We Choose the Sky

Enter Lucilla's office

Rover: (Lucilla's busy now. I should wait outside.)

Lucilla: Not a problem. For project funding approvals, we can follow the New Federation model.

Lucilla: But when it comes to picking research topics, I'm afraid I must insist on giving our teams more freedom to choose their own direction.

Wait for Lucilla to finish her call

Lucilla: Understood. Let's save those two issues for our call next week. The new partnership model is interesting, but I'll need to run it by my colleagues first.

Lucilla: Hehe, no, not at all. Why would I think you're making things difficult for us? The Academy has always been open to this kind of collaboration.

Lucilla: Okay then. See you next week. Have a wonderful day.

Lucilla: I'm fine.

Lucilla: Ah. Didn't realize the sun was already up.

Rover: So what's all this you've got going on, President Lucilla?

Lucilla: Right... what am I even working on? After the hero defeats the demon king, shouldn't we all be enjoying our "happily ever after"?

Lucilla: But here I am, burning the midnight oil like I'm part of some sleep deprivation experiment. Hmph.

Lucilla: A former colleague from the Pioneer Association taught me how to make this special coffee blend. Want a sip?

Lucilla: Oh, it's a favorite among the Goldrunners in the New Federation. Packs a punch. Heh, sometimes a little too much of a punch.

Lucilla: It wasn't the most thrilling time, but it certainly left me with some memorable moments.

Lucilla: Now I'm around students every day, but it's hard not to notice how far I've drifted from their world.

Lucilla: Ah, that one. One of my students took it. Shame I never got to see that Soliskin with my own eyes.

Lucilla: Must be twice a person's height, at least from the picture. Can a Soliskin even grow that large?

Rover: Do you plan to tell me what I'm really doing here?

Lucilla: Alright, Rover. Technically, I shouldn't be asking a student this, so let's just call it a casual chat between friends.

Lucilla: So, um, from a purely administrative standpoint... is there a chance that...

Lucilla: I'll be straightforward, Rover. Startorch Academy has been in a bit of a bind ever since the Exostrider and Aleph-1 left Lahai-Roi.

Lucilla: As you can see, our investors are reassessing the Academy's value now that the Exostrider is gone. They're holding a review next week to discuss new management policies moving forward.

Lucilla: Before that happens, I pulled some strings to get a third-party agency in for an independent investigation. Whatever they put in their report will steer the whole review.

Rover: So you brought in the Black Shores to audit Startorch? When's this happening?

Lucilla: Dr. Luuk is waiting for the auditor at the Starward Riseway as we speak. They'll be here any minute.

Lucilla: Now, Rover, I'm not about to interfere with an independent audit. But I'd like you to be there during this visit. And if possible...

Rover: You want me to put in a good word?

Lucilla: No need. Just make sure they see the Academy for what it really is. My students can speak for themselves.

Lucilla: Dr. Luuk and the auditor have arrived. Shall we?

Lucilla: Oh, just a second.

Lucilla: Phew. Okay, let's go!

Head to the station

Rover: I don't see anyone. Are they still on the way?

Lucilla: Hold on, Dr. Luuk says the auditor insisted on driving his own motorbike. That means they're on the second floor. Come on.

Welcome the auditor

Lucilla: Uh, what's all this?

Sigrika: Professor! We heard a very important visitor is coming to tour the Academy. Don't worry, we'll make a good impression!

Lynae: Yep, we even threw together a little welcoming thing.

Lucilla: Oh, you rascals... Alright, but follow my lead. If this auditor is a by-the-book type, then we—

Aalto: Aha! WOOO!

Aalto: Oh yeah! What a ride! Now that was top-notch!

Aalto: So... S-so many people?

Aalto: So not a confidential audit, huh?

Lucilla: Welcome to Startorch Academy. I'm Lucilla, the Academy President. So glad you could make it.

Students: WELCOME TO STARTORCH ACADEMY!

Aalto: Oh! Uh, right. I'm Aalto. Haha... You guys really know how to roll out the red carpet.

Sigrika: Nice to meet you, honored sir! I'm Sigrika, from the Preparatory Program. Thank you for coming to tour the Academy!

Aalto: Hello, hello! And please, just Aalto is fine. No need for that "honored sir" stuff...

Sigrika: Got it. I'm a Roya, you know! And I just want to say the Academy has been so wonderful to my people. We're all working together to make the world a better place!

Sigrika: Oh! And there are lots of Roya students in Rabelle College too! Everyone works so hard!

Aalto: Uh? Huh...

Dorian: Chief Aalto! I'm Dorian from the Agronomy Wing! I've brought you a Complete Nutrition Squeezy Jelly and our department's special self-heating Cup Noodles!

Aalto: Cup Noodles? Uh, thanks. And hey, just call me Aalto...

Misha: Director Aalto! I'm Misha from the Department of Exostrider Engineering! I couldn't bring my project here, so I'm here to sing instead!

Nevin: Director, I'm from the Department of Voidmatters, sir! I can dance!

Lynae: And I can do some custom mods on your bike!

Lucilla: Mr. Aalto.

Aalto: Rover! What a fantastic name! Not too long, not too short!

Aalto: Are we supposed to know each other or not?

Rover: We are. But don't make it too obvious.

Aalto: Copy that.

Lucilla: Well then, without further ado, let's head over to Rabelle College. I'll fill you in on our facilities along the way.

Aalto: That'll be great.

Lucilla: Tell those kids to go their separate ways. I'll meet you at Rabelle College.

Rover: Got it.

Learn about the crisis from the students

Rover: Someone want to tell me what's happening?

Lynae: You didn't know, Rover? Everyone's saying the board is looking to shut down Rabelle College.

Sigrika: No, not the college. Just the Synchronists. A professor covering our Royan History class told us the Spacetrek Collective wants them out of the Academy!

