Arknights story · Medjehtiqedti Bound
ME-4 Misstep
Outside the First Temple reconstruction site, the ferryman Xanthos targets Titi and the relic of Athenius that she has brought.
2 scenes, 214 lines
1. Before Operation
113 lines
'And so Kereseira, the singer of epics, the gentlest hero of Agamem, hung her harp upon the branches of the laurel tree—'
'Its body made from the tallest firs atop Mount Hymnoi, its strings made from the bravest burdenbeast that roamed the Agnes Plains;'
'When it played, all things in the Land of Heroes sang together, riding upon the winds in freedom.'
No wonder you came up with the idea of holding the exchange ceremony on the temple square when you saw the completed statue of Kereseira.
You brought Kereseira's true harp, the one that used to be displayed in the First Temple of Old Athenius?
Yes!
Legend has it that Kereseira was inspired to carve a massive harp from mountain rocks and firs after hearing the mountains tell their stories beneath Mt. Hymnoi.
It was a blessed harp that only sang on important occasions, or when played by a great hero like Kereseira, offering a song that touches the people's hearts.
The First Temple was destroyed when the Sargonians invaded Old Athenius.
Grieving the tragedy, the harp sang no more, and afterwards went missing.
Until Padishah Khery found it in his collection.
I don't know how it ended up in Sargon—perhaps a Sargonian soldier looted it from Old Athenius and sold it to the padishah's ancestor.
I don't think anyone alive in Athenius has ever seen the original harp.
The only people who would know anything about the harp are a few priests well-versed with ancient texts, or oribenders like Kassandra who directly communicate with the heroes.
Does it still make a sound?
Yes.
We performed an inspection on the strings. They're a little aged, but still in playing condition.
I see. Perhaps the silence of the harp was simply a metaphor, as is often the case in Minoan stories...
Where are the ferrymen?
We pay these outrageous rents to be by the canal and get fresh fins!
The goods are here, keeper.
Finally! Any more delays, and we won't be ready for the diplomatic delegation!
Should I unload the goods for you?
Hey, why is the boat docked so far today? People will be falling into the water trying to unload stuff.
Bring the boat closer, please. As close to the kitchen as you can.
......
Okay.
Thank you. Why are you the one delivering today, by the way? It's usually Xanthos who does it.
I apologize. Master Xanthos had business.
Well, it's no problem. As long as the food gets here and the kitchen can get to work.
You've been with Xanthos for a few years, haven't you? He must have his reasons for planning it this way. Not concerned at all.
......
Sorry, Pallas. Everyone in the temple has their hands full today. I simply can't free up anyone from the moving crew.
I wanted to get the harp into the First Temple ahead of time to see if how it fits Kereseira's statue.
I should have had someone big and strong to help with carrying the harp, though. It's just the two of us...
Kereseira was not particularly tall according to historical records. People took particular note of the contrast when she stood next to her harp.
Maybe I could even do it myself—
Oof... it's heavy. Is this box full of lead or something?
Well, we entered Athenius by the ancient route, which is pretty rough. We couldn't risk any damage to the relic.
I had the museum staff prepare a packaging that's fireproof, waterproof, shockproof, and impact-proof, which unfortunately added a ton of weight to it.
On the other hand, it wouldn't get a scratch on it, even if an earthquake suddenly shook a whole house down onto it!
I can see you take great care of your museum and collection.
I went to Columbia to study museology because I was curious about everything, and ended up working in a museum when I went back to Sargon.
But my father died young, and my family's a far cry from its past glory... honestly, I'm not sure why the padishah picked me to lead the diplomatic mission...
But it's my job now, and I want to do it right!
Don't worry, the harp's unharmed!
I was asking about YOU!
Speaking of earthquakes... good thing the relic is well-protected.
What's all the commotion downstairs?
Looks like a boat rammed straight into the hotel kitchen.
It's over... it's all over...
