Location: The Library - Floor of Natural Sciences
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
…
Servant Roland
Lost in thought, are you? What could you be pondering about?
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
Long ago, I used to think that my existence didn’t have any meaning. I had no expectations for my life.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
I just felt obligated… Obligated to live out the life given to me.
Servant Roland
And that’s changed now?
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
Enoch was different. He always had his eyes set on the light that seemed so far away.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
I wondered how he could have such an outlook…
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
But I think I understand now. It’s expectations that give us the strength to push through hardship.
Servant Roland
Those expectations being…?
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
That we can trust things to become better tomorrow.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
That my life holds possibilities and significance that could make this world a better place.
Servant Roland
That’s too much optimism for me.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
Natural science is a field of study born out of the urge to understand the inner workings of the world.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
Pure curiosity…
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
Maybe people couldn’t stand the unfairness that came from the inability to understand the world around them.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
So they began lighting up the world with knowledge; but only few made that advance while others went back into the shadow-filled cave they were in.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
Still too few are in a bright spot where they can see all the laws of nature.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
Most enclosed themselves with darkness yet again… Consuming the results without understanding the process.
Servant Roland
Maybe you guys were right about the whole world being on the wane.
Servant Roland
This world is full of things they can’t understand even if they tried, so they just close their eyes.
Servant Roland
It’s gonna carry on just fine with one fewer person anyway.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
But that’s not what you’re meant to do.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
You can’t keep your eyes shut forever. That’s not the humanity I know.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
Humans constantly try to understand… and move toward light.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
And I’m sure you’re no different.
Servant Roland
Look, I don’t care what you think about humans, but don’t force your generalizations on me.
Servant Roland
All that’s ahead of me was darkness. There wasn’t a single glimpse of light…
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
It may seem as if there’s no light. You may think it’s too dark to see anything.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
But the light is in fact still there…
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
There are many kinds of light, not just one.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
Once you gain the insight to see those other lights, you don’t have to stay curled up in the darkness anymore.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
Though it’s up to you to approach that light or stay in the darkness.
Servant Roland
I’m just too worn out to walk towards any light.
Servant Roland
Hell, there’s no way I could magically start seeing light that I couldn’t my whole life in the first place.
Servant Roland
Even if I moved forward, there’s nothing left for me. I don’t have anything I want, either.
Servant Roland
I don’t wanna have any more expectations.
Servant Roland
There’s no point doing that. Not in this City…
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
That’s not true; you will harbor expectations. You just refuse to admit it.
The empty husk of a man returns to his home, covered in the blood of strangers.
Musty air. Gray room. A bit large for one person.
A mind that feels a bit too empty for a lonely life.
In that unlit room, I lie on the sofa and stare at the ceiling.
Beer cans rolling around the floor. Cigarette ash floating in the air.
Droplets of water falling from the kitchen tap, plinking in the sink.
Laughter seeping through the wall.
The scenery I could’ve been in.
The room of a man who holds no expectation.
A room with not a single sign of improvement.
Every night, I fall asleep without any hope.
That room, occupied by a single black lump.
??? ???
Knock knock~ Are you there, kid with a pitch-black heart?
??? ???
I bet you’re flopped on your bed after lashing out your anger at some unlucky plebs yet again.
??? ???
I’m here to make an offer you can’t possibly refuse… Care to give it a listen?
Location: The Library - Floor of Natural Sciences
Servant Roland
You… aren’t even a real human. What makes you think you can talk to me like you know all about people?
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
Because I know. Because I’ve seen it.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
I’ve seen the struggles of humans who writhed in agony to illuminate the world, to grope their way to light.
Servant Roland
People aren’t as strong as you think. They’re just lumps.
Servant Roland
And you… You are a copy of that lump, a fake.
Servant Roland
There’s no meaning to be found anywhere.
Servant Roland
Hopes are just empty dreams. Expectations will never get you where you want.
Library Director Angela
Tiphereth, what happened while I was looking away for a moment?
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
…It looks like Roland’s mind resonated with this place.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
The emotions were amplified from interactions with the Patron Librarian of each floor and their subject matter.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
That might be why he got ruffled over small things and snapped… It’s only a guess, though.
Library Director Angela
That sounds like a plausible explanation. I unwillingly exposed disorderly sides of myself a few times as well because of that.
Library Director Angela
I’m sure you know how to handle this situation by now, right, Tiphereth? I’m counting on you.
Patron Librarian - Nat. Sciences Tiphereth
That faint smile on your face… Is this really fun to you?
Library Director Angela
Well, to an extent, yes…
Library Director Angela
I didn’t want to be the only one with a history of making an embarrassing scene, you see.
Floor of Natural Sciences.
