Surprise

Your eyes are all bloodshot... Did you stay up all night?

––Wake him too. Hurry.

False recovery?

I have no idea what you're trying to say.

Do you really not understand me, or are you just––

Fine, I'll explain it one more time.

The reason I came to the Afterglow was to investigate why the Infected people here were suddenly getting better.

But according to our visits over the last few days, the Infected here in the Afterglow are not getting better, but exhibiting something called a 'false recovery.'

In other words, the patient's condition appears to be getting better, but in reality is taking a turn for the worse.

Why would they appear to be improving then if they're getting worse?

Let me explain it another way.

Generally speaking, whenever the body is injured, the best outcome is for it to 'return to its original state.'

If it is unable to return to its original state, the body will mobilize its non-damaged parts to cover for the functions lost through the injury, a process we call 'compensation.'

Right now, most of the Infected in the Afterglow have activated their body's compensation functions, causing them to appear to be in very good shape.

But inside them, where the eye cannot see, the severity of their Oripathy is rapidly getting worse.

At the current rate, a certain cohort is about to enter the decompensation stage.

Decompensation?

Once the extent of the damage exceeds the body's maximum ability to compensate, the fragile equilibrium is broken and the patient quickly lapses into the acute exacerbation stage of Oripathy, where their condition deteriorates sharply and becomes life-threatening.

Actually, there are already people starting to enter the acute stage.

How...?

I get the gist of what you're talking about, but what does this have to do with––

Wait, are you saying that Kreide is at risk too?

No...

That isn't the problem. Based on an analysis of our findings so... You and Kreide seem to be the primary factors behind this occurrence.

Kreide and I caused all of this?!

That's complete nonsense!

After analyzing your activities and movements, I've confirmed that you... or maybe something you're carrying, is strongly correlated with the incidence of false recovery.

For example, the worker in the laundromat beside your residence said the day before that she 'felt especially good.' Her condition worsened dramatically last night, and she was nearly taken to hospice care.

I urge the two of you to cooperate with me. If you have any leads, please let me know right away! This is for the safety of everyone in the Afterglow!

......

You can't think of anything at all?

Nothing's coming to mind.

Can the two of you come down to the office with me and let me check something real quick, just in case?

Judging by the markers, one of you is a completely healthy man, and the other is in the stable phase of Oripathy...

How could this be...?

Hibiscus, this time, it's the owner of a music shop behind Afterglow Hall!

––How's the situation?

Thankfully, he signed an agreement with the hospital in the Cliffy Patio, and has already been picked up.

Another case of false recovery?

That's right. Just yesterday afternoon, he reported 'no discomfort whatsoever.'

I'll go follow up, just to make sure the hospital doesn't find a way to renege on the agreement.

Those two...

I'll handle it.

Then I'll be off!

I have to ask again, is there anything you can think of?

Every moment is the difference between life and death, so please!

......

How about this. Ebenholz, why don't you come with me first? Let's have a chat about this.

Kreide, would you mind waiting a bit inside?

Why'd you drag me out here by myself?

I apologize in advance if this comes off the wrong way, but...

I want you and Kreide to keep some distance from each other. The sooner, the better.

Why are you telling me this, and not him?

Do you suspect that I purposely caused this so-called 'false recovery?'

No.

If only it were that simple, I'd be able to hand you straight to the Vyseheim authorities and that'd solve the root of the issue.

But the incidents of false recovery started before you arrived, and Andante was the one who noticed. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come to the Afterglow, or even to Vyseheim.

Then why did you say that––

Before I came? What about Kreide?

The phenomenon of false recovery... began right after he arrived in Vyseheim.

After he arrived in Vyseheim...? How could that be?!

It was at roughly the same time Kreide arrived in the Afterglow. The indicators from a portion of the Infected here began to gradually improve.

But his effect on the Infected was so miniscule at the time that nobody else noticed except the thorough and careful Andante.

After the two of you met at the registration, Kreide's influence suddenly strengthened.

Based on the reports Andante submitted to the Rhodes Island landship, the situation would've taken at least half a year to deteriorate to its current state with just Kreide alone.

