ZT-ST-2: Intermezzo "Unfinished Fugue"

ZT-ST-2 Intermezzo "Unfinished Fugue"	Zwillingstürme im Herbst: Zwillingstürme anbeten Previous ZT-5 (Story) Next ZT-6 (Story)
The unfinished fugue has no ending, just as the dark conspiracies have not reached their conclusion.

Characters

Arturia Ebenholz Federico Lessing Michael Viviana Ewigegnade Fremont Gesatzswächter Grimmacht Gendarmerie Clément Loris Yvangelista XI

Backgrounds

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“

Federico, following the directions of the captain of the Gendarmerie, arrives at this former residence. Playing the piano, he realizes that Arturia's purpose may not yet be fulfilled. The old Lich takes the Voice of the Mundane, but fails to summon the Genesis Horn.

”

<Background 1>
Viviana	...The rising of the Urticas' secret chamber destroyed the original plate of Ludwigs-Universität. Coupled with the influence of Herkunftshorn's Arts, the school can no longer function normally. For now, the Empresses' Voice have taken over the cleanup operation from the Gendarmerie. Unaffected students and faculty have been relocated to neighboring Ostendorfhof. The cleanup will take about a week. Thereafter, they will be able to return to campus...
???	No need. Ludwigs-Universität's library will be relocated to Neuleopoldshof and fall under the purview of the Reichsmuseum. The other campuses and faculties will be merged into the Reichskunstakademie in Bachshof. The Gesatzswächter will be in charge of disposing of all of the remaining plates belonging to Urtica.
Viviana	But then Ludwigs-Universität will—
Grimmacht	Ludwigs-Universität will become history.
Viviana	Your Majesty...
Grimmacht	Are you surprised?
Viviana	When I received the summon, I thought—
Grimmacht	You thought I would be Lieselotte.
Viviana	My apologies.
Grimmacht	You did well. Lieselotte thinks very highly of you.
Viviana	Danke schön, Your Majesty. If you hadn't graced us with your presence yesterday...
Grimmacht	It's behind us, no need to speak of it again.
Viviana	Your Majesty... there is one other thing.
Grimmacht	Oh?
Viviana	Arturia... the wanted Sankta, I bumped into her, and she mentioned my father. I would like to know if she had something to do with his death. If you would permit me...
Grimmacht	We've been over this, Hochberg. The case of the Witch King's remains stealing a copy of the Güldenesgesatz has been closed.
<Background 2>
Ewigegnade	Brandt.
Gesatzswächter	Your Majesty, you are here as well.
Ewigegnade	Have you come to see Cora? She is currently rehearsing the Güldenesgesatz. The delay caused by the Witch King's remains has us all worried about tomorrow's performance.
Gesatzswächter	Rest assured, the Movement is flawless at all times.
Ewigegnade	Cora said the same. How long have you gone without a break? Why not take a vacation after the Celebration? You could go back to Sturmland together. Not as a Reichsorchester tuner and Gesatzswächter, but as Cora and Brandt.
Gesatzswächter	......
Ewigegnade	This is a reward, not a punishment. For mopping up the Witch King's remains. You and Viviana have done fine work, and I've taken notice. Just remember that... opportunity does not last forever. Some things must be said before it's too late.
Gesatzswächter	Thank you, Your Majesty, for the reminder.
Ewigegnade	And another thing, I'll need at least twenty Gesatzswächter for tomorrow's Celebration.
Gesatzswächter	What? Does Grimmacht know about this...?
Ewigegnade	Every year, Das Kaiserinnensfest begins with Reichsorchester's performance of the Güldenesgesatz, and ends with my duet with Hildegard. I wonder.... This year, will the people still appreciate our performance?
Gesatzswächter	...I have no doubt, Your Majesty.
Ewigegnade	Could I ask you a question, Brandt?
Gesatzswächter	By all means.
Ewigegnade	Assume your most prized possession has a crack in it. Would you... turn a blind eye to it? Pretend you didn't notice?
<Background 3>
Michael	You're going to leave Zwillingstürme?
Federico	Arturia is under control. I will return to Laterano and report to His Holiness the Pope. We will subsequently seek formal legal cooperation from Leithanien.
Michael	Alright. But I should remind you... tomorrow is Das Kaiserinnensfest. Zwillingstürme will be very lively. Young people from other regions, even other countries, will all join in the merrymaking.
Federico	Correct, I had noticed an increase in foot traffic.