Lynae: Yeah, well, the rumor mill says Rabelle eats up two-thirds of the Academy's budget, and the Collective's investors have strong opinions 'bout that.

Lynae: I say investors, but it's mostly New Federation money. Can't say I'm surprised they're pulling this kinda stunt.

Rover: What about you, Chisa? What have you heard?

Chisa: Me? Actually, I don't know the specifics of what's happening. I just wanted to help...

Lynae: Probably. I mean, they were literally picked just to pilot the Exostrider.

Sigrika: But Synchronists are all such brilliant students! Even if they can't pilot anymore, they still...

Lynae: The New Fed only cares as long as you're an asset. The second you're not, you're out.

Rover: (There must be more to it than that.)

Rover: The President and I are on it. You guys should head back for now.

Lynae: Hm, well... Gimme a shout if you need backup! There's no way I'm letting them do the Synchronists dirty like this!

Sigrika: We're counting on you, Senior!

Head to Rabelle College

Arrive at Rabelle College

Sit in Mornye's lecture

Lucilla: In addition to Augmented Resonance training, we place strong emphasis on general education for our Synchronists. This is Professor Mornye who teaches Synth Armament Studies.

Lucilla: Shall we sit in for a bit, Mr. Aalto? Before we tour the student projects?

Aalto: If it's no trouble?

Mornye: Alright. In the last lecture, we proved that the Ruehl Equation holds true for Type-II Synth Armaments. Today, we'll move on to their Tuning Stability Constants.

Mornye: Lixian, could you please write the final derivation from the last lecture on the board?

Lixian: Yes... Professor..

Mornye: While she gets started, let's do a quick review. Waleo, what is the standard medium used to measure Tuning Stability in a lab setting?

Waleo: It's s-so... s-so... mmm...

Mornye: Yes, sodium. An interesting choice, though its volatility makes it impractical for standard testing.

Mornye: Sonia, could you tell me the standard medium for determining Tuning Stability in Synth Armaments under laboratory conditions?

Sonia: Mm... S-squ... Squeezy... Jelly...

Mornye: Squeezy Jelly, you say... Well, it seems we moved through the material a bit too quickly last time.

Mornye: But that's alright. Everyone, please refocus. Let's go over Lixian's board work—

Lucilla: As you can see, Mr. Aalto, this is our signature "Sleep Learning Program."

Aalto: Oooh! Very impressive! Ahem... How about we move on to the next stop?

Lucilla: Now we're about to show you some Augmented Resonance projects developed by our Synchronists.

Lucilla: Among them, the unmanned vehicle prototype shows exceptional promise across multiple market sectors—

TARD-E Unit: Absent Students: 8. Data uploaded to cloud storage.

Lucilla: These children... seem to have forgotten the importance of honoring their commitments.

Aalto: (What's the deal?)

Rover: (Looks like the students all skipped class.)

Aalto: Ahaha! Maybe we're just too early, President Lucilla. Why don't we take a stroll elsewhere? I'm actually quite curious about the Academy's catering system!

Lucilla: Hah... My apologies, Mr. Aalto. How fortunate we are to have you here despite our apparent lack of preparation.

Lucilla: There's no point denying it. You're seeing firsthand how the ongoing debate within the Spacetrek Collective has begun to affect our students.

Rover: (Got any solutions?)

Aalto: (Not really...)

Aalto: I understand, President. And this is precisely why I'm here to convey the—

Lucilla: Mr. Aalto, how about we add an extra tour this evening? We can discuss anything you'd like after that.

Aalto: Uh... Works for me?

Lucilla: Rover, I'll take Mr. Aalto for a meal, then. Would you mind checking back in with Professor Mornye for me?

Aalto: (See—You—On—WavesLine.)

Leave Rabelle College and go to the Square

Read Aalto's WavesLine message

Meet up with Aalto

Aalto: Something that looked like toothpaste. Didn't go down well. Next thing I know, there were students everywhere shoving snacks at me like it was my birthday.

Aalto: Ugh, hellish.

Aalto: To put it simply? The Exostrider's gone, so the Synchronist Program needs to go. Problem is, everyone has a different idea of what to do with those students—And by "everyone," I mean President Lucilla versus everyone else.

Aalto: Anyway, the New Federation and the majority of the board want to pull the plug immediately and draft a new teaching plan from scratch.

Aalto: Meanwhile, the Executive Committee moderates have promised to stay out of it, as long as their nation's Synchronists are covered. With either guaranteed support back home or a smooth transfer somewhere else.

Rover: Where does Lucilla stand?

Aalto: She wants to continue the Synchronist Program.

Rover: Continue?

Aalto: Hm. I see.

Aalto: I'll be honest with you, Rover. The Black Shores doesn't trust her right now.

Aalto: Between her proposal, her deep New Fed connections, and that evasive attitude... There are just too many uncertainties for us to take on the risk of helping her.

Aalto: At least, that's the conclusion we've reached based on the facts we have so far.

Aalto: But... the Bloombearers who graduated from Startorch heard about this and stepped up to endorse Lucilla. That's what changed Shorekeeper's mind.

Aalto: A teacher who gets that kind of trust from her students... That's pretty impressive.

Rover: So what do you need from me?

Aalto: Actually, according to Shorekeeper, you are the one really running this audit.

Aalto: So we need you, acting as both a Startorch student and a Black Shores auditor, to tell us if Lucilla is solid. And what she's really planning.

Rover: (I want to do something for the Synchronists, but I've also got my responsibility to the Black Shores. I don't think Lucilla would put her students in harm's way, but still...)

Rover: Got it. I'll do what I can to help you.

Aalto: I should be the one saying that to you. Anyway, we need a plan for—

Aemeath: Great, another grand plan. Why'd you gotta make everything so complicated?

