Arknights story · Operator Records
On a Rainy Night
After escaping from the Confessarius, Shining, with Nightingale in tow, seeks shelter from the rain. The two of them have a good time playing with the homeowner's daughter. Shining dispatches the assassins that had been sent after them, and the two pass by Nearl as they prepare to leave after the rain stops.
1 scenes, 271 lines
1. Interlude
271 linesWho's there?
Excuse me, we're just passing mercenaries. The rain's getting heavy, so we'd like to shelter here for a while. Would that be alright?
You can head on over to the village inn.
We'll only be here until the rain clears up. We can't stay long anyway.
Anyone else with you?
Just my friend. She can't walk very well.
...
Sarkaz?
We mean you no harm.
Your kind isn't welcome here, devil. Get lost.
...
A longsword is pointed at her neck.
I'm not gonna repeat myself.
Then, please... at least allow my friend to rest here.
What's her problem?
The same as you, good sir.
Infected?
...
You said you're a merc, yeah?
Correct.
Stay right here by the door, and don't go wandering off.
Thank you.
Dad, do we have guests?
Nothing you need to worry about. Head back inside.
Okay...
Ngh...
You're awake, Liz?
We were fortunate enough to find a place to rest. It won't be much longer until we're out of Victoria.
Thank you. I'll do just that.
Ma'am, do you need a towel?
Thank you very much.
From afar, the owner of the home watches his daughter approach the Sarkaz, and he reaches subconsciously for the hilt of his sword.
But what he'd feared did not come to pass.
Shining accepts the towel and helps Nightingale dry her hair. After painstakingly tending to her companion, she then wipes down her own long, dripping hair.
...
Did you need anything else?
N-No, I was just thinking of something to say...
Chirp, chirp.
A small blue creature pops out from Nightingale's pocket and lands on her shoulder.
Whoa, a fowlbeast!
Can I pet it?!
Mhm.
Nightingale raises her hand, and the fowlbeast hops from her shoulder to her fingertips.
I've never seen such an obedient fowlbeast before!
Heehee~ Hello there~
Where are you from?
The fowlbeast chirps, as if replying to the girl's question.
Little fowlbeast, little fowlbeast, do you want to play a game?
My dad made me a lot of toys, but the other kids in the village don't like playing with me.
Game? What kind of game?
Do you wanna play too, ma'am?! Give me a sec!
The girl hurries back into her room to search for something.
After rummaging around for a while, she comes back with a small cardboard box.
I have a lot of really fun stuff. My dad carved them all out of wood!
My favorite is this one—
Huh...
The girl digs through the box, pulling out a wooden block or two every now and then.
Everything's fallen apart...
Is there anything I can help you with?
Oh, yes, thanks.
Can you help me take all the blocks out? Then stack them up in groups of three. First horizontally, then vertically, and repeat.
Alright.
Shining helps the child dig through the box and pick out all the wooden blocks.
Your horns are so beautiful! Are you an Elafia?
No, I'm a Sarkaz.
Oh, that makes sense... You don't have those fluffy ear tufts.
I heard you're gonna leave Victoria after this when I was in my room.
Is Victoria... bad?
Shining picks up some of the wooden blocks she had dug out from the box and begins stacking them on top of one another.
After only a few layers, the colors before her eyes already seem to be coalescing into a kaleidoscopic blur.
It has been a long time since she's experienced an environment so replete with warmth. As she relaxes, drowsiness starts to wash over her.
Her thoughts spin through the air along with motes of light.
Shining can already see the light coming from the exit.
And behind her, piled high in the shadows, are the bodies of Confessarius guards.
She simply pats the person strapped to her back — and does not turn around.
...
Nightingale is still not fully awake, and subconsciously clings tight to Shining.
Hang in there a bit longer, Liz.
There they are!
We need to leave this place.
...Though to where, I couldn't say either.
There may be no place for us in these lands.
But at the very least...
I refuse to leave you behind here.
The daylight flashes by from within the cave, leaving its vestiges on the supporting pillars and rocks.
Before Shining emerges, a blue fowlbeast has already darted out, flying impatiently towards the sunlight.
