Beyond the Truth
Ugh... Damn it, emergencies always happen at the worst possible time...!
Lugh, give me the exact location.
The northwestern edge of NOA. At this pace, we'll arrive within five minutes.
M-More importantly, the Divine Barrier...?
This is way beyond a normal emergency, isn't it?!
Trainee, this is exactly why I warned you this mission would be dangerous.
To attack the Divine Barrier maintained by Lady Alicia's power...
Nothing like this has ever happened before.
In other words, whoever did this is willing to stand against the Grand Witch Alicia herself.
Hm, but something feels off.
I mean, if you mess with the Divine Barrier, of course people like us are going to show up.
But... the area's disturbingly silent.
There's nothing here buying the perpetrator time.
That is certainly strange.
They're strong enough to target the Divine Barrier, yet they made no preparations at all...
Maybe we're dealing with nothing more than an arrogant fool.
No matter who did it, tampering with the Divine Barrier is a serious crime.
Unless a passing squirrel scratched it with its claws...
...Yeah, obviously not.
M-Ms. Roberta...! Ms. Lugh! Over there...!
Someone's lying on the ground!!
...Observers.
Luckily, they don't seem badly hurt. They're just unconscious.
Doesn't seem like the work of Void Force... does it?
Yes. Since we're so close to NOA, there would've been witness reports if Voidborns were involved.
Besides, there were no abnormal readings reported in this area.
But if this wasn't caused by the Voidborns, the culprit must be someone strong enough to defeat two Observers...
W-What if we're dealing with some absurdly strong Savior?!
Trainee. How many times have I told you not to rely on pure instinct without actual proof?
An absurdly... strong Savior, you say.
Ms. Roberta?
Huh? No, it's nothing. I was just thinking about something.
Hm... Alright then. Naru?
Yes, Ms. Roberta!
Contact HQ and let them know two Observers have been incapacitated.
Keep an eye on them and get them to a secure location.
With our smart little rookie watching our backs, Lugh and I can focus on the front line.
Hehe, Captain. You've finally recognized my talents!
Of course, something this simple is child's play for a super genius like me!
I'll get in touch with HQ right away!
...I see you've discovered the proper way to deal with her.
More or less. Things ahead might be too dangerous for Naru.
We're about to come face to face with whoever touched the Divine Barrier.
Greetings, Orbital Search Team 3.
I had a feeling you'd show up. Just not this soon.
...Wow. You've got to be kidding me. Look who it is.
Ms. Roberta, that's...
That's right, Lugh. It's her.
Fancy seeing you again. Hell of a way to announce your return.
Never thought we'd meet again like this.
Ms. Carnelia.
You needn't be so guarded.
My business here is already done. I have no intention of fighting any of you.
...Business?
Already... done?
Alright then. Since you're not here to fight, then answer me this.
Ask away.
Carnelia, former Master Maid of Candle Square.
...What exactly did you do to the Divine Barrier?
...
What you've done here is unprecedented in NOA.
There's no example to compare this to, and no proper basis to judge this situation.
If this were just a minor interference, there might still be room for discussion...
But something tells me it's more serious than that.
And on top of that, the one responsible is none other than you, Carnelia.
So I doubt this is just some innocent misunderstanding.
...Fufu, well now.
I would think it impossible for a mere Savior and fugitive like myself to harm the Grand Witch's power.
...There doesn't appear to be any visible damage.
...What did you do to the Divine Barrier?
At least for now, nothing will occur.
Let us say I merely planted... a small possibility.
...Figures. You surely have no intention of explaining yourself.
Carnelia, you're coming into custody.
You' can explain the rest once we're back at NOA.
...As you wish.
...
We found two Observers collapsed on the way here.
They weren't seriously harmed. Just simply incapacitated.
And now you're standing here without the slightest resistance or denial...
...It almost feels like you were waiting to be arrested. Am I wrong?
Fufu... You're right. I have no intention of resisting or denying anything...
But who can say?
...I don't like that answer.
