Faint Shades

Hey, Nona.

What are you doing here?

You mean, about the jewel?

If we can believe Phantom, it used to belong to you.

......

Nona...

You'll be okay. You'll remember it all, someday. Not that I'm really in any position to make promises. I don't know anything myself, either.

Huh?

H-hey! What are you squeezing them for?!

What were you trying to do?

You looked like you were trying to crush them into powder, though!

Well, now. What are you two up to?

Ah, Klein!

Hmm? Let me have a look.

Hmm... Hmm... Hmhmmm... Hmhuh?!

Do you have any ideas...?

All I can really get from this is that I can't get anything from it.

Now, now. In collectors' circles, knowing that you don't know what you have can be very valuable. For one thing, this isn't a jewel. It's more like, hmm...

Perhaps it would be better to have Noahxis tell you.

It's not his field either, for sure. But compared to an egghead like me, I expect he'll have an easier time putting it into understandable terms.

Is it really that amazing?!

Yes. Even compared to our technology and knowledge... This would fall under the category of what's only theoretically possible. And it would be pretty far-fetched.

Huh? So, you mean... What does that mean?

That's where knowing I don't know comes into play. For now, let's see if we can track down Noahxis.

He's explored more of this place than anyone else. If anyone's seen something like this, it'll be him.

Okay. I'll go find Noahxis.

Huh, you don't say. It's definitely not something I've seen before, sorry. But, just maybe...

So that's where your head went too? That's just what I thought. Especially if...

Hm, no, hold on. It could also be...

Oh? Hadn't thought of that. But that's only if...

Klein likes mysteries, and Noahxis is basically a scholar, after all. This must be right up their alley.

They're both explorers at heart, after all. This must be right up their alley.

...is what I thought. In other words...

Right, but consider... ......

...Okay. I think we've got some leads. We'll figure this thing out if it's the last thing we do.

Did you learn something?

Yes. Took some input from Noahxis, but we were able to figure out that they were made in a specific era. Same markings as the jewels, see? And he said he's seen some kind of disk-shaped thing that uses these like cartridges.

Then, maybe...!

Exactly. If you're lucky, you might be able to find some clues about these things there.

Oh, it was nothing.

That said, I can't say if it'll work until we actually give it a try. Most of the relics Noahxis finds tend to be broken, after all.

And we're talking about objects it gave us trouble even to put an era on, you know? They could be from the ancient past, or maybe from the distant future... In any case, leave the figuring to us. We'll let you know ASAP if we get any news, good or bad.

Actually, there could be a usable device among the stuff Noahxis brought back a long time ago.

Apparently it has some sort of tray that would fit these jewels perfectly. If you can make it work, you might be able to get some clues out of these things after all.

But it looks a bit damaged. It may not be usable as-is. We'll do some looking into it, and I'll let you know if we get any news, good or bad.

Understood! Thanks!

...Hey. You came.

What was it you wanted us to see?

Remember that tray-shaped thing I mentioned, the one that Nona's jewels might fit into? I did some repair work, filled in what I could of what was missing. It's right over there.

Wow...you're right. It does look like they'd fit.

That said... We have no idea what it might do.

Putting your jewels into it could easily destroy the jewels, the machine, or both. Those things are precious, right? Make sure you know what you're risking by trying this.

...I'll do it!

Are you really sure?

Well, nothing's going to change just from standing around, will it?

Besides, I need to know. Who I am, where I came from...and if these can help me figure that out...

Yeah. You're right. Then I'm with you all the way.

Thank you, Aldo! Okay, let's take the three I have...

...Like this, you think?

Whoa!

Something's floating in the air. Is this a projection of some kind?

......

There we go! Nice and cozy. See over there? That's your mommy.

She'll only get in the way of my work. Take her.

So harsh, Your Majesty. Don't you feel for your heir?

Hmph. I don't know. It's a foundling. Not my husband's child.

What a cruel thing to say! You should show some concern for her upbringing!

You're the nurse. Raising the thing is your job. It has nothing to do with me. This baby is so very strange. If it does anything suspicious, just get rid of it.

This is a baby, not some governmental policy!

