Zeroth Directive

Archive II

Sarkaz mercenaries. Up until the final days of Kazdel's Civil War, mercenaries were the most common armed forces seen in Kazdel's barren lands. Each of them worked in small teams, sometimes being recruited by nobles with vast funds and supplies, other times forming spontaneous coalitions with other mercenary teams. In Kazdel, where allegiances shift like the sands and various groups frequently find themselves at each others' throats, the concepts of life and death take on a different form than compared to any other region. For the soldiers mired in conflicts across the regions, becoming mercenaries has become an increasingly popular option. In the history of modern warfare, the topic of 'Sarkaz mercenaries' has always been a subject of intense debate. Some Sarkaz mercenaries were sponsored by someone outside of Kazdel who was both well-equipped and skilled in local strategic configurations, an alarming arrangement that posed a security challenge to all parties. As a result, professional forces dedicated to counteracting the Sarkaz mercenaries have been formed, though specific details are not yet available. After the incumbent regent clashed with the orthodox royal family to spark the civil war, the remnants of Kazdel's army which had been scattered among various nobles began to gradually unite with civilian forces, eventually being split into factions. The fighting was brutal and harrowing, but some scholars believed that the Civil War allowed a new process of redistribution and restructuring to take root in the barren and chaotic Kazdel. Although the heirs of the orthodox royal family were expelled from Kazdel, they were still supported by various ancient clans and noble families who pitched their massive economic power into unifying a large number of mercenaries, effectively gathering these scattered warriors under a king's banner. This event is considered to be the official start of the mercenaries' prominent role in the Civil War. Shortly afterwards, the regent's side returned fire and did the same. As a result, most mercenaries were brought under one of these major banners, which to some extent eroded the original meaning of the term, 'mercenary.' Despite this, there still remain a small number of mercenaries who are unwilling to get shackled down to this unsurvivable conflagration, and still struggle to maintain an independent position between the two main groups. They believe that mercenaries, or rather, Sarkaz as a whole, should be free. Their deeds are widely circulated as legends among the civilians of Kazdel, albeit having been heavily embellished for artistic purposes. —'Struggle and Freedom' Chapter 2 - 'Kazdel and the Modern History of Mercenaries,' excerpt. This book came from W's personal belongings, and the author's name is unexpectedly abbreviated to only the letter 'H.' The sentence, 'Sarkaz should be free,' is highlighted in red.

Archive IV

[Classified Log] Doctor, I'm sure you realized this as well, but there is some relationship between W and Rhodes Island... as well as with your past. When a Sarkaz like Flamebringer showed up at Rhodes Island, I knew this day would come. Miraculously, from Kazdel to Ursus, then to Lungmen to today, and maybe on into the future, we've continued to move forward, but we still meet the same people we started this journey with - only now, with the far-reaching effects they left behind. And once again, I have to come to terms with the fact that there are things in this life that we can't avoid, or run from. I talked to Ms. Kal'tsit and Amiya, and even brought a bunch of snacks to bribe Closure with - and everyone had a different opinion. I begged ■■■ to please let me talk to you, Doctor. Even though you might not recognize me anymore, I feel like I have to talk to you about something. You just have to keep thinking of me... as a Sarkaz boiler worker. I wanted to talk about W. I've known W for a long time. Did W mention this to you... while She was still alive? About Her Majesty. Us 'old Operators' swore to never speak of this again, but it's not because we're trying to hide anything from you, Doctor. The reason is simple - none of us are willing to confront that past. Ms. Kal'tsit... also knows about this, of course. Hm? Don't worry, I checked in with her before I came by. There are some things I can't do as thoroughly as she'd like, so I'm just here to have a little chat. Back to W - in the beginning, she was a kid, who only knew to follow Her Majesty's orders, and nobody else's. Even among the then-unified Sarkaz, not many people knew about W's existence. What about Amiya, at the time? They wouldn't have met each other by then; after all, she had just enlisted as a mercenary. Unscrupulous, cynical, and flashing that devil-may-care smile. As for me, I was just a boiler worker at the time who had never seen a battlefield— huh? That's right, I built these muscles at work... I just got lucky and beat that elite operator at arm wrestling... I've never been on the battlefield. I don't know how extreme the soldiers thought W was, and I don't know why they thought she was unstable. I've never seen her in a fight, except she came back from a mission, trailing behind Her Majesty, thinking it's not her place to even say hello. The way I see it, she was trying to follow Her Majesty. Following Her ideals, Her light, just like every Sarkaz before. But W isn't that person anymore. There aren't very many people at Rhodes Island who know about W. But most of the people W knew are gone now. She wore her disguise... for too long, and it sank in too deep. She used to have some friends. Yes, even someone like her still needs the help and companionship of friends. They used to all fight alongside us, and though it wasn't for a very long time, if those friends were still here today, they might still be able to lend her a helping hand. Now, I'm thinking there isn't a single person is left who can help her. That's right, nothing we can do. Nothing you or Dr. Kal'tsit can do, and I'd get it if nobody wanted to do this anyway. But we shouldn't take that for granted. We all want to know what W is after, and what her plans are. In her eyes, is Rhodes Island just a flash in the pan, or a brand new future to carry the hopes of the past? That's a very important question, maybe even more important to people still haunted by the past. That includes Amiya, and even Ms. Kal'tsit. It also matters to how W will handle her relationship with Rhodes Island in the coming days, as well as with Amiya, Ms. Kal'tsit, and even you. Hm? Oh. There's a simple reason I came to see you. You might not remember the past, but the people from your past keep popping up, one by one. Some are trusting, some not so much, and I'm sure you must be having a hard time dealing with them... Haha, too bad I'm just a lowly boiler worker with no place to worry about the Doctor of Rhodes Island. Ms. Kal'tsit and Amiya may be able to take good care of you, and also keep Rhodes Island in steady, continued operations. But W... is nothing like them. Whether she's coming at you, or the other way around, I just hope both of you can keep calm and don't be hasty. I wanted Amiya or Ms. Kal'tsit to tell you this stuff, or at least have it delivered by ■■■. Everyone gave up and let me do it, but truth be told, I'm also pretty nervous. I mean, I'm just your typical, run-of-the-mill Sarkaz. I can't do crazy Arts or swing big swords and axes - if anything, I'd just drop them on my feet. The best I can do is to take care of my own work. All I hope... is that Rhodes Island can keep on trucking across the world, safely. Hm? You have a question for me? Theresa? You... where'd you hear that name? ... Theresa, huh? Maybe it won't be so long before you have to truly face your past.

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