Story Reader / Affection / Liv: Limpidity / Story
Liv: Limpidity I
>In a world from a long time forgotten.
The azure sky stretched endlessly overhead, while the emerald earth spread boundlessly beneath.
Light streamed through the clouds like the solitary gaze of gods, watching over the land below.
In that vast expanse, a maiden stood alone.
For ages beyond count, she remained there in solitude.
One day... two days? One year... a hundred years? Time had long since lost all meaning.
She lowered her gaze.
At her feet, countless tattered pages fluttered in the wind.
The yellowed papers were covered in crooked script, their corners, edges, and even centers frayed and worn by time.
They seemed to weep as they circled helplessly around her, rustling like the faint whimpers of an infant.
"Don't cry..." whispered the maiden, cradling the pages gently in her palms.
With her tears, she mended their frayed edges, then carefully folded them.
Sometimes she shaped a tree; other times, a white dove.
The tree sprouted lush branches and leaves; the dove took flight into the open sky.
She watched them come to life, a soft smile gracing her lips.
Yet each creation held only a fleeting semblance of life. The moment it was fully formed, it dissolved into specks of light and vanished.
Once again, the maiden was alone.
The Maiden of Eden
Uh...
Excuse me, please maintain some distance from the artwork.
...Oh! I-I'm so sorry... I wasn't paying attention...
Ah... it's you, Professor.
You were practically pressing your nose against it. Find something fascinating?
Hmm, I see. The landscape in this painting... it would be an ideal site for field research.
For my new research: "A Study on the Micro-Interactivity of Positive Affective Expression Behaviors in Dyadic Relationships".
And the approach is observing the sweet interactions between you two. Hmm... this angle works perfectly.
A grin flashes across her face as she takes two steps back. Then, she raises her hands to her eyes, framing you, Liv, and the painting in a makeshift viewfinder.
P-Professor!
Uh...
Hmm... Now this is a fascinating sample. The ultimate validation would be to capture this same dynamic on-site, at the actual location depicted in this artwork.
Liv, what do you think of this painting?
Actually... it reminds me of some memories from my childhood...
Liv is still utterly transfixed before the painting, lost in its swirls of color. Seizing a chance moment, you wave over a staff member who is passing by.
Hello, how may I help you?
Let me see... Section B, number 037. Ah, excellent choice! This is by Vimine. She's a real rising star right now.
She's known for using these ethereal colors to create such a dreamlike mood. She actually painted this en plein air while she was visiting Vennquis.
Vennquis? So it really is a piece of my hometown...
So what do you say? How about you two take a trip to Liv's hometown?
Eh? W-wait! I don't have to go back, really. Just seeing this painting is enough...
Liv, that's not the spirit! Didn't I tell you? The best research is boots on the ground. That's what field research is all about!
Liv turns to you with a bewildered expression.
I... but I have adaptation training scheduled soon...
I heard the Science Council approved some time off for you after your frame switch.
You know, I've always believed that the best way to frame adaptation is to stabilize your M.I.N.D. and truly connect with the person next to you. Go enjoy life—that's the real training.
Mmm...
Oh, and I took the liberty of booking you tickets. There's a direct transport to the surface departing from the spaceport in two hours. You're on BG-3789. Your boarding gate is...
P-Professor, wait! We can't just... drop everything and go on vacation!
A vacation? That's a mischaracterization. This is vital fieldwork for "A Study on the Micro-Interactivity of Positive Affective Expression Behaviors in Dyadic Relationships".
Liv, you're contributing to one of humanity's sociological studies of the Reconquista Age. As a standard-bearer for the Star of Life, that's a mission you must take seriously.
Well... but Commandant...
Um... if you say so, Commandant...
Great! No time to waste. You two should get going!
The professor laughs, a hearty sound, and throws an arm around Liv's shoulders. Seizing her moment of hesitation, the two crafty humans—through a seamless blend of sweet talk and gentle trickery—guide her onto the transport craft before she can protest.
Its destination is set: Vennquis, Liv's hometown.
The long blast of the ship's horn echoes across the rolling waves, and rising steam bakes the endless afternoon into a sweltering haze.
This is not a mission craft, so it only goes as far as the designated conservation area. From there, the journey to Liv's hometown must continue on a ship.
You stand at the railing, peering down at the churning water, where your reflection glimmers—a face etched with boredom.
Well, while Liv's off packing, let me bend your ear for a second.
Just the usual warnings. She's in a new frame, so keep that connection strong and her M.I.N.D. stable.
And since you're heading back to her hometown... you might see a few things through that connection, things even she's forgotten.
Try to keep her calm, too. Strong emotional spikes will make this trip miserable for everyone. Oh! Almost forgot—
Just some... research tools. For the project. That's all.
Without waiting for a response, she pressed a stark white gift box into your arms, a cryptic smile gracing her lips.
