[exclaims]
[exclaiming]
[Kanata] What is this?
And you! Just what are you doing?
Why do you need to use a rocket?
This is a test.
A test?
Ready for launch!
Ready to launch Kanata 1!
-Time to get you up into the clouds! -[Kanata groans]
Main engine start!
Lift off!
Wow!
[gasps, laughs]
[Maria] 8,000.
8,500.
9,000.
-The problem arises here. -Problem?
-[alarm blaring] -The limit.
[exclaims]
Dang it!
[Kanata sighs]
Well, that's all I've got.
Satisfied?
The 10,000 meter limit.
So it's still there after 20 years.
WEST COAST OIL COMPANY NO.003
[Maria] Won't you tell us what's going on?
What exactly are we testing for here?
Histoire.
[both gasp]
What do you mean? What about Histoire?
What do you know? Mystere!
-[grunts] -[gasps]
Histoire is real.
What?
Up there.
So Histoire was above us.
That's why no one could find it.
How do you know?
As luck would have it, we made contact during our travels.
You mean with Pascale?
What was your master like?
Yes.
Master was the type to dance to the beat of her own drum.
But she was also consistent and with purpose.
She had a lot of dreams to accomplish,
so we went around fulfilling them.
It was like she had wings powered by a thirst for knowledge.
Mystere learned a lot of things from Master.
Then one day…
We made contact with Histoire.
[gasps]
Somewhere out there,
by sheer chance, we happened to make contact with Histoire's network.
We tried hacking in for more information.
We managed to breach several layers of security
before finally gaining access to Histoire.
We only did it once.
But that was enough to confirm that Histoire truly does exist.
[Kanata] But how do you know it's above us?
The signals were exospheric.
What?
They came from outer space?
[Mystere] Before the Tears of the New Moon,
the Space Race paved the way for a variety of space technologies,
but the technology was all but gone by the Amasia period.
[Ciel] Where exactly did you make contact?
That remains to be seen.
Mystere still isn't her normal self.
In truth, not even 70% of her potential has been expressed.
And still, you were able to handle the Silver Storm.
-You confuse me for a hack or dud. -[groans]
While the dud has reign over Mystere's faculties,
Mystere enters a self-repair sequence.
However, the repairs are nowhere near complete.
But this, at least, is now available.
[gasps]
[exhales]
Noir!
[gasps] Kanata?
-Mystere! -[Kanata exclaims]
[both gasp]
You see?
What happens to Noir?
[Mystere] We switch places from time to time.
The dud has shared access with Mystere's activity log.
It'd be a pain to have to update her on everything after the fact.
How's that for considerate?
I will accept your praise.
Right. Good job.
You want to go to Histoire, hack?
Of course I do!
Then you need to be ready.
Tomorrow, we train.
Mystere will get you in shape!
Yeah, bring it on!
This is my dream come true! I'll do whatever it takes!
[Mystere] Master…
Someone else has wings, just like you did.
Does this mean our adventure will finally have its conclusion?
[sighs]
[Mystere] I'm counting on your rocket.
So basically, you need me to break the 10,000 meter limit?
Can anything even withstand such altitudes?
If not, we'll just have to make them!
We'll leave no stone unturned.
Just you wait, Histoire!
[panting]
[exclaims]
[grunts]
[shouting]
-Ouch! -[sighs]
[Kanata] I said I'd do whatever it takes,
but is this really necessary to get to Histoire?
Of course. You doubt Mystere?
The memory regarding where the connection was made is, for the most part, complete.
The last signal was around here.
[Kanata] Giza?
This is quite far from Rock Town.
So…
we go to Carthage.
Records indicate that this place
had a radar for exospheric observations prior to the Tears of the New Moon.
It could likely shed some light on Histoire.
[panting]
[Mystere] Giza may be further away,
but Carthage is 2,000 kilometers as the crow flies.
There are no Nests in the area, and supplies will be hard to come by.
Such harsh conditions require not only physical fitness…
-[Kanata groans] -…but also great mental fortitude.
[grunts, pants]
Mystere will do whatever it takes to get to Histoire.
You hear that, hack?
You must push past your limits!
[breathing heavily]
[panting, groaning]
[gasps, coughs]
You did good, for a hack.
Tomorrow's menu is all set up. Make sure to let the dud know.
Mystere will return to self-repair.
[sighs]
[choking]
[groans]
Kanata?
PUB ED-JOE LEGACY FOODS & DRINK
So? How did your training go?
[Kanata chuckles]
Wow!
Does your stomach hurt?
What?
-No… -[giggles]
Hey! Drink's up!
Here's your ultra-strength synthetic protein, the Ed-Joe Special!
Going on week two with this drink, hey?
And still not sick of it.
[exclaims]
-It tastes so bad! -It tastes bad, but you still drink it?