Aalto: What the—?! How's that—?!

Aemeath: Helloooo, Mr. Aalto! This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to invest in the Exostrider Project. I suggest the Black Shores chips in... this much!

Aemeath: Or, you can just patch me through to the Collective's board. I'd be happy to handle the negotiations myself!

Aemeath: Ahem! I am being serious! If Synchronist degrees get canceled, my record will say I only finished Roya preschool!

Aemeath: Besides, keeping Rabelle College around isn't that hard. Get creative. Talk to Chase. Talk to Shorekeeper. The Collective's investors can't be tougher to handle than Aleph-1, right?

Rover: If we lean on that kind of leverage now, we'll be held to it later. My experience has shown me that it's often better to act as an individual.

Rover: Since you're planning on the "savior" career path, I think you'll understand what I mean, Aemeath.

Aemeath: Hmm, makes sense. Kinda old-school thinking, though.

Rover: (I need to figure out what Lucilla is really thinking. Then I'll play it by ear.)

Rover: If I want them to protect the Synchronists when I can't, I've got to work inside their system. That's just how this game works.

Rover: Trust me and Lucilla. We'll find the right way to handle this.

Aemeath: Ha! Alright then. But just so you know, if my school record disappears, I'm renaming the Spacetrek Collective to the "Aemeath Collective!"

Aalto: Honestly? If we let Aemeath loose on them, it might actually take some pressure off Lucilla.

Rover: But like she said, she's a Synchronist too. That just makes her one more person Lucilla has to protect.

Aalto: Fair enough. But I'm afraid we have less time than we thought.

Aalto: I spotted some New Fed spies back at the station. Lost 'em on the motorbike, but it won't be long before they track us here.

Aalto: Before Lucilla's next tour begins, let's poke around and see what we can find.

Investigate with Aalto

Aalto: Students run flea markets on campus? I'm starting to get the hype!

Aalto: Wait, isn't that the student who dozed off in class earlier? C'mon, let's go over.

Lixian: Hands off, you little—

Liheng: Never!

Chisa: ...Please don't fight, you two. Um, maybe I'll just check out the other stalls...

Lixian: Don't go, Chisa! You've got a real eye for quality. This piece was meant for you!

Liheng: No, it isn't! She's just a prep student! She doesn't know anything about quality!

Lixian: EXCUSE me?! The audacity! Just begging for a smack, aren't you!

Chisa: Sorry, I'm not familiar with the mechanics, but I can "see"Eye of Unraveling that this device's internal structure is finely crafted.

Chisa: From the external casing down to the internal wiring, the structure and circuitry are meticulously designed. Someone... put their heart into this.

Lixian: ...It's the best thing you'll find in the market, isn't it?

Chisa: Yes, the best!

Lixian: Thank you. That means more to me than you know. Honestly, if we weren't fundraising today, I'd just give it to you. But tell you what, I'll give you 20% off!

Liheng: No! SIX YEARS, Lixian! Six years of your life, just to sell it for nothing?!

Lixian: "For nothing?" I'll tell you what "nothing" is, little brother.

Lixian: It's having nothing to show for the past and nothing waiting in the future. That's "nothing."

Lixian: Look around, Liheng. We're Synchronists. Synchronists who had the most resources but never became the chosen one for the Exostrider. We've achieved... nothing.

Lixian: But if we drop our stupid pride and try to support the students coming up behind us, then we can still be worth "something."

Liheng: You wanna support them, sure. But who's gonna support you!

Lucilla: Me. I will support you.

Lucilla: Nothing to show? I refuse to let anyone write your epitaph before your work's even been seen.

Lucilla: Nothing waiting? You all have me.

Lucilla: I, Lucilla, President of Startorch Academy, will always stand with you. Even if the whole world turns its back. Even if I have to do it alone.

Lucilla: Oh, and by the way, we just landed a very generous sponsor. The new research fund will arrive tomorrow.

Lixian: Th-that means...

Lucilla: That means pack up this stall. Unless you want to sell your hard work at a loss.

Students: PRESIDENT FOR THE WIN!

Sigrika: Chief Aalto! It was you, wasn't it?! You're the sponsor!

Aalto: Huh? Ah... well...

Students: THANK YOU, CHIEF AALTO! YOU'RE THE BEST!

Lucilla: Tch—Hmph—Impudent little hamster! Really, using a crisis to haggle me down to wholesale?!

Lucilla: Just had a bit of a tiff with a rather difficult partner...

Lucilla: I appreciate it, but if a teacher needs her students to worry about her, she's already failed.

Lucilla: Let's just keep it between us, hm?

Lucilla: Look at them. Adorable, aren't they?

Lixian: Sorry, Professor. We were out of line.

Lucilla: Out of line? For defending your work? That's not something to apologize for. You're braver than I ever was.

Lucilla: Listen to me, Lixian. This pioneering spirit of yours? In all of you? It deserves to be seen by more people.

Lucilla: Don't ever let go of it.

Lixian: I won't!

Lucilla: Oh, and maybe go a little easier on your brother? He's running out of brain cells to lose.

Lixian: Er... Professor? There's something I should tell you.

Lucilla: About Lenie and the others skipping class? Don't worry. I've already been briefed on their whereabouts.

Lucilla: So, Mr. Aalto, shall we move on to the evening's special viewing?

Aalto: Let's do it!

Find the students' secret workshop

Enter the students' secret workshop

Lucilla: So they turned the reading room into a workshop.

Lucilla: Not bad. Kids know how to hustle.

Investigate the secret workshop

Lucilla: Lenie, you broke our little promise. I'm heartbroken, you know.

Lenie: I promised to "show off the Sychronists' club projects." You really think that scrap you wanted me to parade around was gonna win over a single investor?

Lenie: This is what a win looks like!

