I woke up very early today, for some reason feeling very relaxed. Yesterday was a big failure, but I guess there's nothing to do about that now.
Well, I guess I'll enjoy this feeling while it lasts. I think I'll take a walk around town before everyone wakes up. I'll sneak out without waking Eve this time.
The air is much fresher now than yesterday. That reminds me, I should get a new map from Young Vlad. I wonder if he has prepared a new map already. Well, I have plenty of time to go ask him already.
It seems like the signal fires have been burning all night.
: Hello. What do you want?Bachelor: I need a new map. Are the dangerous areas scouted out already?
Young Vlad: Yes, the price is the same as before.
Bachelor: Here is the money.
Ah, this is great news! While large parts of the town are still dangerous to visit, it seems like a large path has opened up all the way across town. With some careful planning traveling will be much easier today. This is certainly a lucky coincidence.
In the northwestern parts of town I came across a sort of park. It almost seems like it was built as a memorial, but there's no name or anything over the gate.
Hmm, someone has been putting out bottles of milk near this strange stone building. It reminds me of those old stories where farmers put out parts of what their fields and herds produced, to appease the strange mythical beings that lived nearby. That would fit right into the superstitions of this town. But why would they do it in the rich part of town?
All this seems very out of place. It's like it's a very important location for everyone here, but it was built where it would be easy to avoid. It's almost like time has stopped here and what is going on in the rest of the town isn't as important anymore...
Across the river there is a very strange rock formation. It looks like almost like nails... Or maybe a horn would be a better way to describe it. It's neatly shaped for something natural, but I don't think the architect brothers would be interested in building rocks out in the middle of nowhere.
Anyway, it's past dawn now, and I guess I can't put off the visit to the Inquisitor anymore. The letter said I should meet him in the Cathedral as soon as possible.
Wait, who is this? The clothes and posture... She has to be an Inquisitor, but I can't believe the Authorities would send a woman to a situation like this! None of the local rulers would ever let themselves be bossed around by a woman.
However, maybe I can take advantage of this... All the previous information pointed to the arrival of one horrible Inquisitor after another. If they sent someone with a lesser reputation then maybe she won't be as eager to hang me before the cure for the plague is found, and I can survive this after all. I'll just have to show her that I am still useful.
:
Daniel Dankovskiy? Oh, I'm so happy to see you! Really happy. I have
already had the honor of meeting you, but you probably don't remember.Bachelor: When did that happen?
Aglaja: I attended the session when you put forth your report about the lady that rose from the dead. Three years ago at Lamarka's. I even took your autograph. The girl in a long shirt, remember?
Bachelor: Oh! I am very happy to see you too, Aglaja. However, back then you introduced yourself as...
Aglaja: Stella Karstlych. To be frank, I only came by out of personal interest. But you did make a strong impression on me.
Bachelor: Thank you. But it isn't personal interest that drives you here, is it?
Aglaja: Yes, let's get to the point. Your mission was to find a way to put a stop to the plague. All I had to do was realize your decision. So, I've looked through your materials and found what I was most afraid of.
Bachelor: Yes. That I lost.
Aglaja: You nearly won. It is very good that you didn't find the one spreading the disease yesterday.
Bachelor: Really?
Aglaja: Current events have obtained a rather unexpected twist, Dankovskiy. We have a lot to discuss and a lot to do in the near future, so I'll be brief. They have been trying to trick you all this time. Even going so far as to risk your life. They have been using your authority and love for the truth to achieve their personal goals.
Bachelor: Yes, I found that out the hard way.
Aglaja: Did you come to this town because you wanted to? Your Tanathica is nearly destroyed. Your last hope was in a sensation, some kind of shock to society. A visible proof of the correctness of your theory. Correct me if I'm wrong. You are a man of great reputation in certain circles, and if you could present the evidence clearly then everyone would have to accept your theories. But you are seen as radical, and even though you may not have realized it before now, you have enemies.
Bachelor: You are correct so far.
Aglaja: And then you come across this, allegedly accidental, letter from Isidor Burakh. So timely, wasn't it! And just as you arrive, quite coincidentally the man dies. And he didn't die from the disease, did he? I was told that he was murdered. There was no way you could find your proof after that. Then the plague breaks out afterward, and by luck you were in this remote area. They just had to send you the order not to come back before doing the impossible, and you would be out of their way forever.
Bachelor: Are you saying all of this was planned?
Aglaja: I don't know. I am sure I have a lot more interesting details to find out. Will you help me?
Bachelor: Here is where my interests come in... Whose side are you on?
Aglaja: Oh, you'll find that out quite soon! Just let me compile some kind of image of you in my head first.
Bachelor: You've already told me a lot about yourself.
Aglaja: Hahaha. Not really. All of this could be a trap. We, the Inquisitors, are quite cunning. You ought to know that. Perhaps everything I told you is only some part of my plan, some provocation, but I am in fact faithful to the Authorities? Hmm?
Bachelor: You're asking me this?
Aglaja: No. I'm just showing you my temper. I have a lot on my mind right now. I need a cigarette badly...
Bachelor: You sure are a dangerous partner.
