20 minutes
“It still remains a question as to how much use I will be, but I will work as a member of the provisional government. However, I have some conditions.”
“Do tell.”
“Is it alright for you to just say that without checking?”
“They're your conditions. They might be ridiculously difficult to fulfill, but I know they'll be just. I trust you that much.”
He says those words with a deadly serious face. That's where this man is both cunning and interesting.
“The difficulty level isn't as high as you think it is. I want the construction of a public research institute. That's all.”
“A research institute? Hasn't something like that existed since before?”
The one that has been around since before was a facility housed inside a narrow space where you could only conduct research on certain topics. Everything deemed problematic for the Sanctum's fal'Cie was cleverly covered up, so not a single person had realized. The fact that they were researching within predetermined bounds, that is.
Citing that it could be dangerous, research on the outside of Cocoon, and of course Pulse had not been conducted at all. Well, it seemed the military had dispatched reconnaissance teams outside of Cocoon, but the results of those studies had never been publicized.
P174-175
So there was no point in it.
“The underlying cause of all of the commotion that began with the Purge was our ignorance toward Pulse. We can't go down that same path again.”
“I gotcha. When it comes to Pulse and the outside, it wouldn't be possible to operate without some troops. It's not a matter a civilian think tank can give counsel on after all.”
“Besides, if we have a public institution then we don't have to worry about being restricted by the expectations of corporations. Information on Pulse neither be commercialized, nor be monopolized by a select few people or organizations. All of the research findings should be made public to the citizens.”
“Even if that information was to be problematic?”
“Absolutely. All information must be publicized promptly as well as accurately. That is why this research institute must have independent authority and not be interfered with by the government. So that never again will information be manipulated or fabricated.
Everyone will know what they want to, and study what they want to study. It cannot be a society in which something so commonplace is not permitted.
On top of that, an institution that held independent authority could function as an auditing agency for the government as well as the congress.
It could probably also prevent the government and congress, as well as the judicial system from aberration and from going out of control.
“At the same time, I'd like to have a higher education institute established parallel to the research institute.”
“Well, there's no point in just building an empty box. No organization can go without human resources development.”
As a matter of fact, he had always been thinking about establishing a new higher education institute. Since before he brought these conditions to the attention of Rygdea. It was due to something Hope had said.
“Not knowing is a scary thing, isn't it?”
It was right after he came home from the shelter on Gran Pulse. As distribution of electricity was still being limited, operations for many corporations and businesses were still suspended. Obviously, school was closed as well. Transportation facilities were completely suspended so going out and moving around was almost impossible. Everyone was holed up in their homes and only went out to receive distributed supplies. The only place that was open as usual was the emergency hospital. That's how things had been.
As a result, aside from when he received from his workplace, the research facility, he was at home organizing his library and documents. In terms of duration, it had only been a few days, but it was the first time in years he was able to spend quality time with Hope.
Only, it would be hard to say they were very talkative with each other. They spent longer sitting at the dining room table facing each other with books open, than actually conversing. It was while they were spending time in that manner that Hope let it slip. “Not knowing is a scary thing, isn't it?” that is.
But immediately Hope shook his head, dismissing his own words, and then tilted it to one side.
“No, that's not quite it. What is it? I can't really express it, but it's this unpleasant, off feeling.”
Probably, rather than being afraid of not knowing, it was the fact that he wanted to know and the fact it was at the guidance of a third party that made him afraid.
P176-177
Even though school was out he thought he couldn't very well take advantage of it by slacking off, so at the time, Hope would spend most of the day with an open textbook. But, that textbook had been compiled during the rule of the former Sanctum. Hope could now see clearly what people tried to teach, as well as what they didn't try to teach. What was behind the “unpleasant, off feeling” Hope felt must have been that.
That was when suddenly thought of it. If research on Pulse and the outside progressed, then the textbooks would change as well. In the few years to come, information and knowledge would probably change so fast that textbooks wouldn't be caught up even if they were revised every year.
“With that being the case, couldn't they just as well build a school at the same place as where investigations and research is conducted?” he thought. The students could just study the information that is updated on a daily basis in their classes. They wouldn't even have to wait for textbooks to be updated.
But, if it was linked to the research institute, then inevitably the number of students that can be enrolled will decrease. Therefore, it would have to be a higher education institute. It would be a school geared toward students who completed high school or had the equivalent academic ability. After graduation, they would then take part in conducting investigations and research on Pulse as researchers.
If the research institute is operating on the right track, then they could expand the school to target those who hadn't graduated from high school. Either way, it hit home that they needed to build a place that could host those with the desire to learn as quickly as possible when he saw Hope.
“It's because now that I've lost the powers of a l'Cie, all I can do is study and become a proper adult. I'll restore Cocoon and develop it further than it was before. That's how I'll atone... I guess.”