Lenie: All-terrain self-propelled artillery. AI-driven, multimodal autonomous defense system. Best part is, full Augmented Resonance Effect control. Means zero electromagnetic interference!

Lenie: You could drop this thing in the middle of the Etheric Sea, and as long as I'm still breathing, I'm still piloting!

Lenie: Auditor!

Aalto: Ah—! Present!

Lenie: If you keep funding Synchronist research, then this goes into mass production in one year. No, six months!

Aalto: Mass production?!

Lenie: I know, hard to believe. But just let us show you!

Aalto: No, no, no, that's not what I meant. It's just... the Black Shores isn't a mercenary group.

Lucilla: Leave this to me.

Lucilla: Remove the safety, Lenie. Let's give it a test.

Lucilla: Be careful.

Lenie: Activate!

Rover: (That vehicle...)

Rover: Watch out!

Clear the threat

Lucilla: Are you alright?

Injured Club Member: Sorry, Professor, Mr. Aalto... and Club Leader Lenie. I lost control. I'm... I'm really sorry...

Lucilla: N.A.N.A., please contact Dr. Luuk to check on them.

Lucilla: Are you alright, Lenie?

Lenie: ...

Lucilla: Go get yourself patched up in the infirmary. I'll handle the rest.

Aalto: I agree. And I'm not just blowing smoke, Lenie. Controlling delicate equipment through pure Resonance is an ability only you Synchronists possess.

Aalto: This technology has huge potential. Especially if you... Ahem, maybe lose the terrifying weapons.

Lenie: But it's too late now...

Lucilla: It's never too late. I've been talking to new partners. There are many who still want to support us.

Lenie: "We are here to strive for the future of civilization."

Lenie: "Startorch Academy will be the cradle for Synchronists and the vanguard of our collective hope."

Lenie: That's what my admission letter said. That's what I believed.

Lenie: I knew I was signing up to be one of the Exostrider's thousand backup pilots. A spare part. An appendix to a civilization's appendix. And I never regretted it.

Lenie: "Strive for the future of civilization." Heh...

Lenie & Mysterious Girl: Professor, is it true that no one cares about us now that the Exostrider is gone?

Lucilla: I care.

Lenie: Professor... Professor...

Aalto: I used to think this whole Synchronist thing was just shuffling students from one class to another.

Aalto: That's why President Lucilla is so adamant about keeping the program. Emotionally, I'm right there with her. But...

Aalto: It's not enough to win over the review committee. Without the Exostrider, the Synchronist Program is just a drain on their resources.

Rover: I don't think Lucilla is the type to wager on sentiment alone. She's definitely holding her plans close to her chest.

Aalto: Asking for our help while keeping secrets... Hm, or is there some other explanation?

Aalto: Either way, ball's in your court, Rover. Our undercover auditor!

Lucilla: I'm sorry for the incidents today.

Aalto: Please don't be. It was a rewarding day. Those young Synchonists left a great impression on me. Speaking of which, is Lenie gonna be alright?

Lucilla: She's fine. Dr. Luuk is taking her to the infirmary. And at this hour, allow me to walk you to your room.

Aalto: No need for that. Dr. Luuk showed me the way earlier. Actually... you look like you're the one who could use a rest. Rover, why don't you walk the President back instead?

Lucilla: Alright, then. See you tomorrow morning.

Start out from the students' workshop

Walk with Lucilla

Lucilla: I need to stop by the Conference Hall before heading back. Care to walk with me?

Rover: Sure.

Head to the Conference Hall

Walk with Lucilla

Lucilla: *A tired sigh*

Rover: When was the last time you slept?

Lucilla: Can't remember.

Rover: The last time you ate?

Lucilla: Hehe, I did keep track of that.

Lucilla: What's the weather like at the Black Shores?

Rover: Umm... It doesn't really change much.

Lucilla: And the food?

Rover: A bit better than what we get here.

Lucilla: Just a bit?

Lucilla: Hah... my students who joined the Black Shores barely write to me. Even when they do, they never mention their daily lives.

Lucilla: If I do get a sudden call out of nowhere, it's just "Professor! I have a question!"

Lucilla: Adorable little gremlins, all of them... As long as they're safe, that's what matters.

Talk to Lucilla

Lucilla: So, when are you going to start?

Rover: Start what?

Rover: We could've just cut to the chase.

Lucilla: Rover, would you let the Black Shores compromise its founding mission of fighting the Lament to get tangled up in superpower politics... Just for my sake?

Rover: ...

Lucilla: I asked myself yesterday if I really knew you. Turns out, I don't. And I kept going back and forth on what role you should play here...

Lucilla: This situation isn't noble. Isn't just. It's just businessmen and politicians squabbling over a slice of the pie.

Lucilla: But I want this to be a collaboration between Startorch and the Black Shores. Not because we're friends, but because it makes sense.

Lucilla: I put you through this "detour" because I was afraid that if I asked you directly, you'd just say yes to helping me.

Lucilla: So I wanted you to see it for yourself. Judge it with your own measures. That way, when you go back to your people...

Lucilla: You can tell them if Lucilla is worth trusting. And if these Synchronists are worth fighting for.

Aalto: Rover, are you still with the President?

Aalto: Change of plans. The New Federation caught wind she was rallying support and moved the review up.

Rover: To when?

Aalto: Tomorrow morning. Technically, that's in three and a half hours.

Lucilla: Heh, classic New Fed. They probably had a review panel parked outside Lahai-Roi for days, just waiting for the Black Shores to show.

Rover: How'd they win over the other member states and round up representatives so quickly?

Lucilla: Spacetrek Collective budget bylaws. Because the New Fed is a permanent member and rotating chair, they only need half the members to abstain to control the outcome.

Lucilla: They likely had this "review" rigged before it was even proposed...

