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Thank you so much, Silence! I wouldn't have been able to get into Rhine Lab to observe, if not for you.

No need to thank me. Just doing my job.

It was worth it, waking you up every morning during exam weeks!

I got myself up too.

Twice, in all those years!

Hehe...

There are some real lookers at that company. Tell me the truth—anybody caught your eye?

Huh? Er, no... I've only been here a few days...

Alright, I'll stop teasing you.

I know how obsessed you are with science. You'll never take the initiative to ask anybody out.

To be honest, though, we're a little concerned.

About what?

Your shyness is your only flaw. Setting aside romance for a moment, we're worried that you won't be able to find a friend to talk to at work.

......

Y-You don't need to worry.

All my colleagues are very nice. Nothing to worry about, at all.

...I guess so.

I'm in Trimounts for three days, which means I'll be around for the weekend.

Let's play all over Trimounts tomorrow!

Good morning, Silence.

Good morning, Mr. Miller.

Happy Monday, Chris!

Happy Monday, Susanna.

Go anywhere over the weekend?

Nope. Stayed home and binged a whole season of Blood and Dividends.

Oh, same here. Stayed up all night to finish it!

You like that show, Silence?

I... I haven't—

Let's change the subject... what did you do over the weekend, Silence? Did you go out?

Yes! An old classmate came to Trimounts, and we went to a bunch of places.

I liked to go out on weekends when I first got here too. There are some choice places in town, which is your favorite?

Trimounts Common.

The Common? But it's just a bunch of trees. Why would you—

Chris.

Oh.

Well, we've got a thing, better get going. Happy Monday!

......

That's all for this week's agenda. Dismissed.

Silence, a moment of your time.

Of course, Doctor.

How are things going on the job?

I like the atmosphere here at the company. Everyone is very passionate.

As you are yourself. Your talent stands out, even in this place. I have high hopes for you.

Thank you...

But you have a tendency to be aloof, outside of work.

There are a lot of young people here. We need to maintain a collegial atmosphere, whether it's having a chat or going out together, some social interaction can be conducive to our work.

I understand.

Of course you do. Everybody does.

But the trick is to actually do it.

Anyway, I'm not here to lecture you. I have a task for you.

I'm not going to force you into a project or a team. Take a look around and see if there's a place in the Structural Section that interests you.

I'll take your preferences and our needs into account.

Team Sherman... focusing on Originium particle pathology. They're currently working on...

I guess Team 7 fits my preferences better.

But that team is full of veteran researchers... I don't know if it's appropriate to ask to join them...

Hey, you over there! Did you see a Liberi woman who looks half-asleep come through here?

Liberi woman... half-asleep?

Not you, of course. She has white hair, and she's wearing—

Ack, never mind. Doesn't look like she came this way.

Don't think she's here, Karen. Let's look somewhere else.

Where could she have gone? Why can't she just stay put in her room?

(Are they looking for somebody?)

(Liberi woman who looks half-asleep... they might have mistaken me for her, if she didn't have white hair.)

Only one team left. Let's see... Device #9.

Their office should be here.

There's a thick coat of dust on the do—

Huh?

Liberi woman... white hair... half-asleep...

Are you the patient they're looking for?

......

Or did you just happen to be unlucky enough to resemble the one they're looking for?

......

Or are you a member of this team?

(Nods)

I see.

I'm Olivia Silence. I just joined Rhine Lab recently. Nice to meet you. What's your name?

......

Er...

Are you Joyce Moore?

Affirmative.

Affirmative?

Found her—

You were just over there! Were you lying? Were you trying to help her avoid us?

No, I didn't—

Enough.

This is Rhine Lab, not your college dorm! Did you think it was funny, helping her play hide-and-seek?

I'm not...

Enough. I don't know what you were thinking, but you're interfering with our work.

I'll report this!

Thanks for the explanation. I'll clear this up.

Thank you.

Did something happen to Ms. Moore's team? Why is her name the only one there?

The team was disbanded after a failed experiment. That office has been empty ever since.

The names of the others have been removed from the board, but Moore remains hospitalized, so her name has yet to be removed.

When will she be able to return to work?

Hard to say.

The equipment used in the failed experiment remains in her brain. No one knows for sure what will become of her.

What? How could that be?

It's a sad story.

Moore was an outstanding researcher who volunteered to be our test subject. You've seen what the failure of the experiment did to her.

Some measure of sacrifice is inevitable in science, but perhaps we paid too high a price.

Never mind that for now.

I heard you went around to all the teams. Have you decided where you want to go?

......

I want to...

I want to use my time to help Ms. Moore.

You want to take over her treatment?

Yes.

I thought you were interested in the research that Team 7 is conducting.

I was... but I saw how the two researchers responsible for taking care of Ms. Moore treated her.

If she paid an inevitable price for science, I don't think she should be treated like that.

I want to help her.