What kind of a ferryman are you?! Full sails from five meters away? On a windy day like this? You knew your boat would go even faster than Hermes the Messenger!
You wanted the boat as close to the kitchen as possible.
......
I didn't mean INSIDE the kitchen!
Make way, make way.
Peace officer's already dispersing onlookers. Don't crowd around like this. I need to see what happened.
Lykeion?
......
You'll uphold justice, won't you, Grammateús?
I just wanted the boat bringing the ingredients to be closer to the kitchen, but this kid rammed it right into the place!
I'm sorry. I... don't know how to operate a boat.
Who do you think you're fooling? You've been studying with Xanthos at the crossing every day for years!
Theoretical knowledge does not equal practical skill.
Why you—!
Enough!
I can testify that this man never passed a single chariot racing test back in priest school.
Doesn't explain how he didn't see this huge stop sign, does it? The boat ran right through the fence!
Didn't see...?
(Has Oripathy spread to his perceptual system? Is that why Lena made a home visit the other day?)
Lykeion...
Why do you look like you think I'm going to die soon—
No, no, no! Don't say that! Even if it's true...
Excuse me, Grammateús. I know the two of you used to be classmates, but you're here as an official, and my kitchen has suffered significant damage.
Here.
This is... your coin purse?
I'll pay for the damage. Take what you need.
Who's telling you to pay for me?
You never got a proper job since you left priest school. I know Xanthos takes care of your room and board, but I doubt you have much money saved.
Don't worry about it. Spend your money on treatment. Don't forget you still owe me a debate.
I'm fine, really... *cough* *cough*
The coughing... an acute attack? Doctor! I need a doctor over here!
It's just the smoke, you idiot! Go get someone to fight the fire, Grammateús!
The fire is getting stronger. Looks like the boat hit the kitchen stove... *cough* What's with all the smoke?
We need to get out, get away from the smoke. But the harp...
The harp's well-protected. I see the officers are already organizing people to fight the fire. It should be under control soon.
Besides, the stairs are too narrow. The harp would get in the way of other people evacuating. Besides... *cough*—
Are you alright, Pallas?
You're right. We need to leave. We can come back when the smoke's gone. Let's go.
A fire? Oh no, oh no! My luggage is still in my room!
Don't worry, the fire's in the first-floor kitchen. It's not going to spread to the guestrooms upstairs. Just wait for them to put out the fire and the smoke to disperse.
Stop crowding and clear the area around the door! There are still people coming down from upstairs—
Sir! Now's not the time to go inside!
......
Feeling better, Pallas?
I'm fine. I just inhaled some smoke.
We should be good to go back to the room in ten minutes. I'll help you take the harp to the First Temple, just in case anything else happens.
......
Hey, Pallas, did that guy look familiar to you?
Who?
Did you hear? That kid at the crossing was the one who rammed the boat into the kitchen. He usually looks pretty smart, but I guess he's as dumb as it gets when it comes to piloting a boat.
Where was Xanthos? He's the one who usually delivers the goods.
Too busy, maybe? But it's not like him to let an inexperienced apprentice get into trouble on his own.
True.
...I remember now. It was Xanthos, the ferryman, who ran into me just now.
Xanthos? Are you sure?
If he had the time to come to the hotel, why would he let an inexperienced apprentice steer the boat and cause an accident? Wait a second...
I have a bad feeling about this.
As do I.
2. After Operation
101 linesThe room of the Sargonian ambassador... this is the relic that was stolen a century ago?
The tall Minoan peers at the massive wooden box as he starts the motor on his serrated oar, repurposing the tool that he uses to cross the river to pick the lock open.
He carefully lifts the cover of the box. The instrument of Kereseira, which should have come home long ago, is safely packaged in a dust cover.
Kereseira's harp must not be used as a bargaining chip by the Sargonian hypocrites, to be shut away in this pretentious, suffocating box...
Put the harp down, Xanthos.
