Story: ChesedEpisode 4

LOR::100_7_4
Contents:
  1. Location: The Library – Floor of Social Sciences
ChesedEpisode 4 Location: The Library – Floor of Social Sciences Roland (Servant) What are you up to? Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_1" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) Picking out some coffee beans. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_1" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) It’s much more intensive work than it seems. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_2-02" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) I, Angela, and the employees of Lobotomy Corp. were all picked out and ended up where we are, just like the guests were. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_3-01" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) No matter what the individual wishes, society will just pick out the people it wants while leaving the rest to rot in the pile. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_4-01" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) An invisible chain of oppression is weighing down on everybody. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_5-01" Roland (Servant) Those are rules necessary for people to live close to each other. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_2" Roland (Servant) Hell, I bet society’s gonna be even more messed up than it is now without ‘em, y’know? Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_3" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) I agree that some rules are needed. But why’d they all have to be so extreme~? Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_6-01" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) The Syndicates in the Backstreets, the Associations of Fixers, and the Wings… They’re all established on the premise of human sacrifice. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_7" Roland (Servant) That’s how it is in this world. A big game of cat-and-mouse where the winner takes all. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_4" Roland (Servant) There’s no point trying to wrap your head around the inevitable. You really are an odd one, huh. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_5" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) Would you say that the pain and loss you suffered were also inevitable, then? Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_8-02" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) You always talk about the City so plainly, saying that everything happening in it can’t be helped. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_9-01" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) Is it really because you’re indifferent about it? Or are you trying to turn away from the underlying unfairness? Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_10-01" Roland (Servant) …Sure. We’re just being carried away by a gigantic wave. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_6" Roland (Servant) All we gotta do is surrender to the flow and float down the stream. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_7" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) You’re busy running away, aren’t you, Roland~ Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_11-02" Roland (Servant) Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_8" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) You see, I came from the Nest. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_12" Roland (Servant) Figured as much. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_9" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) I was born into a wealthy family that was the envy of all. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_13" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) I didn’t have to worry about my future, and was born smart too, to top it off… Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_14-01" Roland (Servant) Some elite prodigy you were. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_10" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) I know, right~? They all expected me to join A Corp. and climb up to a high position like it was nothing. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_15-02" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) My older sister and other siblings got into Wings like a breeze, too. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_16-01" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) The Wings most people strive to enter were no more than ordinary career paths for me. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_17-02" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) I never got why they were so desperate to join such boring companies. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_18-02" Roland (Servant) Damn, that’s how great your family was? Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_11" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) Yep. That’s the kind of family Daniel had. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_19-01" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) But one day, in a bizarre turn of events one might even describe as fate… he steps into the Backstreets, the place he never thought would have anything to do with his life. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_20" Roland (Servant) A rebellious little deviation from the quotidian life of a spoiled young gent? Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_12" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) It would’ve been pretty romantic if that were the case… But I was just kidnapped, really. Caught me by surprise. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_21-01" Roland (Servant) Someone decided to kidnap a Nest resident, and a rich one at that… Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_13" Roland (Servant) Must’ve been some bigshot Syndicate or just a crazy ass. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_14" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) Well, you see… it was actually Carmen and Kali. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_22-01" Roland (Servant) Huh. If the Red Mist did that… Well, I guess she had good reasons. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_15" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) When I came back to my senses, those two were arguing with each other. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_23-01" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) “You were never good at telling people apart based on their faces, Kali.” “Well, it’s YOUR fault for giving me a bad description, Carmen!” Et cetera et cetera. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_24-02" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) I couldn’t help but chuckle listening to that. I thought I was looking at a comedy skit or something. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_25" Roland (Servant) So they got the wrong person? Didn’t take them for a couple of airheads. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_16" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) I’m telling you~? They really were clumsy at heart. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_26-02" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) They were trying to catch some con artist who scammed Carmen out of her research fund, and Kali apparently mistook me for the perp. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_27" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) I thought I’d get some apologies and go back to where I belonged. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_28" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) But then Carmen asked me without a hint of shame to help her out for a bit while I’m at it. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_29-01" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) She said it helps to have a visibly rich person like me stand next to her. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_30-01" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) So I said yes out of surprise and confusion. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_31" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) I was wondering what she was about to do, and then she took me to an open space and started giving a long speech. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_32-01" Roland (Servant) I guess it wasn’t anything weird since there’s plenty of people muttering nonsense in the Backstreets every day. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_17" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) You’re right about that. Can you guess what she was saying, standing next to me? Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_33-02" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) She went on about vague things like how everyone is fatigued and ill with the disease of the mind, and that she’s recruiting people to help her find a way to overcome it. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_34-01" Roland (Servant) Sounds like total hogwash. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_18" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) One thing that stood out about her was that she was so proud and confident with her ridiculous speech. Even when most people barely gave her a glance before going about their business. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_35-02" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) Carmen was vastly different from the people I had seen. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_36-01" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) She had the eyes and voice of a person who was willing to carve a brand new path. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_37" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) I never thought people like her could exist until that day. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_38-01" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) After her speech, Carmen walked me home. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_39-01" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) And on the way back, I saw and heard it for the first time. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_40-01" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) The hellish landscape that was so different from the world I lived in. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_41-01" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) Carmen and Kali taught me about what’s going on in the Backstreets and how people in the Nest are being extorted without meaning. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_42-02" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) When I got back home that day, I spent all night shivering from this odd sense of guilt. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_43-03" Roland (Servant) The naive young noble wakes up to a half-baked sense of justice. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_19" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) I did~ I guess you could say it was half-baked in a way. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_44-02" Roland (Servant) I mean, you could’ve just shrugged the whole thing off as a bad day and went back to your everyday life, no? Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_20" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) Maybe. But I just couldn’t, no… Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_45" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) So~ I ended up joining Carmen’s team of researchers. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_46-01" Roland (Servant) That simple? Aren’t you skipping too many steps at once? Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_21" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) Of course my family had several problems with it, but those were just small details~ Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_47-01" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) I wanted to use my capabilities to help people. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_48" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) I was sincere about wanting to make the world a better place. Daniel was. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_49" Roland (Servant) How about now, then. Are you still sincere about that? Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_22" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) Yep, I am. I want to change it right next time. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_50" Chesed (Patron Librarian - Soc. Sciences) If there is a next time, that is~ Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Chessed_51-02" Roland (Servant) Don’t expect others to have the peace of mind like you do. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_23" Roland (Servant) It’s all thanks to your prosperous background that you could say such generous stuff. Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_24" Roland (Servant) I’ll be going now~ Audio: "ch8_Chessed_ep4_Roland_25"