I'm sure, if the same thing happened to me, you would do what you could to help me, wouldn't you?

Of course.

But it's a good idea to be prepared. Working at Rhine Lab has its risks.

Huh?

Take yesterday, for example. I lost a bet and almost had to go on a vegan diet for a week. If that's not fatal, I don't know what is.

...Hehe.

You made your choice. Now you should make your preparations.

Hopefully, you'll learn a thing or two in the process.

They let some fresh grad take my job?!

I thought you couldn't wait to hand it over? Now you got your wish.

(Whisper) How much time are you planning to waste on a woman who got her brain fried in an experiment?

......

Well, then, Ms. Moore is your responsibility now, Silence.

Wait, you haven't told me what's going on with her yet...

Read her medical record yourself.

Huh? Ms. Moore? Why are you standing?

......

Let's see here...

'Joyce Moore exhibits cognitive and linguistic impairments. She has difficulty communicating. Frequently talks to herself, but what she says is unintelligible...'

You're still weak, Ms. Moore. You should go back to bed.

......

Is she mute?

Negative.

Huh?

(Come to think of it, I think she said the word 'affirmative' when we first met.)

(But it's impossible to tell what she's trying to convey with that word alone.)

You're Liberi, right?

Affirmative.

When you say 'affirmative', do you mean 'yes'?

Affirmative.

Warning: Potential misunderstanding.

Dialogue is logically valid even if 'affirmative' denotes negation of statement.

Huh?

Er... let me think...

You're right!

If 'affirmative' means 'no', you would still have answered 'affirmative' when asked whether 'affirmative' meant 'yes'.

You figured that out so quickly? Doesn't sound like cognitive impairment to me.

......

Anyway, it's getting late. I'll fetch you lunch from the cafeteria.

......

(She's gone silent again.)

Warning... system... unknown error...

Ms. Moore? Ms. Joyce Moore?!

Her breathing is steady, as are her vital signs... did she just fall asleep suddenly?

There are some similarities with my own symptoms.

How are you feeling today, Joyce?

Increase in flexibility detected. High intensity rehabilitation exercises possible.

Great.

But you just exercised yesterday, and it's the weekend. You should take a day off.

Dr. Silence's instructions have proven effective, indicating considerable medical expertise.

No, I only just graduated.

Correction. Dr. Silence is a recent graduate with considerable medical expertise.

(Blushes)

By the way, if you're not doing rehab today, I want to...

(Tilts head)

I want to watch a show in your room.

Today not a work day. It is recommended that Dr. Silence view the show at home with friends.

Well, I don't have any frien—

......

Dr. Silence is welcome to watch here, if the recommended scenario cannot be achieved.

Really?

Affirmative.

What is the name of the series?

Blood and Dividends.

Popcorn is recommended.

Is there popcorn in the office?

Leave this room, turn left. Proceed one hundred and fifty meters, then turn right and proceed two hundred and seventy meters to find a popcorn vending machine on the corner. Note that caramel-flavored popcorn is suboptimal for this series.

Oh, we're out of popcorn.

(Yawns)

Let's take a break, Joyce.

(Steady breathing)

Is she asleep?

...Affirmative.

......

It's fine. I have an Oripathy-related sleep disorder myself, so I understand.

Dr. Silence demonstrated below-average attention during playback.

Oh, you noticed.

I'm not a huge fan of finance-themed dramas, but my colleagues are all talking about it, so I felt like I had to watch it.

Inquiry: why do you feel the need to watch the same drama?

To fit in, I guess. Otherwise, we just don't have anything to talk about.

I'm from a backwater with very little entertainment. When I went to college, my classmates helped me a lot, and I never had to try to fit in with the crowd.

But now...

*sigh*.

Why do you find it necessary to conform to the collective?

Huh?

Dr. Silence does not appear particularly eager to build social relationships.

I... I just felt that I should establish a good relationship with my colleagues, so I could be happier at work...

Balance must be achieved between insufficient conformity, and excessive conformity.

You're... right.

Maybe I should return this—

What are you doing? You watched a show with her?

You're...

Don't mind me, just came to get something I left.

Kids these days have the weirdest ideas, using a soap opera to teach her how to talk like a normal person...

That's not it!

And Joyce doesn't suffer from any cognitive impairment. Your reports are wrong—

And...?

What do you mean by 'and'?

So she has normal cognitive ability. So what? What are you gonna do about it?

What in the—how could you falsify medical records like that, reporting symptoms that don't exist?!

Enough, little girl. Spare me your worthless sympathy. I know her much better than you do.

Why do you think she's been living in the wards? It's not because of her condition. It's Device #9!

What's the difference? Isn't Device #9 the cause of her condition?

Whatever... it's not like you'll listen.

But you'd better realize that you're the one causing trouble here. Do you know how much data your sympathy has cost us?

Data? What data are you talking about?

