Story Reader / Affection / Bambinata: Vitrum / Story
When both the speeches for the conference tomorrow and the graduation ceremony on the day after form a pincer attack on your agenda, you finally realize you should not have taken on these challenging tasks alone—or, you should have at least allocated more time for them.
This challenge does not come from the writing itself, given that the College has sent you a range of topics that you can elaborate on. Besides, you can also reuse some of the content from your previous speeches on such an occasion. Even President Hassen himself often does that.
The real problem comes from the anxiety and struggle within yourself, which can easily be found in the speech text—
Dear friends...
Dear fellow students...
Ladies and gentlemen...
Today, we gather here as you are about to embark on a journey of learning and military service—
For some reason, you hesitated a little writing down this line.
You will become mankind's hope to take back our homeland.
For some reason, you hesitated a little writing down this line.
Your mission is to take Earth back and light up our future.
Many years ago, I was sitting here quietly just like you, with great expectations of the future—
The enrolment ceremony when you first attended the F.O.S. College has been completely buried under your mixed memories over the past few years.
You can hardly remember where you sat, who you met, or what the seniors said.
But out of all the uncertainties, you are pretty certain there was no such conference when you attended the ceremony.
Imagine yourself as a part of this great struggle that helps to shape the world for our future generations.
The new students you are about to face are part of that future generation. What have you done for them?
Has this world turned better... because of you?
The number of remaining F.O.S. commandants continues to dwindle. The situation on Earth is also worsening...
This great struggle is far from simple. In fact, it is incredibly challenging—
Your comrades could turn into terrifying enemies in a split second.
Lives could be lost in any split second.
Apart from the devastating damage it brings, the Punishing Virus also has a unique terror that is unparalleled in human history.
Be it the grotesque Corrupted and Hetero-Creatures, or the flesh-like abominations that were converted from humans, they could all easily destroy the sanity and decision-making of ordinary people.
We are so fragile before the Punishing Virus.
We are about to face unprecedented terror and despair.
No words can describe the pain and suffering brought by the Punishing Virus.
The moving cursor on the screen is reminding you of the indescribable memories. Those experiences may also be inappropriate for such an occasion.
After hesitating a little, you eventually delete a few lines on the terminal.
To build a bright future for mankind will inevitably involve the suffering of many people right now.
Yet, the hope for the future is not what they would have hoped for today. The beautiful world they are about to build is meant for future generations—which will only make the people of today feel their suffering in a more cruel and real way.
But the most painful feeling is that knowing the pain these people are about to face, you still have to give them a false sense of comfort before the truth is presented to them. It is killing you inside.
As you struggle between whether to cancel the deletion or not, someone suddenly knocks on the lounge door.
It is a Construct, but he does not look like one of the Task Force.
Greetings, I'm an inspector from the Engineering Force. Here's my license.
Are you [player name], the Gray Raven Commandant?
I was inspecting the facilities of the Task Force block just now, then I met this little girl... A young Construct, to be more precise.
She looked just a tad older than ten, with two braids on her head and some strange parts on her body...
She had been standing in the corridor, so I just wanted to check what was going on.
Apart from asking your whereabouts, she didn't want to say anything else. I wanted to bring her here to you... But she also rejected it.
The Construct shakes his head and laughs awkwardly.
She just sounded like... that she didn't want to talk to me at all.
That's why I found her a little suspicious. I was going to report to the boss, but I figured it would be better to let you know first.
After all, she's kinda cute...
From his description, you have pretty much figured out who this inspector had met...
You quickly get changed and follow the inspector to the location he mentioned.
When you arrive, the "culprit" is just quietly sitting on the bench in front of the Egret lounge, gazing around. Her legs are hanging in the air as they cannot reach the ground.
Who are you...?
Bambinata raises her head. When she sees the inspector that has come with you, she immediately puts on a watchful expression like an alerted cat.
You have to gesture the inspector to keep doing his duty and let you take care of her.
Seeing the inspector leave, this kitten finally calms down.
Your voice sounds familiar...
Bambinata is looking for [player name], the Gray Raven Commandant... Do you know where this person is?
You?
Bambinata tilts her head. Her clean, innocent eyes gaze at you.
Your voice sounds familiar. Who are you?
Nice Chief... Bambinata did write this down here.
If that happens to be you... You must be [player name]!
So you are [player name]...!
Look... Bambinata wrote it down here. You took Bambinata to see the doctor yesterday!
Bambinata hands you a small notebook, pointing at the somewhat childish writing on the pale yellow paper.
[player name], the commandant of Gray Raven took Bambinata to visit the doctor today. Bambinata then came back to the lounge room at night.
Ever since paper was invented in human civilization, it has always carried a significant task. Even when it had turned into a rare legacy of the old times, that significance had never faded—
To record things so they are not forgotten.
When a sheet of paper is entrusted with this task, its value is no longer limited to a rare collectible.
Yes. Mistress told Bambinata to write things down here if Bambinata didn't want to forget them.
Bambinata cannot remember what happened yesterday, but she can see your names here... [player name] and Mistress Vanessa.
Mistress Vanessa isn't around, so Bambinata needs to find [player name].
As Bambinata speaks, she points to you another line of text that recorded your entire communication with Vanessa—
Mistress Vanessa's friend (colleague) [player name] is chatting with her...
Mistress Vanessa ordered Bambinata to go to a frame check with Nice Chief ([player name])...
The "friend" she wrote here was awkwardly scribbled and changed to "colleague," while "Nice Chief" was changed to your name in the same way. Does she have to include so many details...?
Bambinata points you another line in her diary—
[player name] promised to visit again.
Bambinata takes back her diary and holds it in her arms.
Bambinata didn't know why you never came. It was different from what Bambinata wrote down.
That's why Bambinata is looking for you. Bambinata asked many people, but none of them responded.
Bambinata does not seem to notice the sorrow in those words. She just continues to talk as if she is stating a fact.
Egret and Vanessa have made a name for themselves in the Task Force. Ordinary Constructs never want to have anything to deal with Egret, let alone talk to an Egret member who is wandering on the street...
Now that you think about it, when you sent Bambinata back to the Egret lounge last night, you did say something along the lines of...
I'll come visit you again another day.
Bambinata must have misunderstood "another day" for "tomorrow." You never thought she would treat your words so seriously.
Some day in future? Isn't that today...?
Sorry, [player name]. Bambinata didn't understand your words. Bambinata apologizes for the inconvenience caused.
Bambinata swiftly jumps down from the bench, grasping her diary. She bends her head to apologize even though she has done nothing wrong.
...Understood. Bambinata will remember this lesson.
"Another day" means someday in the future. Bambinata gets it now.
Bambinata will write it all down...
Bambinata says it earnestly with great effort before you walk away.
This time, when she finally disappears behind the heavy, cold door of Egret lounge, you see a faint smile instead of her back.
