Story Reader / Floating Record / ER10 Deceivers' Rapture / Story
Polard Agency
Kurono's Secret Bunker Facility
...After all this investigation, you still have no clue what Monzano's really up to?
Once we get to the review meeting, the old man won't cut you any slack. Anything else you want to bring up?
She knits her brow, then tosses the Las Prados mission briefing aside once she's done reading.
Although Godwin is now confined to the deeper sectors of Fort Winter, cutting off all external interference was precisely why he volunteered for this plan. Judging by the results, there's no setback to the project's progress.
Regarding Las Prados: after Monzano helped clear out the "base station", their surveillance continues without a hitch.
So, in short, your summary is "everything's fine"? Are you filing a report, or spinning a story here? And where are the results I asked for?
That writer, Trout, pulled in the seed money for Project Winter. The moment Godwin got his hands on the funds, he dusted off our old blueprint and used it to create those wetware Constructs.
Kurono is more than happy to team up with anyone who shares the vision. But make no mistake—we won't stand for any mischief on our watch.
The agency has long suspected that Monzano's funding from Kephart also originated from Trout, but he's already been imprisoned for allegedly inciting suicide. Background checks by other operation teams have confirmed Kurut's whereabouts.
If that's the case, what exactly are Kephart and Monzano doing in Las Prados? We've had an agent undercover with Monzano 24/7, yet your repeatedly delayed report only mentions "surveillance proceeding smoothly"?
A lightless chamber stands silent, charged with the crackling force of a woman's rage.
As per Mr. Kurono's own instructions, placing that girl undercover was meant to be a long game to catch bigger fish. Expecting immediate results isn't realistic.
The nameless intelligence officer mechanically delivers this bold rebuttal with bureaucratic detachment.
What exactly are you trying to prove? You claim you follow the boss's orders—so why can't you figure out whether Kephart's turned traitor?
I apologize... We've thoroughly investigated his activity records, but there's nothing suspicious to be found.
Palangoski skims through the briefing, then zeroes in on the final page.
12:04, 3/6 EST - 13:01, 3/8 EST Travel via Transatlantic United Flight PA-908 to Fjord City's hydrogen car plant for the ribbon-cutting. Stay at the local leisure hotel for at least 30 hours. Then spend at least 30 hours at a local resort hotel.
22:31, 6/7 EST - 14:26, 7/1 EST Travel via Transatlantic United Flight TA-3304 into the Kowloong United Commonwealth for a holiday at the mountain resort.
10:00, 10/2 EST The target does not attend the scheduled session of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. Surveillance indicates they slept at their home until 4:00 PM, then ordered delivery. No suspicious activity observed.
One entry after another in the travel logs sketches out Kephart's devil-may-care persona, and it also proves that any surveillance is a lost cause.
Hmph. Whatever. As long as he manages to get re-elected in his district, Parliament can gain one more spineless lackey who'll vote exactly how Kurono wants.
It's not necessarily a bad thing. Just keep him under daily watch—and make sure you slip past the World Government Security Intelligence Bureau's radar.
Understood. Also, Las Prados is in better shape than we anticipated.
Seeing his superior's displeasure subside, he takes the opportunity to push his advantage.
Previously, we detected extensive construction work at the New Nelis Air Force Base near Las Prados, leading us to believe Monzano was collaborating with the Transatlantic military on a rearmament initiative.
The mercenary forces proposal recently resurfaces as a major debate in the World Government Parliament, which drives our earlier assumptions.
However, all current transport capacity reports and satellite reconnaissance confirm that any suspicious operations in the city and at the air base have effectively ended. Las Prados Spaceport has now returned to its standard civilian operations.
We've determined that Monzano doesn't pose a serious threat.
...Alright, that's enough. I get the gist of it.
The woman rubs her brow with her fingertips, weariness etched on her face.
Then, as if noticing the agent's jittery nerves, she softens her voice and speaks calmly.
Where are you planning to watch the midnight ignition ceremony tonight?
Huh? Oh, uh...
Tomorrow's the start of my vacation, so I'm heading home to watch a livestream with my family.
