Church of Augustus

Troop leader?! W-What brings you here to the abbey all of a sudden? Did the superiors assign a new mission?

Are you a soldier who was under my command? I am here today to visit a friend in my personal capacity, so there is no need to be nervous.

Yes, ma'am! Um, according to regulations, I still have to verify the purpose of your visit...

This is considered one of the most important places of the Church after all. I understand. I am here to visit Vivi, and she should be holding mass here for the next two days.

Oh, yes, Her Holiness is indeed here. She is in the usual room.

Is that so. Well then, I'll just...

, Forbidden Dust... It's an enemy attack! And it's a premeditated one! (This frenzied style... It's a common strategy used by soldiers.)

I-I'll go to the control room to activate the defense magic array right now!

...No, leave the defense magic array to me. You go contact the Inquisition and tell them to hurry here. Go now, quick!

Yes!

Halt! Who goes there?!

Church troop leader Senko. This is my identification. I now order you to rally the nearby priests immediately and report to me in five minutes!

Ah, this is, but, there are enemies everywhere, and their identities are unknown...

It is precisely because of this that I can only buy you all five minutes without being targeted by the main force. Hurry, not a second can be wasted if we want to resolve this unexpected situation.

Y-Yes!

...Okay, all that's left is to clear out an area to rally. It's just a fight. Bring it on.

...D-Damn it... Why are they... so strong...

I knew their fighting style looked familiar... The leader of these people is Gryph, isn't it? I've experienced her fighting style countless times.

Senko! We've come to lend support!

Right on the dot at five minutes. (Only eight people came... This doesn't look good.)

...Troop leader?!

You... You're the former Captain of the attack forces that I appointed. So you've rotated from the troops to the abbey.

I will never forget the troop leader's instructions! If it is the troop leader calling, we will obey!

You can see the situation. I ask you to follow me to activate the defense mechanism and trap the intruders. We set off now.

Yes, ma'am!

Wha, ?! There's a small group of enemies trying to break through. Come to me, focus our forces!

Tsk. Have you prepared a simple yet effective response? (There is no choice. I have to fight hard now...)

Holy Roar!

(The enemy was thrown from behind?!) Who is it?

...Huh? Is that Senko?

What are you doing here?

It's Her Holiness!

Vivi?! I didn't expect to run into you here. You didn't encounter anything, did you?

Other than the abbey being in total chaos, and someone charging into my room to beat me up, there shouldn't be anything else...

(...Concerned and muddled.) Well, we're going to activate the defense barrier here. Do you want to come with us?

Um... I'd like to help everyone too, but due to the effect of the Forbidden Dust, the most I can use is close-range damage like Holy Roar...

(Oh, right, Vivi can only use normal Echo Crystal skills to use magic when she hasn't entered the [Gospel of God] state...)

Then you'd better come with us. There's no one better than me to keep you safe.

...I will do my best to not slow you all down.

There is no need to assume a role. Your joining is a big help. Anyway, come with me first and create a magic shield layer for everyone.

I got it. Everyone, come close and form a circle.

With this protection, our movements will be safer. We should move fast.

I found armed people! You won't get through!

I knew it. The path to the control room is being guarded by intruders... We have to force our way through here!

We can't hold this place anymore! Spread out! Find a chance to escape and alert the leader!

Stop! You damned...

It's no use, don't go after them! We need to hurry and retake the control room before the enemy forces regroup. Let's put up the magic array as soon as possible!

Patrol complete. No suspicious people seen approaching so far.

The leader ordered that to guard this place! Everyone, stay alert! Do not relax your guard!

...Most of their forces have been placed at the entrance of the buildings and on important paths. We will only alert them if there is a scuffle.

But what other way do we have to get to the control room?

... (The usual routes seem to be under the control of the enemy. What's left is only...)

There is only one way, but I can only bring Her Holiness.

Senko?

In other words... This is a secret of the Church. I understand. Let me contribute my strength and break through to clear a smooth path for you both.

But...

Vivi, the sooner we activate the defense magic array, the sooner everyone will be safe. Alright, draw their attention. I leave the task of obtaining time for us to you all.

Senko, where are we heading?

...Have you never felt that it was strange? Why would an abbey that's a place for priests to worship be so heavily guarded?

Huh?

With a Cathedral-level defense magic array, elite forces taking turns to guard... Vivi, this is not just a simple abbey of the Church of Augustus.

Few know that this is the ''secret storehouse'' of the Church to store information and secrets... Based on your rank, you also have the right to know.

Then...! This sudden attack, is the target...

...I don't know how rod got out, but our enemies must know the ''true value'' of this abbey.

Um... But what does this information have to do with the current situation?

Secrets are best kept in secrecy. There are secret passages in this abbey that lead everywhere. We are going to a place where these secret passages are located.

The nearest entrance is the door behind this statue... Identification, magic fingerprints authentication... Unlock this security code and we can enter.

They're coming! Everyone, prepare to attack!

, What?! (Why are there enemy attacks here too?!)

Watch out!