Aalto: Gear up, President Lucilla. We'll see how the review plays out and take it from there.

Lucilla: Three and a half hours... that's plenty of time.

Lucilla: Let's go, Rover.

Rover: Where to?

Lucilla: The second half of the tour.

Go to the backstage of the Conference Hall

Enter the elevator

Lucilla: Are you upset?

Rover: About how you dragged me into your plan? Or the things you're still not telling me?

Lucilla: My, my...

Lucilla: Sorry. Call it a teacher trying to keep on her mask... You're still my student on paper, after all.

Rover: It sounds like you're saying I can just sit back and enjoy the show?

Lucilla: Haha! Bet that's not something you get to do every day, is it?

Rover: I didn't expect there to be a place like this beneath Rabelle College.

Lucilla: Before Sundermere base was built, this was a research facility for Augmented Resonance Effects and Void Storm countermeasures. It's been decommissioned for years.

Lucilla: The Executive Committee told me I could do whatever I wanted with the space. So I used my Forte to do some light remodeling.

Lucilla: Memories of my students that should exist only in my mind, here... they become real. A tangible piece to display.

Lucilla: We still have some time. If you're interested, feel free to look around.

Rover: You're using your Forte to do all this? How long did it take you to create this?

Lucilla: However long it took, it was worth it... So the ones who "stay" don't just stay, and the ones who "leave" don't just leave.

Inspect the object

Lucilla: The exhibits we're looking for are here.

Rover: Hmm? Behind the wall?

Lucilla: Don't forget, this is my Memory Palace. Naturally, memory locks require memory keys to unlock.

Lucilla: Allow me to demonstrate—This fancy trick only works in this little domain of mine.

Open the passageway

Head to the central area

Rover: What is it?

Lucilla: This is the very reason I built this exhibition hall in the first place.

Mysterious Girl: Professor, do you trust me?

Lucilla: I...

Rover: Lucilla?

Rover: You spaced out there. Are you alright?

Lucilla: I'm fine. Just had a dream that only lasted a few seconds. Rather fascinating.

Rover: Maybe it's a good idea to rest before the review starts?

Lucilla: Don't worry. I promise you I'll crash the second this is over. But right now, we must bring these exhibits with us.

Rover: Will a few exhibits be enough to sway them?

Lucilla: ...

Rover: (She usually knows exactly how to sell anything, so why does she look so hesitant now?)

Lucilla: Thank you for your trust. I know you have a thousand questions burning in your mind.

Lucilla: "How will she handle the New Fed?" "What's her plan for the Synchronists with the Exostrider gone?" Forgive me for not having the answers just yet.

Rover: I know you'd never harm the students. That's the only answer I need.

Lucilla: I... Terrible timing for a compliment, Rover.

Lucilla: Anyway. Let's take these two exhibits and—

Mysterious Girl: See you soon, Professor.

Rover: Some kind of force pulled us down here. Do you know where we are?

Lucilla: If my memory serves, we're directly beneath the exhibition hall.

Lucilla: This way.

Investigate the research area

Rover: A Synchronist's cockpit? Was this the prototype?

Lucilla: It looks the part, but this was actually our "Plan B." Designed without safety limiters to get sync rates up quick. Lets a Synchronist pilot the Exostrider by force.

Rover: ...

Lucilla: I know, I know. It was meant as a last resort if civilization was staring down extinction. The project was terminated after the initial trials.

Lucilla: The Synchronists who volunteered... In the end, they lost their ability to resonate with the Exostrider ever again.

Lucilla: What our students are facing now isn't new.

Lucilla: I just hope I can do better by them this time.

Rover: Any idea how we find our way out of here?

Lucilla: With our eyes open. The keyPhoto should be somewhere here.

Try to seach for clues in the room

Find a way out of this space

Explore ahead

Lucilla: A little coaching and you're already a pro.

Rover: What's happening?

Lucilla: Something rather unpleasant, I imagine.

Rover: Lucilla...

Lucilla: Fine, no more jokes. Honestly, anyone watching would think you're the one facing the board. There, there, I know the way out.

Lucilla: Remember what I told you before entering the Dark Side? About the memories I erase periodically that can never be recovered?

Lucilla: Some things... I can't bear to remember, but I also can't bear to forget, so I store them here. Looks like some of them are tired of being locked up...

Lucilla: Rover, look up. The exit is right above. We can use this keyPhoto to leave. But I need your help to get there.

Lucilla: Everything here is from my memory, but I know you are real. And wherever you are, that must be reality.

Rover: I understand. I'll be your reference point. But what about that girl? Are we just leaving her?

Lucilla: Rover, do you have any experience dealing with children? Tell me, what makes a child the most flustered when they're playing hide-and-seek?

Rover: ...Ah. I see.

Lucilla: Now, come along. Let's treat this little escape as a warm-up for the review.

Lucilla: Welcome to the Anti-Voidmatter Materials Lab. It's where they first developed the materials for the Academy's Antivoid Canopy.

Rover: What's all of that in the center of the room?

Lucilla: The scrap of the day. Even the best recycling can only keep up with so much.

Lucilla: Let's look around to see if there are any leads.

Seach for clues in the room

Rover: (I have the photo. Now, where is the right spot to project it?)

Explore ahead

Rover: Is this artificial Retroact Rain?

Lucilla: Oh, dear me. This is but a pale imitation.

Lucilla: Among the Synchronists who survived the experiments, there was one from Jinzhou. Once he realized he'd never resonate with the Exostrider, he returned home and joined the Ministry of Development's Defense Division.

Lucilla: There, he and his colleagues worked together to develop Jinzhou's Retroact Rain defenses.

Rover: You're saying the shields against Retroact Rain and Void Storms share the same origin?

Lucilla: Not exactly. His approach didn't work on Void Storms at all... and it was discarded. Long ago.