The people praise you for proposing the rebuilding of the First Temple as soon as you returned to Athenius, Pallas. I voted in favor myself.
Thank you.
But you should not have cozied up to the Sargonians.
......
You instructed your apprentice to ram the hotel kitchen and cause a fire, letting you sneak in to steal an artifact of great diplomatic significance to our two countries... it's an ill-advised act.
The streets outside the hotel are packed with people. You can't possibly escape with the harp.
......
You're jumping out the window? This is the fourth floor!
We're directly above the kitchen. The boat that rammed the kitchen wasn't just a distraction, it's his escape... he had this planned.
The door will take too much time. How about—
You give me a ride?
Wisdom.
The fire is under control, Grammateús. As for the hotel's losses...
I'll report the incident to the Astynomos' Office per official procedures. As for the damage to the kitchen, I've already settled up with the innkeeper.
I see. We'll station someone here to make sure no one's trying to take advantage of the chaos, for instance...
What is it?
L-Look up!
Hekádemos looks up.
A pair of Forte horns, pitch-black under the sunlight like the twin moons, flies over the head of the crowd, their owner landing upon a haystack on the accident boat, before leaping off the boat and fleeing along the river.
A few seconds later, a white figure leaps from the window off the end of a silver chain. The black Feline's landing is softened by several cloth ribbons surrounding her.
Xanthos the ferryman? And the Sargonian ambassador?
What's that huge thing Xanthos is carrying on his back...? Don't tell me...
......
You were right, officer. Someone IS trying to take advantage of the chaos.
Understood. Cordon the scene and impound that boat! Send someone to follow Kyría Mashayer and bring Xanthos into custody!
The harvest is done. We'll need your help again packing the apples in crates.
No problem. You guys helped a lot with the stone for the temple, after all.
Excuse me.
Whoa, whoa—
Xanthos? What's the hurry?
Is that Titi chasing after him?
Hey, Thanos! M-Make way!
Is this a race? Where's the finish line?
Go, Titi, go! You can't lose to Xanthos when he has so much stuff on his back, right?
No I can't!
Careful with the apples!
The Sargonian is persistent...
But this is as far as you go.
Xanthos! The river is just ahead!
The harp is out of its waterproof packaging! The water will ruin it!
I don't need a Sargonian to remind me, not when your people have ruined countless Minoan treasures.
Xanthos!
Wait, what's that sound... there's a boat under the pier? He had this carefully planned. It wasn't an impulsive act.
No, don't go—
Arts-controlled ribbons fly toward the package on Xanthos's shoulder.
The Forte instinctively jumps back, placing the harp at the stern of the ship. The ribbons wind themselves around his arm, helping Titi jump onto the boat.
Xanthos! Ugh... it's swaying beneath my feet...
We need to clear the air between us. Let's talk about this on dry land, shall we?
I have nothing to say to a Sargonian.
Let me apologize, then...
The two keep their eyes fixed on each other, one at the bow, the other at the stern. Xanthos clutches his oar and starts its motor, while Titi begins to glow with the light of her Originium Arts.
Ribbons fly from her clothes, grabbing the harp and pulling it towards the bow.
Xanthos cuts the ribbons, only to find that Titi has closed the distance with the harp. He runs to the bow, causing the boat to tip violently, throwing Titi off-balance and interrupting her Arts.
Both of them reach out desperately—
The dust cover on the relic is removed, revealing the legendary lost harp, in all its glory.
Every Minoan has heard the story of Kereseira and her harp, but precious few have seen it with their own eyes.
It remains proud and glorious, despite the passage of a thousand years. Sunlight falls on the metallic leaves decorating its pedestal, surrounding it with a gentle glow.
The pair fighting over the harp has no time to admire, as they watch the harp's trajectory change, less than a second before it hits the ground.
Medjehtiqedti has never thought of herself as lucky.