Michael	And so, I want to ask... Herr Executor, won't you stay just one more day?
Federico	Please explain why I'd do that.
Michael	Um... Arturia has been apprehended, the copy of the Güldenesgesatz has been recovered, and the Witch King's remains have been more or less wiped out. It seems like everything's all taken care of, but I can't shake this uneasy feeling. Grimmacht says I have a unique sense for danger... I mean, of course, it might just be my imagination.
Federico	For matters pertaining to internal Leithanian affairs, I suggest you confer with your empress.
Michael	She's been too busy to see me today.
Federico	So that's why you have time to escort me out of the city? I had assumed this was an official duty.
Michael	A duty? No, it's not my duty to monitor you. And, err, having come all the way to Zwillingstürme, wouldn't you like to stay a bit longer? Make some new friends? See the sights?
Federico	Friends and sights...
Michael	Are you looking at... that coffee shop?
Federico	I could try the drink Loris recommended before I leave.
[A familiar young boy runs up from behind them.]
Stubborn Apprentice	H-Herr Sankta!
Federico	You are Yulia's brother, Jan. Do you work at this coffee shop?
Stubborn Apprentice	Ja, I need to save money so I can study abroad when I'm ready. I thought I'd never see you again. I've heard that the executors of the Lateran Notarial Hall carry out the wills of Lateran citizens, is that right?
Federico	An acceptable summary.
Stubborn Apprentice	And you also... solve cases?
Federico	So long as it is part of a binding document, I will do everything in my power to carry it out.
Stubborn Apprentice	Wunderbar! Loris left me a key before he died. He said there were clues about my sister's case in his house. But I'm not a detective after all, and wasn't sure who to give the key to.
<Background 4>
[Federico unlocks the door and steps into the house.]
Federico	Thisi s the residence of Loris Bordin.
Michael	This is a home in Zwillingstürme! You've barely known Bordin for an afternoon and he left you his entire house?!
Federico	What he left me are clues to a case. Look—The wall, the table, the drawers, everywhere. These are all clues regarding Yulia Schüler, the girl who disappeared over ten years ago. And... a letter. ... Loris claimed to have accepted defeat. But actually, he never gave up on the case.
Michael	I almost forgot that you're a case-solving machine. Even if they made you a Graf and granted you the tallest spire in Zwillingstürmeshof, you'd hardly blink, would you?
Federico	A false premise, that is. There is no precedent for a Lateran saint being conferred a title by another country.
Michael	And what do you have to do with Lateran sainthood...? Are you suggesting that you, Herr Executor, bear the title of Saint?
Federico	Yes.
Michael	Like the Founders and the Popes?
Federico	I am unclear on what you mean by "like" in this context, but nominally yes.
Michael	...I may need to reevaluate our need to monitor you, Herr Saint.
Federico	You are an "executor" to an empress. I had assumed you had some familiarity with my background.
Michael	I thought I did too.
Federico	Do not worry. Whether or not I hold the title of saint is not particularly relevant to my work in Leithanien. My executorial duty is to capture Arturia, as well as executing the wills of Lateran citizens. As the Arturia case is on temporary hold, fulfilling the will of Loris Bordin is my next objective. ......
Michael	Was that... hesitation? I've never seen you hesitate before!
Federico	I still have questions about the Arturia case.
Michael	What questions?
Federico	I need to think.
Federico looks at the piano to the side of the room. Like most Leithanians, Loris had musical instruments in his home. However, judging from the many files and folders on its bench, he did not play the piano often. Simply tap the black and white keys in a certain rhythm and a melody will be created. People have taken such immediate feedback for granted, yet there are still many questions that, once sprouted, are pushed away, unanswered.
[Federico sits down and plays a short tune on the piano.]
Michael	The piece you just played... is it the one from yesterday at Ludwigs-Universität?
Federico	Der Tod des Hexenkönigs. Arturia interpreted the emotions of Loris Bordin and Brandt Reiner, as well as the others who witnessed the Witch King's demise. She turned their strongest feelings into notes, creating this piece. I want to know what she discovered in those emotions.
Michael	The notes may be the same, but the feelings are so different. Herr Executor, are you and Arturia really related by blood? If misplaying an instrument were a crime, you might well be arrested as soon as you step out the door.
Federico	I did not play a single note wrong.
