde's hand.
Isolde: Mr. Karl!
Foundation Staff: Director.
Karl: Look at you, so pale! The play is sapping your strength. Come, child, come to me.
Karl: I told Schwartz to take good care of you! Well, I guess he can't be in two places at once. The frequent presentations must've been too much for a doctor such as he.
Karl: I've learned that you've recovered from hysteria, which is good, but promise me that you'll look after yourself, will you? Your late mother suffered a tragic end, and it'd be unbearable for the Empire to lose another star.
Isolde: You flatter me.
Karl: Joseph.
Foundation Staff: Yes, director.
Karl: Don't be so hard on them, those were wonderful stage effects! Heinrich is an expert at this, yes? What better demonstrates our free will than respecting the artists and their work?
Karl: None of us would mind an episode of excitement every once in a while!
Karl meets Hofmann's eyes in another overly affable attempt at good nature.
Karl: Even the gentlemen from the headquarters would agree with me, don't you think?
Foundation Staff: Yes, you're right ...
Hofmann: ...
Karl: We are short on manpower, and the assistants should focus on more important matters.
Hofmann: ...
Hofmann: Hm. We should leave.