Lucilla: Before he left the Academy, the only things he asked to take with him were a few sheets of material buried under that pile of junk.

Lucilla: I often wonder... was he just reluctant to let go of his design? Or had he already mapped out how to protect his hometown?

Rover: The girl who trapped us here... She must be trying to show us something through this memory.

Lucilla: Hmm. Seems I've been getting schooled by my own students a lot lately...

Lucilla: Let's go. It's time to move on to the next "classroom."

Rover: Do you want to stop and take a rest?

Lucilla: Not even close.

Rover: This really is an extraordinary Forte.

Lucilla: Shame the New Fed doesn't usually use words like "extraordinary" to describe Fortes...

Head to the photo spot

Lucilla: ...

Rover: What's wrong?

Lucilla: Stay where I can see you, Rover. We've wandered into an unpleasant memory.

Lucilla: It's far too easy to get lost in here...

Rover: It doesn't look like there's a way to cross the barrier ahead.

Lucilla: Hmm... I have an idea.

Lucilla: Rover, just go with me on this, alright?

Lucilla: Rover, can you step a little to the side?

Rover: Like this?

Rover: Haha.

Let Lucilla use her power on you

Lucilla: Heh... Has anyone ever told you that you're not the most photogenic?

Rover: They have now.

Lucilla: No more teasing. This shot will have to suffice...

Check WavesLine

Crack the Terminal

Terminal: Incorrect Password!

Rover: Do you want to stop and take a rest?

Lucilla: Not even close.

Cast Resonance Liberation to break the Terminal

Lucilla: I'll have to pay for any property damage out of my own pocket, you know...

Lucilla: So please, try to be gentle with the facilities.

Explore ahead

Doctor from Memory: Clear as day, Madam. Your daughter isn't sick. She has awakened her Forte, and it's a remarkably rare memory-type.

Doctor from Memory: Congratulations! I'm certain she'll make an immense contribution to the New Federation one day.

Take down the monsters

Rover: Lucilla?

Rover: Not good.

Rover: (Without a "reference point", she's getting pulled into the deep end of her memories. I need to find her before too much time passes.)

Investigate Lucilla's background

Check WavesLine

???: Are you still there, Lucilla?

Lucilla?: Yes.

???: Then why aren't you answering?

Lucilla?: What do you want me to say?

???: You can say "Okay," or "I understand."

???: This is the perfect moment—while our opponents are spread too thin, we take the reins. Just like the time you became President...

???: Don't worry about the narrative. We'll play the villain. You just act tough, rope the independent auditor in, and we'll force another round of review.

???: You fight hard. We express our "concerns." And then... we both take a step back. As long as we ensure our control over the future of the Synchronist Program, nothing else matters.

Lucilla?: And what do you want from my students?

???: Simple. We both get what we want. They have talent, and we help them achieve their dreams. And it'll be their choice.

Lucilla?: Their choice? Whose dreams are we really achieving?

???: It will be their choice, Lucilla. My Luci. I won't speak of your past choices, but tell me, has there been a single choice that wasn't your own?

Lucilla?: I still refuse.

???: There. Just like that. "Act tough," "fight hard," and then we both "take a step back" at the review...

Lucilla?: From the Academy to the Pioneer Association, then to the Spacetrek Collective, and now here… No wonder I was never cut out to be President.

Lucilla: Watch out! That's "me" from the Dark Side. I used this memory to trap her.

Lucilla?: When are you going to tell him, Professor Lucilla? President Lucilla? That you've already made a deal with the New Federation?

Lucilla: Let's go.

Rover: Your plan... Are you just following the New Federation's playbook?

Lucilla: Don't let her get to you. How could I ever sell out my students? I have a plan, it's just...

Lucilla?: That's just her wishful thinking. A moth to the flame, daring the sky with wings of wax.

Lucilla?: Your students will die because of you!

Lucilla: ...Let's leave this place, Rover.

Leave here

Move ahead

Rover: You could've erased this memory. Why keep something so dangerous locked away?

Lucilla: To keep the sting fresh. A sharp reminder of the cost of slipping up if I ever get too comfortable in the Academy's peace.

Move forward

"Voice from the Heart": Let it go, Lucilla. Face what you know is reality...

Find out the secret buried deep in her heart

Memory Fragment: Once again, I found the courage to step into this room. Time flows here, silent and peaceful, and the Academy is alive and thriving. We've come so much further than I ever dreamed. I wish you were here to see it.

Memory Fragment: The accident report is indisputable. "Cable insulation failure leading to flight control abnormality." But the truth is simpler. I approved the plan. I killed her.

Investigate further

Read the note

Return to the dormitory hall

Memory Fragment: I wrestled with it for so long. What's a teacher supposed to do when a student dreams something so brilliantly insane? But she chose the sky. And I thought... at least let her have one chance to fall.

Learn about the secret buried deep in Lucilla’s heart

Break the blockade

A secret buried deep in the heart

Rover: Is that Sundermere? Are we back before the Starward Riseway was even built?

Lucilla: Most of the students who lost their Synchronist status in those forced sync trials decided to return home. All but one.

Lucilla: She told me it wasn't that she'd lost the Exostrider. The Exostrider had lost her.

Lucilla: She said she'd designed a revolutionary transport method. A "rocket piercing the sky." A way to bridge that "sky" and the "earth."

Lucilla: This was the day she tested it. Her first crewed flight.

Rover: Then that wasn't a falling star. It was—

Lucilla: A spacecraft. Carrying the most brilliant student I've ever known.

???: Amiya to Sundermere Lookout. Professor, can you hear me?!

Lucilla: Yes.

Amiya: The weather couldn't be more perfect today! Oh, and I just saw a super huge Soliskin! I'll snap a picture for you as soon as I can!