The glory of her noble house had long faded away by her father's generation. Her father was obsessed with literature, while her mother, still clinging to old aristocratic habits, showed little interest in spending time with her daughter.
Titi spent most of her free time in her father's library, alone.
The knowledge she learned there was basic, shallow, but it nevertheless expanded her horizons, and instilled in her a strong sense of curiosity for everything. That was why she saved money to pay for her own studies in museology in Columbia.
She was excited, but nervous, when Padishah Khery appointed her to be the ambassador to Sargon.
On one hand, she was drawn to the wonders of Minoan culture and the stories of heroes; on the other hand, she was acutely aware of the challenges that the burden of history presented.
The joy that she gained from working with the temple craftsmen, the last visage of fantasy and daydream in her mind, would be shattered with the falling harp in less than a second.
Xanthos was not so arrogant as to think that his plan to take the harp back from the Sargonians was flawless.
He might go to jail, or have an Oripathy attack while carrying out the plan. He did not care that he was risking his life on something that would seem ridiculous to most.
To him, the only place where he would find peace was the battle on the border where Ithakos went, five years ago. There was no point in asking the meaning of anything that has happened since.
But the trickery of fate is even more cruel than in the heroic legends. Xanthos thought of many ends for himself, but never this one.
The precious harp is about to hit the ground, and there is nothing Xanthos can do about it. Should he be angry? Sad? Fearful? Or simply laugh at his own helplessness?
The emotions that fate has impounded have returned to his empty chest. The tall Minoan warrior sees everything flash before his eyes.
The breeze of the Delphi Canal brushes against Xanthos's back. It has never felt so cold. He cannot help but tremble.
He can see the Sargonian woman's face. It is deathly pale. He knows that his own face is the same.
We've arrested Xanthos the ferryman and his apprentice Lykeion on charges of robbery, Your Excellency.
I sincerely apologize for the damages you've suffered... I know it's not my place to ask, but can the damaged item be—
Thank you for your concern, officer. The item that was damaged was a personal effect, and not particularly valuable.
It was Xanthos the ferryman who ferried me across the river when I first came to Athenius. This was simply a minor misunderstanding. You can send the onlookers on their way.
Yes, Your Excellency.
If you do not intend to pursue this matter any further, then we will take the two suspects and proceed in accordance with the law.
You two! Thank Kyría Mashayer for her magnanimity.
......
You don't know how to steer a boat. Grammateús Hekádemos can testify to that. You could have gotten off easily. Why put yourself in this situation with me, Lykeion?
You instructed me to provide a distraction on the boat because you know I'm a poor liar, Master Xanthos.
I knew about your plan and took action to help you. I must accept responsibility with you.
Besides, I do not think that what you did was unreasonable.
......
'A personal effect'? As if the officer believed that! She saw your courtesy as a way out, so she wouldn't have to prosecute her own people!
The relic that is at the center of the first cultural exchange between Sargon and Minos since the establishment of diplomatic relations was stolen, and damaged during its retrieval. This would be more than enough to start a war if we were in Leithanien or Siracusa!
I checked the harp. The damage was minor, only a crack on the pedestal. It can be easily repaired by filling and painting over the crack.
Under normal circumstances, I would have kept it untouched. But these are what we call extenuating. I can fix it so nothing looks out of place for the exchange ceremony in a few days.
Hah. You may be descended from Sargonian nobility, but you've inherited none of your ancestors' political acumen.
The Minoans are entirely at fault here. This is a perfect chance to punish the offenders severely, establish Sargon's authority and prestige, and—
I know you're proud of your family's 'military exploits' in Minos, Behnui Effendi, and to you this is like revisiting old stomping grounds, in a sense.
But times have changed. Padishah Khery appointed us to visit Minos with Kereseira 's harp, not to show off Sargonian glory, but to repair the relationship between our two nations.
As emissaries of Sargon, our priority is to carry out the exchange ceremony successfully, not our own obsessions and interests. Am I wrong?
......