The Special Steel Squad reached the observation point of the Voltarja Celestial Sphere. There we witnessed one of several assumed worst-case scenarios. |
...It was the sight of the party members frozen solid in ice. |
![Story Vivienne.png](/images/8/89/Story_Vivienne.png) Vivienne |
"We've done a complete investigation. All the personnel affected by the Ice Mist have congregated inside the hut." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"How many personnel in total were found?" |
![Story Vivienne.png](/images/8/89/Story_Vivienne.png) Vivienne |
"Nine." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"Total wipeout. By the time they realised it, it must have been too late." |
![Story Vivienne.png](/images/8/89/Story_Vivienne.png) Vivienne |
"We didn't identify them. We can't touch them, they're covered in thick ice and we can't mess with them." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"The total number of personnel at the observation point was nine. Tayshet joined them, so there must have been a total of ten in the party." |
![Story Bestyakh.png](/images/f/f0/Story_Bestyakh.png) Bestyakh |
"The numbers don't add up. There must be one survivor." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"Bestyakh..." |
![Story Bestyakh.png](/images/f/f0/Story_Bestyakh.png) Bestyakh |
"And even the crew members who were found have not yet been declared dead. If they were frozen by that particular Ice Mist, there is still hope." |
![Story Bestyakh.png](/images/f/f0/Story_Bestyakh.png) Bestyakh |
"The Ice Mist is a kind of Phantom Mist. If that is the case, then the magic at the source must have a special effect. If the source is destroyed, there is a possibility that the magic will dissolve and revert to normal." |
![Story Bestyakh.png](/images/f/f0/Story_Bestyakh.png) Bestyakh |
"This is not a comforting thought however, dear Sister. Really, I see it as a possibility." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"Don't worry. No one thinks it's comforting." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"If they're just magically frozen, then we can help them. Let's do something about that Ice Mist before it really freezes them to death." |
![Story Putra.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Putra.png) Putra |
"Yakutsk, Bestyakh, I want to show you two something." |
![Story Bestyakh.png](/images/f/f0/Story_Bestyakh.png) Bestyakh |
"Is that a... component of something?" |
![Story Putra.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Putra.png) Putra |
"It fell near a crew member who was furthest away from the observation point. I thought it was a pot lid or something, but it had an unusual design for that, so I was just curious." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"It certainly looks like a pot lid, if you ask me." |
![Story Bestyakh.png](/images/f/f0/Story_Bestyakh.png) Bestyakh |
"Is it a rusty disc? It doesn't look like a weapon or an armour. Could it be part of the equipment used by the scouting team for observation purposes?" |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"I don't detect any suspicious magic. It looks safe to touch, so let's take it back as evidence. It might give us a clue to solving the case." |
![Story Putra.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Putra.png) Putra |
"Maybe we can do some more checks afterwards? Even if it doesn't seem to be anything wrong now, there might be some chance that it might have magical powers." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"Possessing magical powers?" |
![Story Putra.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Putra.png) Putra |
"Don't you think it's possible if these are ancient mechanical parts? It could just happen to be out of effect at the moment." |
![Story Putra.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Putra.png) Putra |
"There are parts that create Phantom Mist, so I thought there might be parts that absorb in Phantom Mist too and regain their power." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"Surely... you have a point." |
![Story Bestyakh.png](/images/f/f0/Story_Bestyakh.png) Bestyakh |
'Not just a theory, but a possibility.'