After you arrived, in just a few days' time... We have the current situation on our hands.

......

I need you to explain to me what exactly is going on here.

If you don't have an explanation, I'll need you to put things on hold before the situation spins out of control.

So, I hope you'll leave the Afterglow, and Vyseheim, as quickly as possible.

What about the concert?

The concert? That's what matters to you?

If the false recovery is caused by some sort of Arts, then your ensemble would amplify that, if anything––

Wait... Could it be, that's your...

Stop.

I'll be frank. I hate nothing more than being unfairly accused.

This isn't a problem that can be resolved by respecting your feelings!

I know!

So, give me some time.

How long do you need?

If things go smoothly, just a few hours. If not...

...I don't know. But I promise I'll be back.

Alright, I'll trust you this once.

I... I don't agree to this.

......?

Ebenholz worked so hard to perform in the concert, and finally managed to win over Herr Czerny... It'd be a travesty if he just walked away at this point!

You're missing the bigger picture! We're talking about peoples' lives here!

But—

Ebenholz?

Ebenholz, where are you going?

Ebenholz!

You look like you're all out of breath. Did you run the entire way here?

I'd urge you not to seek me out in this manner. The risk of being exposed is––

Exposed?

Things are starting to go pear-shaped, and that's what you're worried about?

I want to ask you something. Does the Resonanz from your so-called Voice of Mundane have any effect on other people?

The Resonanz? No.

As long as it is not deliberately directed, the Voice of Mundane's Resonanz should not affect others in any way.

Then why did Hibiscus see me and Kreide as the source of the false recoveries?

Hibiscus?

A Rhodes Island operator dispatched to Vyseheim.

So Rhodes Island has termed this phenomenon 'false recovery?' A clear and concise description, as you would expect of such professionals.

You... knew about it after all.

If you're talking about the anomalies that have been happening to the Infected in the Afterglow recently, then yes, I do know.

What exactly is going on?

Stated simply, the Voice of Mundane within Kreide is damaged.

Damaged???

When you cast Arts, the Voice of Mundane inside you will activate, therefore assisting you. Correct?

Yes, I do hear a faint, shrill melody as I'm casting Arts. How can something like that be damaged?

Kreide's Voice of Mundane has always been in an active state, unlike how you are able to turn yours off.

In other words, he's been unconsciously casting Arts all around him, with no ability to control it.

If you ask him, he'd probably tell you that he's always been able to hear some sort of vague melody in his head.

You can understand this phenomenon as 'leakage.'

This 'false recovery' is a product of the Voice of Mundane's leakage – indiscriminately increasing the activity of Originium in the surroundings, using the power of Originium to 'heal' the nearby Infected...

However, the source of healing energy is taken directly from the Originium within the body of each Infected.

Using the Infected themselves as Arts devices, using the Originium inside their bodies to enhance their compensatory functions... This is the 'false recovery' caused by Kreide's Voice of Mundane.

Kreide has been in this state for a long, long time, continuously affecting the Infected around him.

If this has been going on for so long, someone should've figured it out by now!

The credit for that goes to you, Herr Ebenholz.

Me?!

Resonanz.

Resonanz amplifies the leakage of Kreide's Voice of Mundane, which is causing an explosion in the recent cases of false recovery?

That's the situation, yes.

Alright, I see exactly what's going on now.

I hereby withdraw from your plan.

Freedom is at your fingertips, and you're going to give it up just like that?

I'm not crazy enough to buy my freedom with the lives of an entire swath of Infected.

You've been shaken by that woman from Rhodes Island.

This false recovery is indeed not a good thing, but your concert with Kreide is just a few days away.

After a few days, your Voice of Mundane will be removed, and then you'll leave Vyseheim. Nobody will even notice that we're short of a few Infected.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you walk away now, Graf Urtica's shadow will follow you your entire life.

Is that what you really want?

No, but I won't do that either.

Goodbye, Dame Gertrude.

Where are you going?

None of your business.

Your footsteps sound rather unsteady. Are you getting a headache?

I already told you...

It's none of your business!