Part 1

White snow covers the distant peaks, and the warming climate has started to reveal the jagged lines of the stone beneath.
However, the weather is still far from pleasant—in fact, the wet early spring has made the grasslands muddy and treacherous.
Still, compared to the other difficulties one might face, bad weather is one of the most harmless.
Emil: So, what will we have to deal with next?
Emil: Burning cold winds from the other side of the mountain? More troublesome critters? Reckless arcanist refugees? Or maybe an evil trick from Perchta?
Emil grumbles as he wrenches his foot out of the mud. He screams in frustration, smashing his hiking pole against a rock.
Emil: Damn it, I'm sick of this blasted mountain! Captain Semmelweis, we should've never left Vienna!
While their current situation is different from that which they faced in Vienna, it is no less difficult.
Semmelweis: Stop that, Emil. Don’t forget, we’re still in tatzelwurm territory.
Semmelweis: However, if you want to get sprayed in the face with its stench, I won't stop you.
Semmelweis: “Our brave Emil, in an outstanding contribution to the study of critter biology, used his head to verify the strength of both the teeth and the stench of the tatzelwurm.”
Semmelweis’ dissuasion apparently does the trick. Emil draws back his head and looks around cautiously.
He is relieved to see that no giant, stinking monsters have emerged from the ground. He takes a few hasty steps to catch up with Semmelweis.
Amused by Emil’s comical expression, the other team members let out a burst of good-natured laughter.
Including Emil, they are a small group of six, with Semmelweis leading from the center.
Semmelweis: I'm only joking! We wouldn’t just sit around and watch you get ambushed by a monster.
Emil: Thanks for the warning, Captain. I’d hate to end up in a "killed in the line of duty" report at the Belgrade branch.
Emil: I'd at least like to receive the generous severance pay offered by the Field Agent Administration myself, rather than have it distributed to my family upon my death.
After his earlier episode, Emil makes sure to speak softly.
Emil: But really, Captain, how much longer do we need to spend on this blasted mountain?
Semmelweis: Unfortunately, you'll have to survive until we find those Manus followers.
Emil: sigh ... Ah, this is killing me. Do we really need to pursue them so closely?
Emil: They’re just a bunch of lackeys—they’re not even real Manus Vindictae!
Emil: We could've completed three missions in the time we've been tracking them.
Semmelweis: This mission came straight from the top brass at the Field Agent Administration. We had no choice but to accept.
Semmelweis: And besides, although they're just one of many sects, some of these fanatical followers can be more troublesome than a Manus disciple.
Semmelweis: Often times, they're familiar with the norms of the current society, which makes them very good at making problems for us as well as skilled at covering their tracks.
Emil: I still don't get what's so important about these guys that they merit an order from the top brass.
Emil: But if you ask me, if HQ really wants to find these Manus followers, they'd be better off investigating the arcanist refugees.
Semmelweis: Yeah, the riots and murders we've dealt with certainly prove that. It's highly likely that Manus Vindictae is instigating the refugees to do so.
Semmelweis: Most of them are from the Balkans. They came to the Austro-Hungarian Empire after suffering political struggles and enduring the persecution of humans.
Semmelweis: So, it’s only natural that the sentiment of “arcanists first” has gained wide acceptance among them.
Semmelweis: Now both the Foundation and the Austro-Hungarian Empire are doing their best to screen these refugees.
Semmelweis: But with so many of them flocking in, and so fast, it’s impossible to conduct a thorough screening of every person.
Semmelweis: Besides ... No, never mind.
Emil is too worked up to notice Semmelweis' hesitation.
Emil: Tsk! Manus Vindictae is just riling up these idiots to create chaos for mankind. They clearly have no intention of accepting them!
Emil: Most of these refugees aren't even pure-blood arcanists!
Emil: Even if they tried their whole lives, the vast majority of them would only be able to cast one or two of the simplest, most harmless arcane skills.
Semmelweis: ... Even among arcanists, not everyone can use arcane skills successfully.
Emil: Those who thrive in the hands of the Manus Vindictae are “noble” and “powerful” pure-bloods. As for the trials ... They have no use for mixed-bloods that can’t use arcane skills.
Semmelweis: But many refugees have been so brainwashed by propaganda that they're unable to consider whether Manus Vindictae will even fulfill their promise.
Semmelweis: What’s even sadder than being exploited is not even getting a reward after the fact.
Upon hearing this, Emil becomes even more indignant. Their walking pace has been gradually speeding up.
Emil: Typical arcanists! Unreasonable! Impatient! Like a swarm of bees that have lost their hive.
Emil: It shames me to think that some of these idiots are from my own nation, Serbia!
Semmelweis: That's why we're tracking the followers. The earlier we clear out these unstable ...
Semmelweis pauses. Emil gives her a puzzled look.
Emil: What is it, Captain?
Semmelweis: Stop.
Semmelweis raises her hand, signaling the team to be on guard.
Emil's expression quickly turns serious.
Semmelweis: Do you smell that? That foul odor?
Emil: It smells like sulfur mixed with wurmsap ... Is it a tatzelwurm?
Emil: I thought they were just a myth.
Semmelweis: Semmelweis smiles to herself.
Semmelweis: I used to think so, too.
Emil: The odor's faint. It's obviously been gone for some time. There are traces on the grass here, too.
Semmelweis: It looks like it went this way.
Emil: Are we going to check it out, Captain?
Semmelweis: Yes. Tatzelwurms don’t just appear for no reason. If it's ambushed some travelers, we need to lend a hand.