Either way, we will be taking custody of you from here.
...
I'm sorry it came to this, Ms. Carnelia.
We know she's inside her office. What could she be doing?
No idea. But it's not like we can barge in and ask.
Maybe we can look through the door gap or the keyhole.
If that's what it takes, we should—
Bell, shhh!
A visitor...?
Someone entered...? Who was that?
It was too dark to see who it was.
...We should move closer.
Not a sound from here on out.
I-I know! I can manage that much!
...You still haven't made up your mind?
Your judgment is slow for the Master Maid of Candle Square.
...It isn't a matter I can decide so easily.
You've carried out my requests so many times, and yet you still hesitate. How disappointing.
(The Witch of Favoritism...!)
I believe I gave you more than enough information in exchange for those requests.
The contract Alicia made to prevent Aldebaran from bringing ruin.
The spoke that sustains the Cycle created by that contract.
You, Carnelia, are the living corpse pierced through by it.
It's not because you did anything wrong. Not because you were born with a sin.
It was only that this world needed a sacrifice.
Do you still believe you can break free from those chains yourself?
Have the flowers you tend so carefully ever seen who you truly are beneath that mask?
...You've gone too far.
Especially from someone who weighs something as trivial as love against the world.
Indeed. That thing called love, which you longed for all your life yet could never feel.
What's more, you...
...Hehe. Yes.
Whether I intervene or not, this place will make you choke yourself in the end.
And when that happens, you will be forced to release everything you hold onto.
No one will recognize your suffering. No one will show you a way out.
Will that truly be the better choice for you?
...
...What do you want from me?
I'm not sure what kind of answer you're expecting from me.
Are you asking me to abandon justice and turn against this world as you have?
If this were just some shallow game of becoming a villain, I wouldn't have bothered.
What I want from you is simple.
...Accept the truth, Carnelia.
Do that, and I shall give you what you desire most.
Death.
There are three ways by which you may die.
I shall explain two of them first.
And the third?
If you fail to die through either of the first two methods...
...Lend your strength to destroy the Cycle of this world.
...What?
It is the final way for you to die, should you waste your two chances.
The world would perish, and you along with it.
...
Let us begin with the methods through which you may finally die.
Urgh...!
The Heart of the Star... Wait, that presence inside is...
...Ah.
...Haha. Hahaha... Haha.
...I see. So that's how it is.
The means to finally die...
So that was it.
...
...Bell, my sweet little sister...
Of course... you were close by all along.
So it was never far away.
The path to my death, and... to my freedom.
...Looks like you finally believe me.
To gain something, one must possess the strength worthy of it.
I shall grant you that as well.
This is...
The Light of Dawn, symbol of the Master Maid, possesses the power to attune the Heart of the Star.
An artifact that keeps the Heart of the Star under control through stability and balance.
But...
Imagine if it became the exact opposite.
The opposite...?
What if it ceased to attune... and instead brought Dissonance?
So this... is the power of Dissonance...
...
The entire world expects you to serve as a force of Attunement...
Yes this is the power more fitting for who you truly are.
I would think this arrangement suits you perfectly.
A fair exchange, just the sort that woman with her utilitarian ideals would appreciate.
...Fair, you say.
Yes. That cursed sense of fairness.
To love everyone is no different from hating everyone.
The happiness of the masses is always built upon someone's endless sacrifice.
...Should you choose to continue carrying that weight...
Will you carry out my request?
Oh dear Master Maid.
...
I will be leaving Candle Square.
As we go, I'd like you to explain what exactly you want from me.
...Leaving this place behind, are you?
So you think it'd be easier to cast it all aside as hollow hypocrisy?
Because you believe they would never understand?
No. I have no desire to explain.
Besides...
In the end, it really was all hypocrisy. I was already broken for a very long time.
I simply held myself together with the title of Master Maid, and...
...the fleeting light I managed to look upon for a little while.
...I see. Then the one carrying out this request will be... Carnelia.
...Yes.
Not as the Master Maid. As myself.