When you do this kind of work, you get used to setting your humanity aside. So a conversation this personal really takes him by surprise.
Sounds good. Take a shower, pop open a cold bear, and make sure you spend some quality time with your family.
Got it. So, you...
He cuts himself off just in time, suddenly aware he's in no position to make small talk.
Polard Agency—ever vigilant!
The agent snaps to attention with a brisk salute, reciting the organization's creed.
Dismissed.
After the subordinate departs, the interrogation room and prison revert to their usual state—so silent and dark that it feels even more oppressive than a tomb.
Time and again, the metal walls become coated in vomit and human blood, only to be blasted clean with high-pressure hoses—erasing every trace of sin.
But this breakneck surge of progress never pauses for the silent tragedies lurking in the shadows of our civilization.
The Golden Age, huh...
Her mind pierces the thick layers of reinforced plating overhead—hundreds of meters deep—then drifts over the sprawling red-rock peaks capped with snow;
It soars beyond the ten-thousand-kilometer orbital threshold, drawn toward the massive vessel newly stationed at the orbital port after its transfer from the moon.
After tonight, Eden II becomes the bearer of all humanity's hopes, forging a path into uncharted territory.
It embarks on a bold new beginning, leaving behind every conflict that has held humanity back until now.
But it has nothing to do with us, does it?
She scoffs at herself, and yet even in solitude, her expression stays as cold as stone.
In the dark, she pulls out a metal flask and downs the final, fiery drop.
Here's to the old world.
Las Prados Spaceport
The Day of the Zero-point Reactor One Activation Ceremony
Guided by the control tower, the last heavy military aerospace transport of the day touches down firmly on the runway.
A dark-skinned woman stands atop the watchtower, surveying the cargo loaders as they haul supplies from the colossal hull—charred to a deep brown by the intense heat of low orbit.
We've got the anti-radiation coating and the synthetic paint for marking the ship's name. This shipment wraps up the project's last batch of construction materials.
The ground crew cross-references the datapad checklist, offering a concise logistics update.
Very well. Go assist with the materials transfer.
Let's finish work early today. I know everyone wants to witness the "historic ceremony".
She calmly gazes beyond the runway toward the vast sea of sand, where twilight bathes the wasteland surrounding the city in magnificent golden hues.
If the launch goes smoothly, I suppose Project Eden will be a complete success.
So... are we really going to set sail again?
For those participating in the project, the details of Project Bokonon have been an open secret for quite some time.
Certainly. On the appointed day, there'll be a spot reserved for you on the ship.
You, the engineers, the citizens—every single guest in this city—none of you will be left behind.
The sun is on the verge of dipping behind the distant mountains when Monzano voices her unshakable vow.
Like Noah who witnessed the Apocalypse in his dreams, she now seems possessed by a prophet's vision. She cannot betray any hesitation.
...You should get some rest soon too, ma'am.
He gives the lady at the edge of the observation deck a complicated look, then turns and walks toward the elevator entrance.
How could I possibly rest? The guests at the casino are still waiting for me.
In the last traces of twilight, the lady murmurs to herself.
No matter how much she despises these do-nothing elites who occupy positions they don't deserve, securing their loyalty is a necessary step in laying the foundation for the new world.
Lucky 38 Casino Hall
The hall bustles with excited chatter, and the clinking of glasses amid soft music and dancing lends the perfect dash of delight to this grand affair.
On a towering display, the live feed from Zero-point Reactor One seizes everyone's attention right now.
As soon as Manzano walks in, the crowd bursts into cheers.
I'd like to propose a toast... to Madam Adriana Monzano, the illustrious tycoon of Las Prados and a brilliant scientific mind!
An influential figure from the World Government Parliament strides forward, brimming with arrogance, and launches a new proposal—making their authority unmistakably clear.
Cheers! Cheers!
The chaotic clinking of countless glass vessels, accompanied by cheers, reaches Monzano's ears.
Madam Monzano! Madam Monzano! Madam Monzano!
Now, now, the true stars of Las Prados have always been you, our guests from all corners of the world.