Aglaja: You were sent to battle with an enemy which basically cannot be defeated. A blind hope for a miracle. Even you, with your uncommon mind, would find this a one in a million chance. And in order not to frighten you off, they persuaded you that this enemy has to be destroyed. So you see how artful the Authorities are.
Bachelor: But for what? I don't understand their motives.
Aglaja: Yes, it is hard. You'll understand even less when you learn that at the same time they told me to keep the order here, they sent the army. And now for the most interesting bit. Do you know who commands it, and what kind of division they sent?
Bachelor: If they really went this far, I would believe the sanitary units. Although, that would really be admitting defeat.
Aglaja: This army is led by the war hero Alexander Block, the author of the future military reform. Karstic Fords, the broken front... Well, you certainly know about him.
Bachelor: I certainly do. But why him? Why didn't they find a common officer for this mission?
Aglaja: It isn't the sanitary army. They have no special means, equipment or even the arms suitable for that purpose. As a matter of fact, it is two artillery regiments which were hastily moving to join the front, completed with just one company of, hmm, sanitary soldiers. Flame throwers, I believe. I was told they were doing training manouvers near here. This is strange, isn't it?
Bachelor: Strange and quite scary. But what could they possibly accomplish here?
Aglaja: Does it remind you of anything?
Bachelor: Are you implying that Block is in the same situation as me? Someone wants him out of the way? And where does that leave you?
Aglaja: Block is the star of military thought, with many radical ideas! And because of that the object of hate of all our generals and politicians. He personally accepted command of the new long range gun that was being delivered to the front via the northwest railroad, and...
Bachelor: A familiar situation, indeed.
Aglaja: Yes. We all got caught into this trap. Even me.
Bachelor: I wish to get even with them.
Aglaja: Exactly. All this time a few agents have been observing the town. Three of them, to be exact. They gathered information and wrote down their observations. They went from house to house hiding from the public eyes by disguising themselves as corpse-carriers. They have been sending you the daily letters. Or to be exact, one of them wrote them all.
Bachelor: What do you mean, one of them?
Aglaja: There is a traitor among them. A liar with his own agenda. He has deliberately sent out false information, fearing that sooner or later he would fall into my own hands. But we'll talk about it later.
Bachelor: Did they know about the epidemic before it broke out?
Aglaja: No, that would be absurd. If they had something to do with the outbreak, they would have been much better prepared. I have no doubts that they long to keep this small town standing, if that is still possible. No, they did not know exactly what would happen here after we all arrived. But they were ready for trouble. All their agents have been very well instructed for all eventualities. So when this strange disease suddenly started spreading, they took advantage of it.
Bachelor: So the brilliant Alexander Block wasn't directed here to enforce a quarantine and clean up the town at all. Then what reason would he have to stay once he arrived?
Aglaja: The order to get Block here was very hastily put together. It seems like the early riots and bouts of violence could be used to get a man of the military involved.
Bachelor: Did the Authorities know just how bad this would turn out?
Aglaja: This is the riddle that I want to solve. This puzzle disturbs me most of all, more than the secrets of this mysterious disease. I want to charge you with handling that, Daniel.
Bachelor: So where shall we start?
Aglaja: I want you to study the reports from the agents. I can't even get them without your help. I am afraid they have strict orders to keep me in full information isolation. The same went for you at the start, but I believe they have written you off as a threat for now, Bachelor.
Bachelor: Why go to such extreme lengths?
Aglaja: To make us work toward finding the true solution on our own, without any external sources influencing us. So, if I send one of my servants or even go myself to take their materials away from them, they will probably be scared and destroy them before I can catch them. Most likely they would just hide if I started a full search for them. Therefore I ask you to act on your own behalf, so to speak.
Bachelor: If they won't give you the reports why would they ever hand them over to me?
Aglaja: Your mission is complete, so I do not think they have any further instructions for you. If they see you out on the street, they will not think twice about it. Confront them right away, threaten them with violence if you have to, and they will yield. They are spies, not soldiers, after all. But we need to act today. Tomorrow they will most likely be too far away from my all-seeing eye.
Bachelor: Fine. How will I find them?
Aglaja: To do their duties, they have to spend a lot of time walking, so look for them outdoors. Time is short, after all, so they can't afford to spend their last day hiding.
Bachelor: Do you know where they have been active the past few days?
Aglaja: You ask me? I've been here just a few hours, and you a whole week. But... I would think they have spread out across the town. I know for sure that one operated here in the Stone Yard. The other two probably operate from the central and the east sections of them town. They have been seen around the Knots and the Land.
Bachelor: You are already well informed. Okay, I will do my best.
Aglaja is the Inquisitor, and she has a lot of news for us. It seems like there are government agents planted in this city that were instructed to keep an eye on me. With the unexpected outbreak of the plague, they got their hands full and have been keeping out of sight. However, Aglaja thinks one of them is a traitor and has been sending me false letters from time to time. That would explain the conflicting information I have received about the Inquisitor.
She seems to be in the same situation as me, and the Authorities certainly don't seem to like her enough to let her have free reign over this town. She wants me to help her rat out the traitor and collect the documents that all the agents have gathered so far.
In other news, the army is on it's way. The famous general Block is on his way by train. Is he also sent here to get caught in this web of intrigues?
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