"Not only do you have a point, but there is a great possibility of that. This is Iris Metro. There may be ancient mechanical parts that we don't recognise." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"Nice one, Putra. That's brilliant." |
![Story Putra.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Putra.png) Putra |
"This is all thanks to Yoshino's advice." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"Yoshino's advice?" |
![Story Putra.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Putra.png) Putra |
"Yes. I asked Yoshino to teach me about machines because Miss Kougyoukei is leaving." |
![Story Putra.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Putra.png) Putra |
"Great Teacher Yoshino said: 'Think of parts that have no gaps to engage as living organisms.' 'Things that make machines run are oil and magic'." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"That's a very Yoshino answer." |
![Story Bestyakh.png](/images/f/f0/Story_Bestyakh.png) Bestyakh |
"Very precise. I can learn a lot from it." |
![Story Putra.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Putra.png) Putra |
"Right~? Even for me, a stupid person, the advice is easy to understand." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"Putra, you really studied mechanics." |
![Story Putra.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Putra.png) Putra |
"Hehehe, well, yeah. I can't replace Yoshino, but it's our job as friends to fill in the gaps that she left behind." |
![Story Bestyakh.png](/images/f/f0/Story_Bestyakh.png) Bestyakh |
"Friends..." |
![Story Bestyakh.png](/images/f/f0/Story_Bestyakh.png) Bestyakh |
'That's right. You don't have to do everything by yourself. Friends help each other and cover for each other. That's what a unit is..." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"I don't know. Don't tell me you don't know." |
![Story Bestyakh.png](/images/f/f0/Story_Bestyakh.png) Bestyakh |
"Dearest sister..." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"You are a cadet trained in the Eisengrad Army. You're supposed to be on the same base as me and have the same training curriculum. I have had many opportunities to work with my unit mates." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"You just left the army before you learnt the importance of it. You'll learn little by little from now on. Don't be in a hurry." |
![Story Putra.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Putra.png) Putra |
"Yakky, you look very reliable in front of Bestyakh." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"What? You make me look like I'm unreliable in general." |
![Story Bestyakh.png](/images/f/f0/Story_Bestyakh.png) Bestyakh |
"Yeah. My dear sister is always reliable." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"It's a bit embarrassing coming from you..." |
🔔*RING RING RING* |
![Story Putra.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Putra.png) Putra |
"That sound!" |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"The disappearing ghosts..." |
![Story Samantha.png](/images/e/ef/Story_Samantha.png) Samantha |
"Take the star shards with you. Plug the holes and the ice Mist will disappear." |
![Story Samantha.png](/images/e/ef/Story_Samantha.png) Samantha |
"The tears of the demons that fell through the Hole are the 'Steel Twin Stars'. It is the key to saving the Guardian of Eisengrad." |
![Story Bestyakh.png](/images/f/f0/Story_Bestyakh.png) Bestyakh |
"The star shard... Are you referring to this disc?" |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"You said that if we plug the hole, the Ice Mist will disappear." |
Conductor |
The key to saving the Guardian, is probably the key to release one of the Guardians of the Giant Trees. It is probably the same as the black doll that Yoshino picked up at the Senbon Torii. |
![Story Samantha.png](/images/e/ef/Story_Samantha.png) Samantha |
"Geheheheh... What's beyond the cold river?" |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"It's gone." |
![Story Bestyakh.png](/images/f/f0/Story_Bestyakh.png) Bestyakh |
"It only gave us one-way information." |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"A similar Samantha was like that when we met in the old castle in the rain. Well, it didn't just give us information, but also gave us a bunch of keys." |
![Story Bestyakh.png](/images/f/f0/Story_Bestyakh.png) Bestyakh |
"Are they helping us?" |
![Story Yakutsk.png](/images/b/b6/Story_Yakutsk.png) Yakutsk |
"I hope so. After all, we don't even know what the key to saving the Guardian of the Giant Tree is, so I don't know how much we can trust it...". |
*RUMBLE* |
![Story Putra.png](/images/b/bc/Story_Putra.png) Putra |
"Hmm? What is that sound?" |
![Story Vivienne.png](/images/8/89/Story_Vivienne.png) Vivienne |
"It's not the sound of monster footsteps...." |
![Story Bestyakh.png](/images/f/f0/Story_Bestyakh.png) Bestyakh |
"!" |
![Story Bestyakh.png](/images/f/f0/Story_Bestyakh.png) Bestyakh |
"Everyone must evacuate immediately! It's an avalanche! Get away from here as quickly as possible!" |
Bestyakh was the first to notice the avalanche and shouted loudly, but by the time we reacted it was too late, and all personnel at the observation point were caught in the avalanche... |