Empty platitudes are what she's best at.
Enjoy your night, my dear guests.
The hostess raises her hand, signaling for everyone to set down their glasses.
Soon, she disappears into the depths of the crowd.
Only the guests who happen to brush shoulders with her pause to offer eager greetings. The majority simply keep drowning themselves in liquor and small talk, letting the buzz dull their nerves as they wait for the final countdown to ignite.
Of course, Monzano senses those genuine, deeply felt emotions as well.
...Interstellar immigrants? Please. They're just the same bottom-feeders who once trundled their wagons out West, begging for crumbs.
Right? Throw around talk of "new frontiers", and that's all it takes to trick those so-called scientific elites. Who knows how many years they'll drift before they finally reach that godforsaken place?
What nonsense. I mean, does a place like that even have birds?
Then again... who knows if they'll even make it out of this alive?
The two share a playful tease and then break into laughter at the exact same moment.
Keep 'em coming!
Cheers!
Cheers.
To Earth and its dwindling resources.
To champagne that flows endlessly like a sweet spring.
To our unshakeable seats in parliament.
To every fool willing to abandon their comfortable lives for a colonial ship.
To humanity free from suffering.
To the Golden Age.
Madam Monzano offers a faint smile.
It's alright. The ships prepared for you... will ultimately sail toward another bottomless sea.
With that thought, she steps into the elevator at the far edge of the hall.
Mansion Living Room
Meanwhile
...My mission remains to investigate Madam Monzano's project in Las Prados and report to Kurono in real time.
Her mechanical voice remains unchanged, but she finally divulges more information.
My aunt clearly expects great things from you—she wouldn't go to such lengths otherwise.
Her eyes linger on the mechanical prosthetic of the person standing before her.
Monzano's asking me to go back to Kurono... and act as her undercover contact.
She also says that those who work for her must possess combat abilities that match the intensity of their mission.
What about this outfit? Did you choose it yourself?
This is my way of constantly reminding myself of who I am.
Doesn't it hurt? You do whatever she tells you to, just to earn her trust.
She made Eleanor undergo cybernetic surgery too, didn't she?
At least... I can become stronger too.
Even her facial muscles, long since adapted to permanent stillness, cannot hide the sincerity in her words.
So you understand that aunt always says one thing but does another. She supposedly severed ties with Kurono over their human experiments, yet when it gives her an advantage, she'll still use the very technologies she publicly condemns...
The pain of these surgeries is nothing compared to the fate we would have otherwise faced, isn't it?
She reveals a scar that had long since healed.
...Hah, so what? No matter the outcome, we've walked completely different paths.
Those twisted freaks at the Polard Agency mold you into an emotionless hound, while I... am locked away in this gilded prison, left to decay.
Like a viper flicking its tongue, Lilith lowers her gaze, as though she's admiring her impeccably manicured nails.
You always say this life is ideal. But is it really? When everything gleams with gold, it's easy to lose sight of what's real...
Only those few precious cubic centimeters in our skull remain free from gold, a private space that has always been ours.
In the end, you turned into nothing more than a lapdog at your aunt's beck and call.
She anchors her carefully crafted emotions in a mournful conclusion.
...I'm sorry, Eleanor.
So, what I'm trying to say is...
We can still walk together. It's not too late.
The redness in Lilith's eyes gradually fades as she casts a curious glance.
Go where? You think you understand me again?
My aunt is tyrannical every day, so I should abandon my playground?
...After submitting my investigation report, I'll be deployed to Eden II as part of Kurono's intelligence advance team.
After a moment's hesitation, she reveals a shocking truth.
The ship's name is mentioned every minute in every corner of Earth, yet few can describe such supreme honor with such calmness—becoming a passenger on humanity's first interstellar colony ship.
Eleanor... come with me. You have no true loyalty to Monzano, nor do you need to serve Kurono. Just pose as a defector, and I can secure you a ticket on the ship.
Even while describing this near-insane plan, the maid maintains a voice without a trace of emotional fluctuation.
Yet Lilith understood the plea hidden within those words.