Give this to Liv for me, would you? She'll know what to do with it. And don't you dare peek.
Time has slipped by since you handed the gift box to Liv. Now, you lean against the sun-warmed railing, a restless boredom settling in.
The air is heavy and hot.
You raise a hand to shield your eyes, watching the sunlight bleed through the gaps between your fingers. The dizzying afternoon heat weighs your eyelids down.
Creak, creak—the hull rocks in a gentle, rhythmic lullaby.
Creak, creak—a second rhythm joins in, the gentle sound of approaching footsteps.
A cool breeze sweeps across the deck, cutting through the stifling heat and coaxing your eyes open.
Sorry to keep you waiting, Commandant... Wh-what do you think?
The deck sways. Your heart sways with it. The wind hums a melody in your ears, weaving a daydream that feels vividly, tangibly real.
Commandant?
Noticing your dazed silence, the girl waves a hand worriedly in front of your face.
Oh! Come here, let's get you to the shade. I'll grab an ice pack—
A flush of heat rises instantly to the girl's cheeks as realization dawns on her.
There aren't any angels around here, you know. But... if it helps, I suppose I could try to fill in...
She shifts her feet nervously, mumbling under her breath as she leans her body against yours.
A few delicate strands of her hair drift in the air, brushing against your nose like a whisper. That dreamlike sensation swells, pulling you deeper into its tender spell...
Well? How's the patient feeling? Any better?
...Oh, you.
Don't push your luck!
You really should be more careful in this heat, Commandant. Vennquis' summers are no joke.
Thank you... Commandant.
...Especially since that professor's requests can be quite demanding sometimes.
I was on the fence about it for a while because the professor left a note...
She wrote, "The Gray Raven Commandant absolutely wants to see you in this coating, Liv!!"
S-stop teasing me like that!
It does look nice, I guess...
I could have changed in just five minutes if I hadn't seen that note...
It seems Liv was so fixated on the note that she agonized for a long time over whether to change into the coating.
I took too long... We're almost there already.
Look! There's the windmill tower!
At her gesture, a tower ascends from the emerald landscape, its peak vanishing into a bank of pristine clouds.
A strong wind follows, sweeping away the summer heat. Immersed in its flowing caress, you listen to its joyful, eternal whispers of freedom.
This is my hometown, Vennquis. It's a little seaside town, blessed by the God of Wind.
The breeze carries the salt-tang of the sea, the cries of shorebirds... and two paper airplanes that drift gently down to land at your feet.
Huh? What are these...
You exchange a puzzled glance, then carefully unfold the creased pages to reveal messages in children's scrawl.
"O God of Wind, may you hear my wish. Please send an angel to be by my side."
Pfft—hahahaha! Seriously? An angel? Could you be any less original?
At least mine's not impossible! Look at what you wrote!
"O God of Wind, may you hear my wish. If heroes really exist in this world, I want to meet the legendary Gray Raven Commandant."
And you think my wish is a long shot? You're going to give the God of Wind an impossible mission!
The two children argue on the bank, oblivious to the ship of wishes drifting toward shore.
The Gray Raven Commandant is busy saving the world! You think the commandant's just gonna stop by and say hello?
Still more likely than an angel showing up! This world doesn't even have any real an—
Hello there... Excuse me...
An-an-an... angel...
An... angel... It's an angel! My wish came true! Ahahaha!
W-wait a second, if the God of Wind granted your wish, then—
Gray Raven Commandant?!!
Overwhelmed with joy, the two children chatter excitedly, bombarding Liv and you with endless questions. It takes them quite a while to settle down.
You see, folding paper planes is actually a little tradition we have here.
They say if you write a wish on a paper plane and let it fly in the monsoon air, the God of Wind will grant it. It's a way to ask for the divine blessing.
And it's true! It really works!
The God of Wind did grant our wishes!
Alright, you two. May the wind favor you both.
Liv gently pats the two children on their heads.
Oh, right! Ms. Angel, Commandant, you still need to get to Vennquis, don't you?
Just follow the shore south for maybe five minutes. You'll see a path. That's the entrance to the forest trail. It's about a half-hour walk from there.
South... I thought there was a highway to the north, as well?
A highway?
The children exchange puzzled glances, clearly confused by her question.
That old bridge to the north collapsed forever ago.
No, no, no! That way's a total wreck now. You have to take the southern path through the woods.
Just watch for the markers so you don't get lost. And if you see a gray ghost, you have to run away immediately!
Yeah! It looks like a weird, scary bird! And it's got these metal monster guards that grab kids who don't listen to their parents!
But Commandant and Ms. Angel are adults! They won't get eaten!
Well... just be careful anyway. May the wind favor you both.
With a wave goodbye to the children, the two of you continue on your journey.
A gray... ghost?
On your way to Vennquis, Liv murmurs to herself, lost in thought.