Michael	But there was no emotion whatsoever! You can't grasp music by memorizing its rules. You have to... um... picture the emotion it conveys. For example, Loris Bordin. You have to become him, imagine the night he charged into the Witch King's Spire. Picture how he became a hero, how crestfallen he was by Yulia's case, and...
Federico	......
Loris	When you're finally forced to doubt yourself, and find yourself wavering, lost, like me... you'll realize that you need a strength, a reason. And that's when you'll discover that the law offers no guidance.
Clément	Why do barriers never cease to be? Is mankind doomed never to understand one another? The tiniest chaos is enough to shatter the order. The moment confusion envelops, people begin to hurt one another...
Yvangelista XI	Each era has its own trials and tribulations, for which we can only prepare to the best of our ability. It is certain, however, that you have been chosen because It believes that you have the ability to respond to the unknown. You are well aware that there is another besides yourself very unique among the Sankta. Bring her back, if possible. I need to meet with her, face to face.
Arturia	Fede, your whole life, you have been different, different from all the others. Can you really... not see everything I see in the music?
<Background fades to white, then returns to normal>
[Federico stops playing the piano.]
Federico	......
Michael	Thanks to Grimmacht, both my ears and my soul have been saved. A failed attempt, I take it? Let's not try that again. We have to acknowledge that some people simply lack the talent for music.
Federico	Yes, I cannot empathize with Loris or anyone else, nor do I see the illusions created by the notes. But I do have realized that emotions are also information.
Michael	What do you mean by that?
Federico	As you said, Arturia's performances are completely different from mine. The notes arranged in order have no inherent meaning, but with added emotion, they become a piece of music beloved by you people. And so, I have come to understand that emotion is a kind of additional information. Arturia played her music, playing the hearts of Loris and others, to extract information from their powerful emotions that even they themselves could not retrieve. This is something only Arturia can do. Her objective has not yet been achieved, nor will she abandon it. There will be even greater chaos in the coming days, here in Zwillingstürme.
Michael	...Are you certain?
Federico	I could spend time explaining the finer logic to you, but I assess that you will find it difficult to share my thought process. As such, I suggest you consider my conclusion a kind of... intuition.
Michael	Herr Executor, there is someone you should see. She can help you.
<Background black>
Congratulations, you're about to be rid of me. What, I shouldn't say such things? What would you rather hear? Mockery, anger, curses? Or a seemingly invincible enemy pulled straight from a story begging for mercy before their departure from the stage? Don't forget, you wanted to see me. Whenever you have doubts, you unconsciously seek out my voice. You want to hear me deny you, and then, in denying me, you can win some silly comfort for yourself. It is not I who needs you. You need me. Bloodline of Urtica, Franz, Ebenholz——Without me, what does your future hold?
<Background 5>
Fremont	It's done.
Ebenholz	What do you mean...? What's done?
Fremont	I've removed the Voice of Mundane from your head.
Ebenholz	But...
Fremont	But nothing happened, is that it? It could never summon the Genesis Horn in the first place! It's like watching a crowd of people nervously gathering to light a fuse and blow Zwillingstürme up, only to hear a soft pop like a gloompincer's depressing fart.
Ebenholz	But didn't you say the melody of the Witch King could open the door to the Genesis Horn?
Fremont	Yes, the right melody. Do you think you can open a locked door with any old key?! Don't compare my research on Herkunftshorn with the pile of rubbish they stuffed into your brain. Those idiots and their Infected bombing couldn't manage a thing! Ha, "The Voice of Mundane"... Do the people who come up with this stuff even know the difference between a proper creation and a belch? Was it Gerhard who filled your heads with all this? Would you mind if I dug him up and knocked him around a bit more?
Ebenholz	But they told me the Voice of Mundane housed the Witch King's avatar.
Fremont	Avatar? Haha... avatar. That'd be like me rolling my soul into a ball and tossing it into the amphitheater beneath the spire for you stupid lambs to kick about. You really think that can be done? That's enough, boy. I'm in a bad mood, a positively rotten one. I thought by doing this one last favor for Grimmacht, I'd be able to take my things and finally be rid of this wretched place. Who'd have thought those masked morons would make a fool of me... No, they made me a whole circus! I should have Ermengarde look me over, see if a Lich's age has any effect on his brain.
[Fremont grumpily storms off.]
Ebenholz	... He said... The Voice of Mundane is just noise.
Lessing	It is certainly a melody left by the Witch King, that's true. But Gerhard and his men misunderstood its power. It isn't the key to the Witch King's legacy.
Ebenholz	Then what about the... voice in my head?