Plastic restraints, experiments without anesthesia, killing people they've only known for five minutes in the quickest, most brutal ways...
None of these things will happen on the ship.
Kurono's true nature won't change just because they've relocated. You're being naive.
Of course I understand that.
She raises her voice.
But there, we can start a new life.
...And we can see new stars. The stars we can never see from the ground.
If you're willing, Eleanor, perhaps you could even teach me how to read and write.
We could leave all those memories behind on this planet, never looking back.
Rosewater... I don't even care who killed him anymore. Let the past truly remain in the past.
That final, unexpected confession confirms to Lilith the determination of the woman standing before her.
How wretched—like a stray soaked to the bone in a raging storm, with nowhere at all to hide.
...I'll consider it.
In that fleeting moment, she really does falter—casting aside any need for control, simply walking away.
The clock strikes twenty, and the sound of fireworks from the central district echoes through the window.
Ah... the ceremony is about to begin.
Wanna watch the stream?
Only if the ignition succeeds will those things you promised... even have a chance of coming true.
Discord offers a slight smile—she can't even recall the last time she's worn an expression like this.
All right, I'll go get some snacks.
Meanwhile, Lilith taps the control to bring up the holographic display.
...What a marvelous day—and the moment we embark on our journey! ...This stands as humanity's greatest milestone so far, heralding the dawn of a new era.
Even if we don't officially change our calendar, future historians will do it for us. This moment marks humanity's transformation—our farewell to adolescence, our coming-of-age ceremony, the sign that we've cast off childish ways and stepped into maturity.
Right now, people all across the globe are crowding around their screens, holograms, or public boards, eagerly awaiting this monumental ceremony—an event on par with Gestalt's very first launch.
In half an hour, the Zero-point Reactor One behind me is set for its first ignition test. Should the results meet expectations, Eden II will be on track to install its Zero-point Engine by year's end.
At the appointed hour, this crowning achievement of the Golden Age will embark on its journey toward humanity's new frontier...
Lilith lowers her voice, letting her once excited tone become a gentle accompaniment to the exploding fireworks outside.
Humanity, rivaling Gods.
What an earth-shattering idea. From now on, there is no suffering—only conquest.
Conquer the stars, conquer the cosmos, conquer every last inch of the void.
I'm sorry, we're out of desserts. I quickly made some toasted marshmallow cookies instead. I hope you don't mind, Eleanor.
The maid returns to the living room carrying a plate of steaming cookies.
Lilith stares intently at the holographic screen.
Humanity has overcome so many seemingly insurmountable trials. Confidence and pride are both our reward and our curse.
And she doesn't believe in such a thing as smooth sailing good fortune in this world.
10 seconds until ignition of Zero-point Reactor One.
Would you like to try one, Eleanor?
Lilith doesn't respond.
5 seconds until ignition of Zero-point Reactor One.
Eleanor?
Lilith doesn't respond.
Discord interprets her focus as reverence, no longer disrupting the girl's spiritual pilgrimage. She quietly brings a cookie to her own lips instead.
The caramelized sweetness of melting marshmallow mingles with the crunch of whole wheat cookies as her teeth break through the surface.
...So sweet.
Zero-point Reactor One Ignited
<color=#ff4e4eff><size=60>Zero-point Reactor One Ignited</size></color>
Zero-point Reactor One Ignited
The broadcaster's face warps into an unsettling shape, distorted by the hologram's contour lines. Garbled voices and mechanical static fill the living room.
And then everything stops.
The blue glow of the holographic screen vanishes in an instant.
Outside the window, the celebratory music cuts off completely.
In the living room, only the moonlight—fluid as water—remains, drowning the earlier warmth in a suffocating hush.
...?!
Have we lost the signal?
<size=60>Ha-ha</size>, <size=60>Hahaha</size>, <size=60>HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA—</size>
This is the ultimate release, reserved for those once fated to pay the price of progress.
The girl tilts her head back and unleashes a chilling, feral laugh that leaves Discord deeply unsettled.
The crazed laughter drags out so long that it disturbs the still moonlight.
