[Steam City, Upper District, Gear Tower]
[Star Envoy Association Steam Branch]
"Captain Ink Wash, why did you bring her back?"
Fifth Squad Vice-Captain Yuchen looked at Vivian, who was being led by the hand by Tendo. His usually squinted eyes were now uncharacteristically wide, filled with shock.
Tendo glanced at him, speaking flatly: "What, I can't bring her back?"
Yuchen subconsciously scanned their surroundings. He saw many people within the Association secretly peeking their way, whispering to each other, seemingly discussing something. Seeing this, Yuchen immediately lowered his voice: "Captain, you've only just arrived in Steam City, so you might not be clear on the situation here."
"The relationship between our branch and the Gear Church is very delicate. Bringing her back at this time... it makes things very difficult for the Association."
Before Tendo could respond, the dimensional screen's bullet comments exploded:
'Difficult? Then don't do it, dammit!'
'Seriously, Vice-Captain Yu? Does your cowardice live up to the squinty-eye trope? What happened to all squinty-eyed people being monsters?!'
'No matter how awesome the Gear Church is, can they be more awesome than our Ink Wash big shot?'
Amidst the viewers' complaints, Tendo's aura abruptly changed. The usually gentle, ink-painting-like 'good guy' image completely vanished. In its place was a chilling seriousness.
"Vice-Captain Yuchen, are you trying to tell me how to do my job?"
At these words, the air between Tendo and Yuchen instantly solidified, and the atmosphere grew eerie. It was well-known that 'Ink Wash' had an exceptionally good reputation within the Association. He didn't vie for merit or seize power; he even voluntarily took on the 'Nut Hub Station Master' position, a mess that many avoided. Yet, such a good-natured person was now uncharacteristically serious. It was clear he was angry.
Thinking this, Yuchen hesitated for a moment before choosing to back down. "This subordinate wouldn't dare. Everything is at Captain's discretion."
Tendo nodded, then took Vivian past him, heading straight for the Fifth Squad's exclusive area. Simultaneously, the camera in the anime gave a close-up of Yuchen's lowered head. One could see that his eyes, now completely open, held an inexplicable depth, as if he were deep in thought.
[Steam Branch, Fifth Squad Quarters, Solo Interrogation Room]
With a click, the metal door locked. Tendo raised his hand, untied the black rope on Vivian's wrist, and then took out a 'Star Lock' designed specifically to seal Star Envoys' Star Energy, fastening it onto Vivian's wrist. The moment the handcuffs clicked shut, Vivian distinctly felt the Star Source within her body fall silent, as if frozen.
"Sit." Tendo gestured to the chair across the interrogation table.
Vivian silently sat down, placing her hands on the tabletop.
"Speak. Why does the Gear Church believe you stole the holy relic? And why are Chen Kong and the others convinced you're innocent?" Tendo spoke first, breaking the silence in the interrogation room.
Vivian took a deep breath, then explained the entire sequence of events to Tendo in detail. Although Tendo already knew the full story from the original plot, he had to play the role of 'first encountering the truth' at this moment. Thus, he only spoke when Vivian reached a certain crucial point.
"So, you actually don't know why the Church has issued a bounty on you, do you?"
Looking at the suddenly silent Vivian, Tendo didn't mince words: "No, you actually vaguely know, you just don't want to believe it."
Vivian's shoulders trembled abruptly. She sharply looked up, a flicker of panic in her eyes: "I..."
"To steal a holy relic from the Church's core area, with high-tier Star Envoys stationed there... the Gray Rat Gang? I don't think they have that capability."
Tendo's voice was very calm, and gentle. But it was like a bucket of ice water poured over Vivian's head.
"Because if the Gear Church's holy relic was that easy to lose, then the Gear Church wouldn't have stood in Steam City for decades."
"Vivian, you've been made a scapegoat."
With things having progressed this far, Vivian simply spoke her own thoughts. "But I believe that once the Holy Maiden returns, everything will be settled."
However, facing her statement, Tendo merely raised an eyebrow, then sighed: "Are you so sure that Holy Maiden... is on your side?"
Vivian's eyes widened in bewilderment, as if she hadn't understood the meaning of that sentence.
"Danica, bring in file number 23."
"Coming!" The clear voice of a little girl came from outside the door, followed by a rush of hurried footsteps. Not long after, little Danica ran in, clutching a blue folder, and handed it to Tendo on tiptoes.
"Captain, the file is here!"
"Thank you."
Tendo took the folder and placed it in front of Vivian. "See for yourself."
Vivian, confused, opened the file. As she read its contents, her already pale face, made so by her injuries, now completely lost all color. The file recorded, astonishingly, the list of orphans that Holy Maiden Euphemia had 'adopted' from the Lower District over the past few years.
Although the adoption dates for these children spanned up to a decade, Vivian had still seen some of these people. Some could even be considered her friends. Because six years ago, she had spent some time in the 'Church Orphanage.' However, the very last column on this adoption list was all marked with the same word—[Missing]. One, two, three... a full fifty-seven names, without exception. All these children, brought out of 'hell' by the Holy Maiden, had disappeared.
"Very shocked, aren't you?" Tendo's voice pierced her ears like an ice pick.
"That Holy Maiden, who appears benevolent to outsiders, has actually been colluding with Bishop Cleve, operating a vast underground trade beneath the Church."
"The Gear Church stands in the light, singing praises, while the gangs in the Lower District do some of their unsavory dirty work for them."
He watched Vivian's trembling hands, mercilessly continuing to expose the darkness hidden beneath the white steam of Steam City's Upper District.
"You think everything you're experiencing now is just Cleve being unwilling to relinquish power?"
"You're too naive, Vivian. All of this is merely their means to delay the investigation from above."
"Why do you think the Lower District of Steam City has been so chaotic recently? And why did Euphemia choose this specific time to go preach in other cities?"
Vivian looked up, her lips moved, but she couldn't speak for a long time. While she couldn't say it, Tendo had no such qualms.
"Because they need time to tie up the loose ends they've left over the years and ensure that those above won't discover any clues."
"And you, Vivian, you are the one they chose. They need a scapegoat who 'committed suicide out of guilt' to deal with the investigation from above."
"It's your consistent performance that prevented them from truly considering you one of their own and fully integrating you into their inner circle."
Tendo's words were calm, so calm they seemed to be stating something trivial. But whether it was Vivian or the dimensional viewers, they could all feel the cruelty contained within Tendo's words, and the all-consuming darkness hidden beneath the clear skies of Steam City's Upper District.
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