You really don't know? It's so obvious that—

Please be quiet.

What?!

Please be quiet.

......

Please be quiet, Mr. Hancock.

Oh, I get it now. How kind of you to try to shield this naive little girl from—

Please. Be. Quiet.

...Hmph.

Suit yourself.

What was he trying to say? What data?

Noise.

Noise?

Harmful noise.

...I still don't understand.

You will, with time.

Alright...

......

Now playing Blood and Dividends, episode 7.

That's all for this week's agenda.

Before you go, a word with you, Silence.

Of course, Dr. Parvis.

(Whisper) She screwed up, didn't she?

......

Silence, we need to talk about your work arrangement.

I told you to prepare to hand over the care of Joyce Moore. How are things going on that front?

I've rectified her medical record and included a list of terms in the appendices.

List of terms?

As I previously reported, Joyce's linguistic capabilities are functioning perfectly well. Her condition doesn't manifest in such skin-deep ways.

(Whisper) Like hell.

Her unique speech pattern is a defense mechanism for mitigating the impact of Oripathy and the experiment. There is ample radiological and pathological evidence to support this assertion.

I have compiled a list of terms used by Joyce and their natural language equivalents, in order to make things easier for my successor.

Good work.

However, I would prefer not to hand Joyce over to someone else.

Oh?

From a treatment perspective alone, I have no objection to the change.

However, it takes time to change assignments, and energy to establish effective communication with Joyce. I am concerned that my successor may neglect Joyce's emotional needs. Such as...

Such as?

...Never mind.

(Shrugs)

I've heard Moore's thoughts on the matter.

She communicated more or less the same, in her own way, requesting that you continue to be responsible for her treatment.

(Whisper) Birds of a feather.

Objectively, Moore's recovery has progressed rapidly since you took over her treatment.

A colleague will soon return to our service, thanks to you, Silence.

I appreciate the kind words.

However, we still have a small problem.

What do you mean?

Team 7 has been shorthanded lately, and I would very much like to reassign you there.

If you're not willing to give up Moore, you'll have to balance both jobs at the same time.

Her? Team 7? Two jobs at the same time?!

What was that, Karen?

Er, no, nothing...

But then I gave it some thought. Now that Moore's condition has stabilized, you should be able to devote most of your efforts to Team 7.

I've already talked to the team lead, and we're just waiting to hear your thoughts.

You'll have a heavy workload, balancing both Moore's treatment and the research of Team 7. Are you up to it?

Yes! It would be an honor to work on Team 7!

We'll be counting on you on both sides, then.

Thank you!

Dismissed.

Wow, Olivia! That's amazing!

Don't pat her so hard, Chris.

Hehe, my bad.

OliviaLet's hit the bar tonight, Olivia. Your drinks are on me.

Thank you, Mr. Miller—no, Chris, Susanna.

No need to thank us. We want to hang out with you too. We can talk about anything!

Like... Blood and Dividends?

Of course!

I'm not so used to crowded places. Is that okay?

Of course. This is Trimounts, after all!

Who cares if you're a bit quiet in the bars, as long as you shine brightly in the labs!

As for this guy here, I'll throttle him if he asks any awkward questions.

I just can't get used to bars. Plus, I'm not much of a drinker.

Oripathy patients are advised to refrain from consuming alcohol.

I thought I asked for something non-alcoholic, but then I realized I had an alcoholic drink, and a pretty stiff one at that.

But I couldn't really refuse under the circumstances, so I took a few sips.

The next time we go out together, I'm insisting that we go see the fountain in Trimounts Common.

Do you like the fountain in Trimounts Common?

Yes, it reminds me of a little park back home. There was an identical fountain there, just a little smaller.

The fountain of Trimounts Common is known for its exotic design. It is possible that both fountains were built by Trimounts' Munson Inc.

Ha. I thought it was a fun coincidence, but I guess it's just Munson Inc. expanding its business into rural areas.

Dr. Silence appears to be experiencing nostalgia.

The first few days here were tough, but I feel much better now that I have you to talk to.

Please continue to describe your hometown.

Let me think...

It's hard to know what to say, when you ask like that.

I understand what you mean, but it's hard to find the words to describe it.

Suggestion: Departing now for Trimounts Common will be of assistance in describing your hometown.

Do you mean... you want to come with me to Trimounts Common?

Affirmative.

So if I say yes... this will be the first time you've left Rhine Lab HQ since the accident.

As far as I can tell, you're fully recovered, but Dr. Parvis recommended another week of rest for you, just in case.

There is no need to worry.

Reason: Dr. Silence is a friend.

The risk to health is extremely low, negligible when compared to a friend.

......

Thank you, Joyce!

But let's wait until next week.

(Tilts head)

Me being your friend is all the more reason not to ask you to take risks.

Let's go to Trimounts Common once you're fully recovered.

I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.