That sound just now — did it come from over there?
That's where they fled to.
I'll give chase. You report to the leader.
What's going on?
The cave entrance is about to collapse! Retreat, now!
W-We won't make it in time—!!
Owwww!
A yelp suddenly snaps Shining back to reality.
The girl had accidentally knocked over the nearly-completed tower of wooden blocks, sending the pieces scattering everywhere.
You're not going to rest a little more?
I'll manage.
Ugh... Now I have to start all over again.
There's nothing wrong with starting over.
Can I... help too this time?
Yeah, of course! The more the merrier!
As the three of them start rebuilding the tower, Shining glances over at the owner of the house.
He is seated by the window, longsword still in hand.
Meanwhile, his child is sitting with the two women, pushing some of the fallen blocks in front of Nightingale before continuing to stack them up.
One more... to go... And, done!
We can start playing the game now!
The rules are really easy. First, you roll the dice, then you pull out the same number of blocks from the tower and stack them on top. Whoever knocks it over loses!
Let's roll the dice to see who goes first.
The die bounces several times under their gaze before coming to a decision.
I'm going first then?
Yup!
Nightingale picks up the die and lets it roll off her palm.
She can't muster much strength, but it's okay since this is the first block.
You're up next, nice lady in black.
Shining takes the die next and casts it.
She takes note of the number, and turns to the wooden tower.
While removing a block isn't inherently difficult, the tower will naturally start falling apart as the game progresses.
Past choices and occurrences accumulate, stacking up layer by layer, and applying ever more pressure on the future.
A sensation she finds disagreeable.
But rules are rules, and she must abide by them.
And so, another block is stacked on top.
Phew... How are you feeling, Liz?
Mm... No issues here...
We're already quite far from the lab. It's not likely that they'd catch up to us at this point.
We still have a long way to go. Let's get some rest and have a bite to eat.
I'm not hungry yet...
Shining opens her bag and finds she has only one piece of fruit left.
We only have a bit of dry food left. Can you eat the fruit first?
There should be a village just across the bridge where I can buy us some food.
Here, go ahead and eat. I've peeled it for you.
As soon as they step into the village, they are surrounded by a constant chorus of surprised murmurs, as if they were beasts that had broken loose.
But Shining doesn't care about that. The Victorians won't see them again after they're done buying food.
Hello, can I help you...
D-Devils?!
Good day. I'd like to purchase some bread.
Away with you! I don't do business with devils!
Just name your price. I'll pay.
Hah. If I accepted your money, who'd still eat my bread?
...
Now scram. There are customers behind you.
My apologies.
Shining's hand presses into the hilt of her sword.
The morning light flashes by.
*sigh*...
Eeeek!
M-Murderer!
Wait—
Shining had long since noticed the Confessarius guards tailing her, so she had deliberately been avoiding crowded places to keep a low profile.
But as the bread stall owner runs towards the crowd, yelling and shrieking, more and more people start to gather.
'That devil's a murderer!'
'Someone get the police!'
'Isn't the village chief's son a caster? Hurry and get him over here!'
...
She only wanted to buy some food to fill her stomach, but she has no choice but to hastily flee the village in the end.
Her companion can only clutch fearfully at her robe, trembling uncontrollably.
And even further behind them, screams and curses continue for a long while.
Shining?
Hmm?
When she focuses on the present again, the three of them had already been playing together for quite some time.
Several of the wooden tower levels are supported by only a single block, yet the rickety tower somehow still maintains an uneasy equilibrium.
It won't be long until a winner is decided.
Is there anything I can help you with?
I think... I can do this.
The block she grabs is wedged so tightly that all blocks above it wobble every time Nightingale tries to move it.
Nightingale and the child continue staring intently at the block, neither noticing that Shining and the owner of the house have stood up at the same time.
I think I left my wallet outside.
You...
Would you mind keeping an eye on my friend? I'll be right back.
...
What's wrong?
It's nothing. Let's continue.
She tries again and again, hoping that the tower's center of gravity might change.
But the pressure exerted on that single block of wood does not let up.
What would Shining do? She ponders.
She remembers that Shining would draw out the blocks faster than the eye can see, without giving the tower even a chance to wobble.
