Revy didn't notice Silence—truthfully, he didn't even know who she was.
Although he did briefly glance at the standard Rhine Lab colors that flashed past his eyes, it was just that—one glance. Without slowing his pace, Revy quickly walked past the trio.
He wandered around the Medical Department for a couple of rounds and managed to catch Warfarin to ask where Kal'tsit was. Ignoring Warfarin's pointed stare, Revy nearly sprinted straight to Kal'tsit's office.
Kal'tsit's schedule was packed tight, with surgeries lined up back-to-back. Catching her in the small gaps between procedures was no easy feat.
"...You're here."
Kal'tsit didn't seem surprised by Revy's arrival. She simply greeted him flatly, then said no more.
"...So you already know why I'm here."
Revy didn't bother with formalities. He pulled out a chair and sat down with complete ease.
"Tracking your movements isn't that difficult."
Kal'tsit didn't even look up, still writing at her desk. "You went to see the Ursus girl first, but her issue isn't something we can resolve. So you're here for Operator Eyjafjalla, aren't you?"
"More or less. You could say that."
Revy showed no reaction to the implications of surveillance in her tone. Instead, he casually stretched. "For the record, I never promised her I'd persuade you. I only said I'd try. But now, I've got a different question I'd like to ask."
"Make it quick. I'm on a schedule."
"—Why won't you let Eyjafjalla conduct the field study?"
Kal'tsit looked at Revy like he was a fool, staring until he started to feel slightly uncomfortable.
"...Okay, that was a dumb way to phrase it. That's not what I meant." Revy raised his hands in a half-shrug. "I know you don't sugarcoat things. So I have no doubt your reason is 'safety.'"
"...Then what are you trying to ask?"
"I want to know—what kind of safety issue?"
...…
"If we put aside the 'Catastrophe Messenger' requirement," Revy leaned forward, pressing both hands on the desk, narrowing the distance between them, "then what I'm interested in is the other thing you told Eyjafjalla."
"The role of a Catastrophe Messenger is to ensure safe travel through Catastrophe zones. But if that's not the issue, then the danger must be something else—something human. In other words, a man-made threat."
"But—why would Eyjafjalla face a man-made threat in her own homeland? What kind of people would go out of their way to target her?"
Kal'tsit opened her mouth to speak, but Revy cut her off.
"Kal'tsit, your 'omniscience' comes from massive knowledge, intelligence networks, and trend analysis. If you've already foreseen danger to Eyjafjalla, it means it's not some random coincidence—it's planned. Organized. A conspiracy against her."
...…
"Naturally, you haven't told me the details, so I can't deduce whether it's a plan that's already begun or a trap waiting to be sprung. But still—why? Why would anyone target a quiet, non-political girl who only wants to do her research?"
"Then, if we factor in the volcanic eruption and her interest in field research, it's not hard to conclude—someone doesn't want Eyjafjalla to continue her work. And they're willing to orchestrate an 'accident' to stop her. Even if it costs her life."
"Am I wrong, Doctor Kal'tsit?"
Kal'tsit's feline ears twitched as she frowned, meeting Revy's gaze.
"Sometimes I wonder if assigning you to Special Ops is a waste of your true talent."
Though she didn't answer directly, her reaction confirmed it: Revy was exactly right.
"Don't forget, before PRTS was online, I was the one doing temporary command assignments."
"…So what you really want are the details—things you can't glean from analysis alone. That's why you came to me."
Kal'tsit paused for a moment before continuing:
"You want to use that information to decide whether to help Operator Eyjafjalla."
"Or more precisely—if I choose to help her, I need to know how best to do it."
Kal'tsit held his gaze, then let out a long sigh.
"Alright… I'll tell you everything I know. But whether you help her or not—that's your decision."
[Scene Break]
"Yo! Sorry, sorry. Am I the one holding things up?"
The Feline woman who walked in had long, dark, slightly wild hair, clearly not the type who spent much time grooming. "Cut me some slack, I just got off the plane… I was out on a mission, remember?"
"Haha, wrong guess this time, Blaze. We're not waiting on you."
The man reclining with his feet up was none other than Logos, whom Revy had once briefly met in the cafeteria.
"Not waiting for me?"
Blaze looked around the room. "…Everyone's here though, right?"
"You've been out on assignment, so you wouldn't know."
It was Ace who spoke. "Rhodes Island just got a new elite operator. Someone familiar."
"New but familiar?"
Blaze perked up, her tone full of curiosity. "Is it that outstanding Perro operator? Or did that little guy who always followed Scout around finally get Kal'tsit's approval?"
Blaze was so excited she didn't notice the sudden gloom on everyone's face when she mentioned Scout.
"We'll talk about Scout later…" Pith said after a pause. "The person we're talking about just returned to the island. You definitely know him."
"Returned…? So someone who left and came back?"
Blaze quickly picked up on the wording.
"Alright, if you guys keep talking in riddles, she's going to explode."
Logos shut his comms terminal. "Forget waiting for that guy—he's off seeing Kal'tsit, probably never saw Ace's message."
"Okay seriously—who is it?!"
"Former Babel Elite Operator—Codename: Edge."
For the first time, Stormeye spoke up.
"Or, as you might know him better—"
"Regulus Harvey."