Lucilla: Okay.

Amiya: Professor? You don't sound like your usual self. Are those investors giving you a hard time again?

Lucilla: No, it's not that. I just... I haven't slept much lately. I'm a little tired. That's all.

Amiya: ...Professor, do you trust us?

Lucilla: I...

Amiya: Hey, remember that old Huanglong saying? "Know the way at dawn, and... and something-something at dusk?" Ugh, it went right out of my head!

Lucilla: I can't remember it either...

Amiya: That's okay! I'll look it up and tell you the second the experiment is over!

Amiya: Talk to you soon!

Lucilla: Please, Rover...

Mysterious Girl: From the way it fell, Voidmatter must've pierced the shielding mid-flight. But if we'd reinforced the coating... Hmm...

Mysterious Girl: What kind of civilization do you think built the Exostrider? If they were that advanced... do you think they'd already defeated the Threnodians? Overcome the Lament?

Mysterious Girl: But before they reached the stars, they must have fallen too. Again and again.

Mysterious Girl: Go. Be our eyes. Walk with humanity.

Mysterious Girl: Please give this to our teacher. Humanity's smallest step... and everything we had to give.

Rover: This isn't good.

Catch up with Lucilla

Rover: Lucilla!

Rover: Lucilla, your emotions are affecting this domain! It's dangerous!

Lucilla: Staying here is the real danger. We have to leave.

Lucilla: Almost there.

Lucilla: As long as we keep moving upward, we'll find the way out.

Rover: So this is why you wouldn't tell me what your plan was.

Rover: This "way out" you've been building for the Synchronists... It's just a dead end, isn't it?

Lucilla: I don't want the New Federation to lay their dirty hands on my students. But the more I think about it rationally, the more I realize I can't reject their offer.

Lucilla: Because on what grounds can I propose a plan that might kill them?

Rover: I think I know why that girl trapped you here.

Lucilla: What?

Rover: You're terrified that your proposal will be their end.

Rover: You're afraid because you know they'll support any plan you bring to the table.

Rover: Because you're their teacher.

Rover: Because no one in this world understands them the way you do.

Lucilla: Another lesson from my own student, huh...

Lucilla: See you later, Rover.

Head to the depth of memories

I hope humanity can soar even higher!

I hope humanity can venture even farther!

I hope humanity can weather any storm!

Mysterious Girl: Professor, what's your dream?

Lucilla: My dream? My dream is simply to see all of yours come true.

Mysterious Girl: See you later, Professor.

Lucilla: Let's go. Together this time.

Defeat the enemies

Amiya: Professor, can you hear me?!

Lucilla: I hear you. Loud and clear.

Amiya: The weather couldn't be more perfect today! Oh, and I just saw a super huge Soliskin!

Lucilla: Yes, I see it too. You're right, it's absolutely huge.

Amiya: Great! I thought you weren't gonna believe me!

Amiya: Right, I'll see you soon!

Lucilla: Mm, see you soon!

Touch the Soliskin

Rover: Was that girl another one of your students?

Lucilla: She is every memory I have of this Academy. She is every one of my students.

Rover: We've come all this way and I still don't know what your plan actually is.

Lucilla: That's okay. Everyone's about to find out.

Lucilla: *Yawn*

Rover: Tired?

Lucilla: That was an excited yawn, Rover.

Attend the review

Aalto: Rover, where are you and Lucilla? The other panelists have all taken their seats. The students, too.

Aalto: Can we really trust this plan of hers? Anyway, I'm leaving the speech to you!

Lucilla: If I...

Rover: Then we'll face it together.

Rover: See you later, Professor.

Step onto the podium

Kamerel: President Lucilla. I am Kamerel, Permanent Secretary of the Spacetrek Collective Board.

Kamerel: By appointment of the Board, and on behalf of the Investors' Conference, I hereby convene this second special inquiry concerning the Synchronist Program of Startorch Academy.

Kamerel: Pursuant to Article 12 of the Spacetrek Collective Charter, President Lucilla, you may now raise any procedural objections regarding the attendees, the agenda, or the draft of this session.

Lucilla: I would like to know the national composition of this review panel, Ms. Kamerel.

Kamerel: This panel consists of ten members, all from the New Federation. Five serve as special representatives, and of the remaining four permanent Board members, two have abstained and delegated their voting rights to the Federation.

Kamerel: Additionally, we have Mr. Aalto attending as Independent Auditor on behalf of the Black Shores.

Lucilla: Then, Ms. Kamerel, I believe the current composition of this panel fails to comply with Charter regulations governing review committees.

Kamerel: According to the Regulations, any participant authorized by a Board member shall be deemed to hold the same nationality as that member. The panel's composition is perfectly valid.

Aalto: Pardon the interruption. If that's the case, then Rover—currently a student at Rabelle College—can also be considered a panelist appointed by the Black Shores. Here's the paperwork.

Kamerel: ...Welcome, Rover.

Lucilla: I have no further questions, Ms. Kamerel.

Kamerel: Then per the agenda, I will now relay the investors' resolution following our previous inquiry.

Kamerel: Given that the loss of the Exostrider constitutes a de facto failure of the program, our immediate priority is to establish a compensation plan for the affected assets and students.

Kamerel: Furthermore, the Board directs that the Synchronist Program must be terminated immediately, or at minimum suspended.

Lucilla: My stance remains unchanged, Ms. Kamerel. I intend to continue the program.

Kamerel: We require a justification.

Lucilla: Panelists, this is a theoretical prototype for a shield designed to counter Retroact Rain, created by one of our Synchronists.

Lucilla: This prototype significantly accelerated the development of Jinzhou's own defenses. It saved countless lives during the war against the Threnodian Ovathrax.

Lucilla: And yet, the material used in this prototype was originally nothing more than discarded scrap from one of the Engineering Department's experiments.

