Story Reader / Interlude / False Hope / Story
In the smoky ruins of Underground City 019, a woman in nuns' clothing stumbles through the alleys. By the look of the cables and parts left exposed on her injured legs, she is not a human but a mechanoid. She has no name. Instead, others refer to her as "Sister" based on her appearance.
...
She looks back nervously from time to time, as if she is afraid that something will catch up with her. Finally, she stops behind a building. Several Corrupted appear at the end of the alley and other Corrupted block the way she came.
This should be far enough... I wonder if the kids have escaped... But it's none of my business now. I just took them in on a whim.
This is the underground ventilation for City 019. Towering ventilation shafts point directly at the sky—also making it the only place where the sky is visible.
The mechanoid nun takes out a cigarette from the an inner pocket of her robes and puts it in her mouth—something she never does while surrounded by so many children.
One last cigarette won't hurt...
The Corrupted remain off in the distance, refraining from approaching, but she is not surprised.
I guess they've already figured out that I'll be one of them sooner or later...
As the Punishing Virus concentration continues to rise, she starts to lose control of her left hand that has been holding the cigarette.
...You're not even going to give me time to light one up? Damn this forsaken world.
She takes out a pocket pistol from her robes—her final act of resistance.
But when she aims the pistol at her throat with her other hand, she cannot pull the trigger, no matter how hard she tries.
[Article Limitation: Active self-injury is strictly prohibited. Limitation originates from (Doctrine)]
(Chuckles) I can't even go out on my own terms... Humanity, how arrogant you are.
Since you don't intend to give us freedom, why give us the gift of knowledge? Since you are so unwilling to raise future generations, why even bother to create us...
She looks up at the sky as if in search of an answer.
God... Are they really the masterpiece created in your image?
There's no need to ask for salvation from others... It's time the humans pay for their sins.
She looks in surprise at the figure that appears in the sky. It is not an angel that has come to greet her mechanical soul, but a girl with an aura of equal parts divinity and danger.
You're... You're that girl? It's you, Luna... You're still alive...
She recognizes her as one of the children picked up by Kurono to be turned into Constructs. Seeing that she lives has somewhat put her mind at ease. Yet, she can tell that the Luna before her is no ordinary Construct.
It matters not who I am, for I am merely an agent of the Ascension-Network.
The Ascension-Network...
Luna nods, transmitting countless data streams into her memory shell, allowing her to catch a glimpse of what Luna's existence truly means.
You're... a Corrupted?!
Luna remains quiet, outstretching her hand.
You have the potential to pass the preliminary screening. If you accept my authorization, you will no longer fear the Punishing Virus and, instead, become an existence feared by humanity.
Contrary to Luna's expectations, the sister bursts out laughing.
Luna, you may be able to end someone's life without lifting a finger, but...
She takes a deep drag from the cigarette, then exhales a thick cloud of smoke toward Luna.
I won't betray humanity... The only thing scarier than death is the thought of you corrupting my faith.
If you go on like this, you will be no more than a walking corpse as a Corrupted—a far more tragic outcome than death.
The sister stares at her now dysfunctional left hand, and laughs bitterly.
The Punishing Virus may take away my body, but it cannot take away my human soul... This is probably the only thing left by my human creators for me to be proud of.
Aren't you the same... Luna? Even as an Ascendant, I'm sure you, too, have something you are unwilling to part with.
The will of Ascendants is that of the Ascension-Network...
Heh... Really? Then why do you still have that doll...?
Only then does Luna realize that, despite the thick fog of consciousness from becoming an Ascendant, she still clutches onto the now barely recognizable Froggie.
...
After becoming an Ascendant, the chaos within her mind has been dispelled. She knows that the person she killed was not her sister.
But she has been deliberately avoiding thinking about Lucia. Whether that be from the fear of admitting that she still retains some semblance of humanity, or... perhaps, she is just afraid of knowing the truth, and her sister knowing, too.
Before I came here, I heard a local say that he saw a little girl of ours accompanying the army as they passed by...
Your sister... Lucia. She's close by.
After hearing her words, Luna hesitates for a while before flying in the direction she pointed to.
Before the Punishing Virus completely erodes her consciousness, the sister looks at the empty sky and mutters to herself.
Did I... say too much...?