Hah... Hah... It was close, but I defeated them.

Phew... Isn't this a secret passage? How did intruders appear?

... Someone must've leaked the secret. (Other than Levia and me, the only one who knows that this secret passage exists is... the traitor, Guinevere. Could she be the mastermind of this attack?)

So... What do we do now?

...Even if it's them, there should be a secret passage they don't know about. We can get to the control room from there too.

(But that place... Can I really bring Vivi to that place? No, now is not the time to ponder this.)

We must hurry. I cannot be sure of how far they've invaded and if there's still time to reach that place.

Senko, what's wrong?

This is not good. My ribs hurt a bit, must have been hit by the enemy's magic.

I'll heal you. Bear with it a little.

It's done. You should feel better now.

(That felt great, but why couldn't I feel Vivi's magic? Maybe I was too head over heels to think about anything else...)

Okay, let's head to the research room.

This is the place.

Huh? What is this place?

...The Church's research lab. Well, let's head to the control room.

Wait, there is something displayed on the screen here. Why is my personal information on it? Heartbeat, blood pressure, body data... These are...

(So she found out.) ...I wanted to keep this hidden for life.

...

This place is... where you were born. The Church's greatest secret, the experiment site of Project W. I... Levia and I made you.

...You are the first embryotic infant to have been entirely created using Case technology. You are extremely sensitive to Echo Crystals, and are able to use magic without any modification.

...In other words, ''Vivi'' is... an artificial human?

Well...

I swear! When the chaos subsides, I will persuade Levia to stop monitoring your physical state! I'll try to give you back your freedom as a human being!

...Yes, now is not the time to explain all of this. It's time to move forward.

Vivi... Okay, let's move on. Just a little more and...

V-Vivi... You... What are you doing...

Sorry, it really is a little despicable of me to suddenly make a move, but this is my best chance.

...You want... revenge...?

Revenge? No, I'm afraid you have the wrong person.

I am Guinevere from the start.

I-Impossible! You! When did... (Ah... Could it...)

The Vivi you saw today was me in disguise from the beginning. I was only planning on taking the opportunity to blend in. I didn't expect to discover this place.

Project W... Project Wonder? I didn't expect that the human experimentation project which was considered forbidden and sealed by the previous popes to be overturned by you guys.

Ugh... I...

Stop struggling. The needle I stuck in you contained the highest grade of anesthetic. I do not want there to be unnecessary killings. You can just sleep here.

But... Vivi, huh? If she really is the product of that experiment, then... The God Eaters must prepare a special countermeasure for her.

... (No, my... eyes... can't open...)

The secret of Project W has been exposed... And I thought I could escape my crime from the past, but what I ran into is the punishment of fate.

I'm sorry, Vivi... I can't face you now...

Senko, how are your injuries?

...Sorry to make you worry. I have no fatal injury, just a great loss in magical power. I will heal in time.

...Then is there something you wish to say to me?

Huh?

Ah, no, I... I saw that you kept rubbing your hand, so I thought you had something to say.

Anyway, if there is something weighing on you, you can talk to me. I'm not as reliable as you are, but I can be a good listener.

I... Thank you for your kindness. The pope is calling for me, so please excuse me.

(Am I avoiding her?! At this rate, when exactly will I be able to tell her the truth?)

Levia, I have come.

I shall not waste words. That rat Guinevere managed to escape with no problems in this God Eaters invasion. Explain yourself.

I... have no way of arguing.

Very well. You know my rules. Whatever the other punishments, there is one you cannot avoid.

...I submit to your punishment.

Good. Then resist with all your might. Don't let me miss and kill you while I'm in this mood, I won't feel guilty.

, Uugh!

It seems your body has remembered this pain... The God Eaters, huh?

I thought that group was just some roaches. But they turned out to be disgusting rats. We need to eradicate those vermin.

I am of a different opinion... Would you listen to my view, Levia?

Ziz... I didn't realize you've returned to Augustine.

Troop leader Senko, I was just away for a little while and you've created such a mess... Heh, how troubling.

...I am deeply shamed.

Ziz, there's no need to rehash a foregone discussion. ...Well then, what's your alternative view?

Oh, I think the God Eaters right now is just a minor nuisance and not worth our trouble. We have more important things to tend to.

What things?

The group far away in Bifrost Industries has begun their activities. I heard that they've found traces of the existence of ''God.'' A Relic.

! ...Does it really exist?

Yes, and if I'm not mistaken... there are pieces of that thing all over the world.

(...What are they talking about?)

Well, I plan to set out and continue my investigation immediately. If we focus our troops on internal affairs right now, it might affect the progress of the investigation.

...I understand. Let's follow your lead. If we can confirm the location of ''God,'' then Project W is just a defective product.

...

Alright, my dear left and right hands, this concludes the matter. Next, we...

To get closer to ''God,'' we must act.

Senko, I'm sorry to bother you!

Leave the rebuilding and repair of the abbey to me and my troops. You should just go about your own business.

I recall that there's one more place...

Senko, we'll leave this place to you!

The general repairs are complete.