It's so I can go to Histoire!
It's firing him up.
Maria!
Listen up. Three glasses is all you get.
Or else you'd drink me out of business.
Got it, sir.
How's the rocket development going?
Still at the hypothesis stage.
But just you watch. I will break the 10,000 meter limit.
Have you at least found any leads?
[Maria] None. But I'm gonna do it.
Where is all this confidence coming from?
Ever heard of, "Anything one can imagine, one can make real"?
We even made it to the moon over 200 years ago.
Things were different back then.
Doesn't matter.
It's not just a theory.
Only those who persevere get to see their dreams come true.
Don't you agree, Kanata?
Right!
I guess if you do your best…
Thank you, Ellie.
There's also the saying, "Where there's a will, there's a way."
An old proverb.
Noir?
-We're off. -Okay.
See you later.
Well, I guess I'd better get back to the lab.
-Say, Maria. -Hmm?
Can I stay with you tonight?
Huh?
Oh, well.
In that case, guess I'll be heading off all on my lonesome.
[sighs]
Why drink if you're just going to metabolize the alcohol straightaway?
A blood alcohol level of 0.20 is just what I need.
I see…
How much longer will you be up?
[Maria] Well, it's a never-ending process.
[groans]
Come on, what's up?
All right. Spill it.
-Is it your love life? -[stutters] It's not my love life!
Hmm.
Don't you think Noir seemed a little off today?
You think?
I thought she was her usual head in the clouds self.
She seemed sad.
Sad?
I can kind of imagine why she'd feel that way.
You can?
Why is she sad?
I think she feels like she doesn't belong.
I see.
I think she's felt that way ever since she started switching with Mystere.
You were in a tizzy when Noir first came to Kanata, right?
You thought you'd lost him.
That's not what I'm saying!
And now it's Noir you're worried about?
Of course I am!
Noir is my friend.
Yeah?
Hey. Noir is Mystere's safe mode while she runs self-repair, right?
According to Mystere.
So when Mystere's self-repair sequence is complete,
what'll happen to Noir?
[sighs]
[Maria] I'm not sure.
I mean, we're in unfamiliar territory here.
[Ellie] Hypothetically, if Noir disappears,
then Kanata…
[inhales]
Maria?
You should go to Carthage with Kanata.
I'll deal with Michael.
[gasps]
Make sure Kanata and Noir are safe.
Okay!
Have you identified the Key?
[Ciel] Yes.
And? Which is it?
Who is the goddess that will take us to Paradise?
Mystere.
In addition,
the next destination of the observation target, Kanata,
has been identified.
He is going to Carthage.
[Macht] Understood.
Continue covert surveillance.
[Schnee] Arrangements will be made for travel to Carthage.
Do it.
[in English] Yes, my lord.
[Macht, in Japanese] Whether we like it or not,
the time has come.
Kanata.
You still pursue the path to Paradise?
In that case…
Mr. Weisheit.
Anything compelling to report?
The final move is in place.
Well, that is compelling.
We will acquire the Key in Carthage.
[gasps]
Noir?
Mystere.
I'm back.
Man, you scared me.
I didn't know you'd still be up.
Mystere is no dud.
Mystere does not squander her time in idle slumber.
And you are quite late to return.
My stage briefing ran overtime.
Twenty years ago, a Magus would never charm people through song.
It is surprising, to say the least.
I could not have done it all myself.
The hack, right?
The joy of singing for others, of touching their hearts.
Kanata taught me that joy.
Wanting to sing for others--
Kanata was the one who first made me realize this.
That's not the face of someone expressing her passion.
[gasps]
[Mystere] Whatever you're hiding, it is of no concern.
Mystere will not probe.
But Mystere is considerate, so she will offer a word of advice.
Humans and Magus can only be friends at best.
There is a clear line that delineates us.
And there will come a day…
when we must part ways.
So live boldly for today.
What?
Ciel. You're back.
I'm back, Noir.
Quit dawdling, hack.
We should have left hours ago!
I hear you! Geez…
[grunts]
Thanks for letting us use your Carrier, Ciel.
Not a problem.
Shall we go?
You're coming too?
It's my Carrier. Of course I'm coming!
But what about your stage performances?
It'll just be a minor hiccup.
But then, it seems my producer has also vanished into thin air!
[sighs]
[horn honking]
[Kanata] Ellie?
I'm coming too!
I can't just let you go off on your own, can I?
What?
Mystere does not mind.
The more helping hands, the better.
I get it.
Let's all go to Carthage!
[no audible dialogue]
[Mouton] All finished, master.
[grunts] Was a 16-character password a breeze for you?
It is a skill I picked up in my younger days.
[gasps]
[Tokio] Tunis?
The ruins of Carthage?
Kanata's in trouble.
Translated by: Rychelle Brittain