Lucilla: It was only because its designer was a Synchronist—educated in engineering, Voidmatter, and even meteorology—that this material found a second life.

Kamerel: You seem to be arguing for the superiority of general education for the Synchronists, President Lucilla.

Kamerel: However, general education isn't even included in the program's White Paper. I fail to see a link between that and advancing the Synchronist Program.

Kamerel: The shield is an impressive surprise, but given the cost of gambling on such a slim probability, the cost-effectiveness is simply too low.

Lucilla: Ms. Kamerel. Panelists. How exactly are we meant to measure the cost-effectiveness of failure?

Lucilla: As you can see, this shattered component comes from a failed experiment. One that was not even recorded in the Collective's official gazette.

Lucilla: A Synchronist gave her life as the price for validating her theory.

Lucilla: Fifteen months later, this very component became the final piece for the construction of the Starward Riseway, the bridge between Lahai-Roi's earth and the sky.

Lucilla: Humanity does not always set out for the sake of victory, Ms. Kamerel.

Lucilla: Our Synchronists know from the day they enroll: No one knows when the Exostrider will awaken, and the odds that they'll be the one to pilot it are slim.

Lucilla: Yet they come anyway. They march toward likely failure from the very start.

Lucilla: So I ask you, can you truly say that such failure has no value?

Lucilla: And how can we call that a "failure" of the Synchronists, when the Exostrider was the one who banished Aleph-1 from our world?

Aalto: Secretary Kamerel, the Black Shores representative requests the floor.

Kamerel: Proceed.

Aalto: On the subject of unforeseen benefits from the program, we find ourselves in agreement with President Lucilla.

Aalto: This is a set of disclosable data we've just compiled. A significant proportion of current Black Shore members came from Startorch Academy.

Aalto: These Bloom Bearers demonstrate exceptional capability, talent, and resolve—traits most prominent among the Synchronists.

Rover: The Synchronist Program is a search for a way out for our civilization.

Rover: When we believed the Exostrider was the only route, then those fit to pilot it were the Synchronists.

Rover: Now that the Exostrider is no longer a viable option, the ones fit to search for a new way out... Are still our Synchronists.

Lucilla: Yes, which is why I must disagree with evaluating the Synchronist Program purely in terms of cost-effectiveness. I urge investors to reconsider the criteria used to measure its value.

Kamerel: ...We require a discussion. This session is adjourned for five minutes.

Lucilla: (Let them see your potential. Let them see your value.)

Lucilla: (But... that is not enough.)

Kamerel: President Lucilla, following the review panel's deliberation: We fully recognize the potential value of the Synchronists as an independent academic division, as well as their role model effect. However—

Kamerel: As Rover stated, only those fit to shoulder the burden of finding a new way out deserve the title "Synchronist."

Kamerel: Therefore, we propose a compromise: Rabelle College will be preserved, but all future training must be subject to the guidance and review of this panel.

Kamerel: Let's "both take a step back," shall we, President Lucilla?

Lucilla: This is it. The final fight, Lucilla.

Lucilla: Take a deep breath. Keep your composure. And remember.

Lucilla: Everything you regret

Lucilla: Everything that brings you joy

Lucilla: Everything you have lost

Lucilla: Everything you have witnessed

Lucilla: The answer you chase

Lucilla: The treasure you give everything to protect!

Lucilla: No, that won't be necessary, Secretary Kamerel.

Lucilla: The Synchronists of today... They remain the closest thing this world has to a way out for our civilization.

Lucilla: After our confrontation with Aleph-1, we recovered this audio recording from the interstellar probe "Farwatcher."

Kamerel: It's nothing more than static.

Lucilla: Even so, it is the only legacy the pioneers of Solaris have left us—we are not alone, Secretary Kamerel.

Lucilla: Just as our ancestors took shelter in caves, just as Startorch Academy was built in Lahai-Roi, just as humanity itself endures on Solaris...

Lucilla: A brave soul took the first step to claim that future.

Kamerel: I fail to see what this has to do with the Synchronists.

Lucilla: Using Rabelle College research, we can build vehicles driven entirely by Augmented Resonance. That means complete immunity to frequency interference.

Lucilla: And the training our Synchronists undergo makes them the perfect pilots for these vessels.

Kamerel: But the Stridergate has been sealed. Not to mention, whatever lies beyond can hardly be called a "route."

Lucilla: Who said civilization's route to the future has to go "down"?

Lixian: The stars.

Enter the Conference Hall

Say goodbye to Aalto

Aalto: The car will be here soon. I can take it from here.

Rover: Thanks for everything, Aalto. Really.

Aalto: Phew, it was a long day. The kind you don't forget, though.

Aalto: Rover, can you pass a message to the President for me? After a speech like that? The outcome doesn't matter half as much.

Aalto: Anyway, chillax. Everything's going to be alright!

Aalto: Well, catch you at the Black Shores, Rover.

Rover: Yeah. Till next time.

Find Lucilla

Talk to Hiyuki

Hiyuki: She is not here. She is likely still at the Review Hall.

Rover: Thank you. I'll look for her there.

Hiyuki: I'm sorry.

Rover: What for?

Hiyuki: If I had been more helpful, perhaps the outcome would have been more satisfying.

Rover: This was her battle. You and I have already done our best for her.

Hiyuki: Go check on her.

Find Lucilla

...The Executive Committee still considers the Synchronist Program to be extraordinarily costly, high-risk, and fraught with inestimable difficulties... Investing our technical talent into this program could incur incalculable losses for the Spacetrek Collective or even humanity itself.

...Yet, we must also admit that the Synchronist Program has shown us another possibility. A "way out." The very thing we have been chasing.

Therefore, the Executive Committee of the Spacetrek Collective has determined that we will, once again, challenge the sky.