I'll prepare a bath. Perhaps you should have a good think about what you're saying, Your Majesty.

Hmph. That's a frightful baby.

...It has begun.

Your Majesty!

Terrible news! The barrier has...!

The barrier's component sigils have gone haywire! Attackers are finding their way through!

The magic soldiers are holding the line for now, but even the elementals have begun acting strangely!

How could this be happening?! Our glorious kingdom's barrier should never fall, not like this!

If things carry on this way, the Kingdom itself will fall! Your Majesty... Please, Your Majesty! Save us!

......

I will go immediately. Make preparations to evacuate the citizenry should the worst befall.

Right away!

What an empty thing it is, to struggle against a pre-ordained destruction.

No matter how many corpses may pile up behind us... If this life, alone, persists, then the true end shall not come. It shall not. I will not permit it...

Why? Why do they look like that?!

No, my first priority must be to call the guards before anyone gets hurt!

......!{lang-nuance}The Queen, noticing danger{/lang-nuance}

Guagh!

Don't get in my way.

Who... Who are you? Why do you...look like me?

You've no need to know that. I must be getting rusty, making mistakes like that.

What are you talking about?

I thought I'd be used to it by now.

Ngh?! Guaaagh!

I won't apologize to you. But I will remember this. The warmth of your blood, the pain in your voice, the feel of my blade as it plunged into your flesh.

*huff* *puff*

Hate, curse, die. The watchful eyes of tens of thousands of dead will keep me walking on.

...na...

You have no right to say that name. There can be no saving you.

W-what was that?

That was a pretty gory show.

......

Can't blame you for feeling a bit faint after seeing all of that. No need to be embarrassed.

At least it didn't look to have anything to do with you, so there's no need to hang onto it...

...It was the same.

Nona?

It was the same. The same sights as the ones I saw when Phantom gave me these in the first place.

No, it was much clearer than those. I...I remember.

I loved all the people we saw. I'm sure of it. So much so that I feel guilty that I ever forgot them. So much that I wish I could be there, even now.

Nona...

It's funny, right? I don't know their names, or who they are, or anything else about them. Just that I love them. That's all.

I want to know more. I need to go to them. That I can't drop everything and go to them right now... It makes my heart ache.

......

Ah, well...if nothing else, at least the machine and the jewels both seem to be holding up for now.

You're worried about the relics at a time like this?! You monster!

Give me some credit, would you? Think about it. This record is important to Nona. Wouldn't it be awful if it broke after one viewing?

Hmm... I suppose that's true.

You can use the machine to review that record anytime, Aldo. You remember how to work it?

Uh, yeah.

Then I think it's time Klein and I made ourselves scarce for a bit. The tray's yours to use how you like.

Oh, right. The machine isn't quite fully repaired just yet. Let me see if we can find anything else for it.

No, I'd feel bad making you do that. At least let me help look.

No thanks.

Anyone can scrounge through scrap. You, on the other hand, have plenty of things that only you can do.

Is she doing better?

You mean Nona? Yeah. We had a good talk.

...Good to hear it.

Just so you know, that relic? We might be able to pull more out of it if we can repair it more.

What do you mean?

I forget, were you around when I figured I could use those jewels as cartridges for the machine?

Uh, no. But Klein filled us in, mostly.

Okay, that makes it easier. See, these jewels are what we call a "storage medium." The tray relic lets you play back what's stored.

It works with magic... Or maybe technology. We can't tell that much about it.

Oh, I see!

So, the jewels all have bits of memory data saved onto 'em. But with a busted-up scrap relic like the one we're using, we can't play back the whole record.

Apparently the tray and the jewels come in a kind of set. And the tray we have can't pull all the record out of the jewels. Not all of it, at least.

It's true, the projection did cut out here and there.

So we'll look into it a bit more. Maybe if we're lucky, we can get those missing pieces back for her.

Are you sure? Thanks!

Hey, it'll be a great way to kill time. Anyway, I'll let you get back to it. I'll call if anything happens... But maybe don't get your hopes up.

We really appreciate it.

I finally found a clue... A clue to where I was born. I'll find my way home. I will. I promise.