Lessing	I don't understand the Arts behind it. The problem of the Voice of Mundane has been resolved. You may still suffer headaches and hallucinations, but I expect they won't be so bad going forward. Just to be safe, you should stay here and rest a while. Then leave Zwillingstürme after Das Kaiserinnensfest.
Ebenholz	So, the voice is just my imagination then? All these years, and all of my struggles were just in my head? In the somewhat more figurative sense? Apparently, I have nothing whatsoever to do with any grand plans of those lofty conspirators. And to speak of killing myself before I went mad... Hah, I've been mad for a long, long time.
Lessing	I don't have time to discuss this with you.
Ebenholz	...Right. You grandfather says that the rubbish in my head tainted the research on Herkunftshorn. So why care about me, an inferior product? Particularly after we've known that none of his power lies within me. I can't summon a Catastrophe cloud with a wave of my hand, nor can I cleave a spire with a swing of a sword—
[Ebenholz conjures his Originium dice in his hand.]
Lessing	What do you want?
Ebenholz	The power is still there. Since you've removed the Voice of Mundane, why not... kill me? The Voice of Mundane is not the key, meaning I'm of no use to the Twin Empresses. Why not burn me and mine to ashes, like all the experiments of the Witch King era?
Lessing	Because there is no...
Ebenholz	...No need? Is that it? Then what about my brother? He died. He died because of a stupid plan like... To borrow a phrase, like a gloompincer's depressing fart. Such nonsense... such irony! He was grateful, you know, right up until he died... Grateful for our meeting, grateful for the instructor who taught him the cello. But our meeting was exploited by Gertrude. The teacher he admired was mixed up with the Witch King's remains. Hah, and now you tell me... you tell me the Voice of Mundane was all a wacky misunderstanding the entire time! So we lived, died, met, parted, all for what? Where is the meaning in any of it?
Lessing	Alright, if you want an answer, I'll tell you. You're right. There was no meaning in any of it. Set aside the Urtica name. Without the Voice of Mundane, you're nothing but a self-absorbed, self-harming, self-destructive empty shell of a pretty boy.
[Lessing picks up and brandishes his longsword.]
Ebenholz	Perfect. You finally did it.
Lessing	Now take up your Arts Unit.
Ebenholz	Why not unwrap the bandages on your sword? That would make this execution go even smoother.
Lessing	The man before me is unworthy of it.
Ebenholz	Even now, you just have to humili—
Lessing	Then fight back. Prove me wrong by your actions.
[Lessing strikes Ebenholz with his longsword.]
Ebenholz	Ugh...
[He strikes him again...]
Lessing	You loathe the bloodline of the Witch King. But have you ever sought out the victims of his persecution? To make amends, to help them, to compensate them?
[And again...]
Lessing	You loathe the title of Graf Urtica. But have you ever looked into the safety of the commoners? Taken note of the decline of your domain, caught between the Twin Empresses and the Witch King's remains?
[And again...]
Lessing	You lament being the only survivor. But you have not been cherishing the life ahead of you. Instead, you constantly throw yourself into danger.
[And again...]
Lessing	You say you were a prisoner of your spire. But who, in the end, has never looked beyond his cage at anyone else?
[And again.]
Lessing's sword moves so quickly that dodging is nearly impossible. He's rarely spoken so many words in one breath. At first, Ebenholz had no intention of dodging, but almost instinctively, the Originium dice float into the air. Arts pour out uncontrollably, like fiery rage.
[Ebenholz forces Lessing off him with his Arts.]
Ebenholz	Blood, title, duty, everything was forced upon me by fate. I tried! I stood against it! And in the end, you tell me there was never any need to! Why? Why did I have to go through all this when I'm nobody at all?
[In an instant, Lessing rushes forward, pinning the young Graf against the wall.]
Lessing's sword presses against Ebenholz's throat. The Originium dice fall to the side. The battle is over, the outcome a surprise to no one.
Ebenholz	Our fight against fate never belonged to any of us. And so, what does the suffering we've endured... even count for?
Lessing	I never received a noble's education, and I don't throw around words like "fate." I only know that all the suffering is real. I've seen street hawkers beaten by the Gendarmerie in the alleyways. I've seen old men freeze to death on the roadside after losing their farmland to the rural nobility. They'll never see the Witch King, the Twin Empresses, or a Kurfürsten in their life. They'll never have the time or energy to contemplate fate, suffering, or meaning. That's life in the shadow of the spires, for the great masses of Leithanien. No one can overcome an abstract concept. If you want revenge, choose a concrete target. The Witch King, the Twin Empresses, the still living remnants. We fight to survive. And we don't stop until our own blood or that of our enemies runs dry.
