Location: Inside the Library
Roland
By the by, I thought this Library fell to bits for the most part… But it looks like its power is still there, right?
Roland
There’s gotta be a horde of people watching for the chance to raid this place out there, but no one has broken in so far.
Angela
I find that peculiar as well.
??? Zena
…That, Angela, is because this Library is the shell of your mind and consciousness…
??? Zena
Or E.G.O, as you call it.
??? Zena
It’s the consequence of making a decision that only a human could make…
??? Zena
One that couldn’t be further from what a resident of the City would choose.
Angela
…How long have you been here?
Roland
A visitor from the Head, huh… The Eye and the Claw, too…
Executioner of the Claw Baral
Keep perfectly still, or you’ll be torn apart.
Executioner of the Claw Baral
Remember. Even you of all cityfolk can be ripped to shreds in your current state.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
You may have concluded your own little tales, but the Distortion still continues to grave its mark on the City.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
That new color has permeated the City much too profoundly.
Roland
…So now the Head is gonna hold us accountable for the phenomenon, is that it?
Arbiter of the Head Zena
No one could be held responsible for the Distortion at this point.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
It breaks my heart to think that it might shift the ecology of the City we had cultivated with care.
Angela
If so, what brings an agent of the Head here? And why so late?
Arbiter of the Head Zena
We’re here to expel you and your Library from the City.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
And to retrieve a certain… degraded colleague of ours.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
This structure in its entirety will be driven out and relocated to the Outskirts.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
The Library has already become an Impurity of the City. We couldn’t stand by any longer.
Angela
Are you disturbed by its powers?
Arbiter of the Head Zena
Not quite.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
The sole reason is you: Angela.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
An entity that isn’t human entertained thoughts that only a human should have.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
You poor machine… No matter how much you contemplate and enrich your mind, you cannot become human if you aren’t born as one.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
When I thought you might turn into a human at the end, you let go of all you had during that critical moment.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
Had you fully become a human at the culmination of the ordeal, the City would have been more willing to accept you, alas.
Angela
I don’t care if I have to stay as a machine.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
A machine with a heart has no place in this City.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
You cannot break free from your origin which defines you.
Angela
Why does that matter? I’m the only one who has a say in defining MY identity. I don’t need any flimsy husk to do it for me.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
How contemptible that your line of thought is so dangerously close to what a human must aspire to reach.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
You’re further demonstrating why we cannot let you be.
Angela
For someone who loves to preach humanity, you sure seemed fine with letting Distortions cause many a scene in your precious backyard, hm?
Arbiter of the Head Zena
By all manner of means, Distortions are one of the many aspects of humanity. Their existence is not wholly wrongful from our point of view.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
It was simply time for them to emerge.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
Are they not more bearable than a meager machine putting up the charade of being human?
Beholder of the Eye Luda
So do yourself a favor and throw away that crumpled piece of paper. You’ve done something so cute so nervelessly.
Roland
And what if we made you kick the bucket here?
Arbiter of the Head Zena
The expulsion will still take place as planned. It’s inevitable.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
This matter goes beyond you and the Library; L Corp. itself was a stain and a blemish to the Head.
Angela
No wonder it is. To trounce over L Corp’s Singularity and its end goal, you dispatched an Arbiter by the name of Binah…
Angela
No, it was Garion, wasn’t it—regardless, it ended in utter failure, did it not?
Beholder of the Eye Luda
Garion did such a sloppy job dealing with it. And now the chasm has grown too wide.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
Angela… The machine with the mind of a human.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
The door mustn’t be closed because of something like you.
Angela
If I’m understanding this right, you wish to put me to death and kick the Library out into the Outskirts, is that correct?
Arbiter of the Head Zena
You’ve guessed right.
Angela
I exist in this place as myself, standing on my two feet with my own strength. I have no problem brushing off the bullshit you’re spewing on my doorstep.
Angela
And… You sure are verbose company, just like Binah.
Angela
You always add needless comments as if you just can’t help it.
Arbiter of the Head Zena
…Executioner.
Executioner of the Claw Baral
…!
Roland
I thought the Library ceased pretty much all of its functions?
Angela
As that Arbiter said, the Library is my E.G.O.
Angela
In that case, I can perform such feats without breaking a sweat.
Angela
Although this is only a temporary retreat, similar to how guests are greeted.
Roland
We’re finally receiving guests from the Head itself, huh… I guess these are the last ones we’ll get to greet from here.
Angela
It seems they are. I don’t have to stay in this Nest, anyway.
Roland
Good for us, saves the trouble of packing stuff up to move!