She prepares to give it a try.
You can do it!
Mhm.
Nightingale takes a deep breath, grabs the wooden block, and forcefully pulls—
The morning light outside the window disappears in an instant as the tower collapses.
Yay! I win!
For whatever reason, the young girl takes Nightingale's hand and starts dancing around, as if they had both won the game.
Her pure, genuine emotions send a ripple through Nightingale's stony heart.
You're back.
...
I saw everything. One flick of your sword, and...
Are you two on the run too?
Shining looks out the window. The rain gradually subsides, and the deepening darkness serves well to conceal the corpses.
Eight Confessarius guards, and six assassins of unknown origin. Two different groups had arrived at the same doorstep.
So, the other group of six—
Came to kill my child.
Is that why you were willing to shelter us from the rain?
It's because... you're Sarkaz.
It was a race against time. And the guard I hired hasn't gotten here yet.
You two are Sarkaz, and I know for a fact that that hoity-toity noble would never deign to hire one.
You seemed capable, so I decided to hedge my bets. But I never thought you'd...
It's fine. I understand.
In any case, you've done me a huge favor. If you're in no hurry to leave, feel free to stay the night.
Thank you, sir. We truly appreciate your kind offer, but unfortunately time is not on our side either.
One sec.
It'll be tough for you to buy food along the way, right? Here, I have some bread and jerky.
This is... Thank you very much, sir.
I should be thanking you, Sarkaz.
I haven't seen my daughter having this much fun with others in a long, long time.
She's been like this since she was little. Never suspicious towards anyone.
But we've always been on the run. Constantly moving, avoiding others. She hasn't had much of a chance to have normal interactions.
But those days will soon be over. Once that merc shows up and takes her to live with her relatives, she'll finally be able to settle down.
You're not going with her?
That damn noble killed my wife and got me sick... Once my daughter's out of harm's way, I'm getting payback, one way or another.
I won't run.
Mhm.
Liz, it's time to go.
It's already so late, though. Are you sure you don't want to stay the night?
I'm sorry. We'll come play with you again if we get the chance, okay?
Okay...
Wait!
Here, this is for you!
The girl stuffs two rocks into Shining's hand.
What are these?
They're two lucky rocks I found by the river!
Lucky... rocks?
Yeah! Just tap them together, and you'll be sure to have good luck!
The last time I did it, Dad brought home a huge fowlbeast and we had a big feast!
Maybe the next time you tap them, we'll be able to meet again!
I hope that day comes as well.
Farewell, Sarkaz. Until we meet again.
Until we meet again.
You're finally here?
Hello, Mr. Edmund.
Thanks for coming all the way out here, Ms. Nearl. Please, come in.
Liz.
What's wrong?
This lucky rock is for you.
Huh...
Were you happy?
I'm...
...not sure I understand what that means.
But, I did feel... very warm...
Being cared for, being appreciated...
Seeing someone offer a helping hand, and being able to hold it... instead of having a sword pointed at you.
If we could always have opportunities like these... I'm sure... I'd be happy.
Can we try stopping by the village again, some other time?
...
We're Sarkaz, and infected with Oripathy. Most in this land will not welcome us.
Had that homeowner not also been an Infected, we might not even have had the opportunity to rest beneath those eaves.
But, there's always a chance, right?
Sometimes, we can relieve the suffering of others. So I believe that, sometimes, others can do the same for us.
Even if the likelihood is extremely slim?
Mhm.
I believe in you, Shining. Someone out there will recognize your sincerity, your earnestness.
...If you say so.
Whenever we pass by a village, I'll ask the villagers. Whenever I see a caravan, I'll ask the merchants.
People will look down on us and ignore us. We must be prepared for that.
But if luck is on our side, we may yet find selfless people willing to help us. And maybe, in the not-too-distant future, we may even find a place where we can finally rest our feet.
But luck is already on our side.
Nightingale takes out the lucky rock Shining had given her.
Mm, that's right.
Shining also takes out hers.
The two rocks bump together, making a crisp, clean sound.
Beneath the moonlight, the two Sarkaz leave Victoria, blessed by luck.