Ebenholz	Fight...
Lessing	The Witch King's legacy still exists, wherever it is. Enemies shrouded in darkness may find it at any moment, and use it to unleash suffering on the great masses once again. You can stay in this spire and continue lamenting your "fate," or you can challenge me again and die by my hand. Or... you can join me in seeking the Witch King's legacy. Help me find the true culprit, who may still be alive in some form. Choose.
Ebenholz feels the sword against his throat, still wrapped in bandages. Were it not wrapped, he would have smelled blood. Of course, this does not mean that Lessing can't kill him. The warrior's expression is cold, but his eyes burn with anger. Why is he angry? Why... does he still have expectations for a man like him?
Ebenholz	... Would you kindly pass me my Arts Unit?
<Background 6>
Viviana	Why aren't they here?
Gendarmerie	Frau Hochberg, what is it you're looking for?
Viviana	Sketches... Frieda Seemann's drawings. Since Herr Reiner and I left, has anyone else been in this room?
Gendarmerie	Um... no suspicious individuals, meine Dame. After you and Herr Gesatzswächter left, the Imperial casters carefully inspected the entire alley. After confirming no traces of the Witch King's remains, and no dangerous witchcraft or items, they left. Are the drawings you're looking for involved in some important case?
Viviana	A case? ......
Viviana recalls Grimmacht's words. "The case of the Witch King's remains stealing a copy of the Güldenesgesatz has been closed."
Viviana	No. It's merely personal. Frau Seemann's work is incredibly beautiful. It always evokes some... marigold memories in me. Please don't alert the others though. I don't want too many people to know I've been here.
Gendarmerie	Of course! Rest assured. The Gendarmerie will never disclose your movements.
<Background 3>
[Disappointed, Viviana exits the Seemann residence.]
Viviana	......
[A strange shadow materializes in front of her.]
"Arturia"	So lovely. Marigolds, sunlight... such beautiful things tend to inspire creativity and nurture emotion. No wonder so many Leithanian artists love this alley. Werner von Hochberg... He was obsessed with it until the day he died.
Viviana	Might you be... Frau Giallo? Weren't you taken away by Grimmacht's casters?
"Arturia"	I'm certainly not here. And you didn't really bump into your father back there either. This is all in your imagination.
Viviana	Is this also an effect of your Arts?
"Arturia"	You're rather skilled in Originium Arts yourself. What do you think?
Viviana	I... haven't noticed anything unusual.
"Arturia"	People often misunderstand my Arts. The truth is, I can't do very much at all. People are just ignorant of their own hearts. Or even if they do know, they're unwilling to face themselves. I told you the first time we met. My melodies resonate with the emotions deep inside the human heart... and once they ripple, they are hard to ignore. It's you who wants to change your father's fate. The one talking to you now, well, I'm afraid it's you yourself.
Viviana	...Is that so?
"Arturia"	You yearn to know the cause of your father's death. You fear that the conspiracy of the Witch King's remains is not yet through. You suspect that the farce performed at Ludwigs-Universität was just a diversion. You wonder... if perhaps the Kaiserinnen wanted to kill the Kurfürst?
Viviana	Nein.
"Arturia"	Ah, but you see, you can't hold back the birth of this thought. Ah, but you see, you can't hold back the birth of this thought. If your father were standing here, what would he do?
Viviana	My father... He wouldn't do anything. He would accept fate's plan, and turn away.
"Arturia"	Even though he would go on to live with endless pain and regret. And so, what about you? Would you... do the same?
Viviana	He and I...
[Someone's footsteps approach her.]
Viviana	Frau Giallo?
Federico	Do not mistake me for that distant relative of mine. There is no need for you to brandish your Arts Unit in my direction.
Viviana	...This whole area is encircled by Leithanien's finest Gendarmerie. Who are you, Herr Sankta?
Federico	I am an executo— I work with Michael.
Viviana	Michael is a good boy. I guess... I can trust you.
Federico	That went surprisingly well. At Michael's suggestion, I would like to provide a clue regarding Arturia.
Viviana	What is it?
Federico	There is a high probability that she is planning an even more serious incident. Seniora Viviana von Hochberg, it is my hope that we can cooperate, and put a stop to her plans.