Since going out to play was still out of the question, and Hope probably didn't really feel up for that anyway, he devoted the majority of days to studying. That's how Hope lived life after he returned to Palumpolum. Hope probably wasn't the only child who was sitting in front of a desk thinking “all I can do is study.” When all of society is met with crisis, everyone mysteriously tries to do all that they can do.
For those children, he would build the place to host them and be a target for their aspirations. Perhaps that was the role he possessed as a researcher as well as Hope's father...
He vaguely imagined it. But, in order to actually build a research institute and school, a budget and manpower would be needed. He had planned on taking tentative plans for one or the other somewhere, but he was prepared for the fact it might take some time before it became reality. Who would have thought he could have suggested it as a “condition.” And on top of that, have Rygdea acknowledge everything.
“Alright. I accept all of your conditions.”
“Whilst you call it a condition, it is something that Cocoon, no, society needs going forth. I have no reason to say no. That aside, I also have one,”
He started saying “condition” but Rygdea corrected himself and said, “favor to ask of you.”
P178-179
“A favor?”
“No matter what happens from now, don't get your hands dirty.”
“Get my hands dirty? What do you...”
“These are borrowed ideas too, but seems that it's the military's job to get their hands dirty, and the job of politicians to conceal their dirty deeds. Which is to say, from now on a lot of dirty work may need to be done.”
He didn't have any experience tied to the political world but he saw people who were involved in it more often than he would have liked. As such, he had some idea.
“I'll do all the dirty work.”
“It's true that I may not be geared toward scheming. But,”
“I said it's the military's job to get their hands dirty, didn't I? I'm more used to it.”
He tried to say that it wasn't a matter of being used to it, but then he realized. What Rygdea had said wasn't “government,” but “provisional government.” He had said, “It will no doubt cause resentment. There will be considerable resistance, and there's no telling what setbacks you'll face.”
“You're planning on becoming the lone villain?”
However dilapidated the society already was, there would be considerable resistance if you tried to destroy it completely. The need to resort to force was likely to present itself. Things would be fine while you're still moving ahead. The problem was when you reached a point called the goal. All of the recoil built up until then would hit like a deluge. Whenever a powerful force has been exercised, backlash is sure to follow.
Rygdea was planning to take responsibility for everything when that time came. He was probably planning to shoulder all of the malice and dissatisfaction and anything else, and then exit from center stage. He would then pass the baton to someone whose hands were clean.
“That isn't very fair, is it?”
“No, I don't think you can say that? What I want from you isn't just to keep your hands out of the dirty work. I'm asking that no matter how much power you come to hold, you don't just reap the benefits. Even if it looks like you can get something good out of it, don't. Just bite your tongue and watch.”
“I guess it isn't very fair, huh?” smiled Rygdea wryly.
“I'm the one asking for the unreasonable, no matter how you look at it. But we can't do without someone who can unabashedly say nice words. No one can beat a sound argument. If you can't keep those people armed with such invincible shields at bay, then the fresh, new system you've just made will no sooner fall to pieces.”
“I don't know if they're invincible shields or not, but that's the only way I know how to fight to begin with. Seeing as how I'm not someone skilled.”
I'll do a job that Hope can be proud of. That's probably the only thing that will remain unchanged. No matter the job or the place..
“I don't mind if you become the villain, but I'd like for you to arrange things so you remain on the stage until the curtains fall.”
“I'll make an effort. But I can't make any promises.”
P180-181
He gripped the hand that was held out to him. Agreement made.
“Woah, we almost ran outta time there.”
Rygdea touched the wall with his hand again. A number of images appeared, but they were clearly different from before. Congresspeople had begun gathering in the large hall designated for the assembly, and soldiers could be seen inside the waiting rooms and smaller meeting rooms.
“I'm going to go clean house.”
When Rygdea tapped a corner of the wall, an image of just the large hall was projected on the entire wall.
“All information must be publicized promptly as well as accurately. Those were your words. So you watch from here. Oh, and also, don't accidentally touch the wall or anything midway.”
“Biometric authentication, huh?”
“You got it. It is a secret base, after all. It's programmed so that if a hand other than my own touches it, the whole thing shuts off. The door at the entrance can't be opened from the outside. You can go out from the inside, though.”
Only those invited could go inside, and even if you were inside you couldn't meddle with the system in the room. This meant if someone unauthorized by Rygdea got in here, they could do little more than exit the room.
“I should really have you sit in the assembly hall's spectator gallery instead of being in here, but your face would be seen all over. It would be annoying if stuck their noses where they didn't belong, right?”
He quickly called after Rygdea who had said this all in a hurry and was about to leave the room.
“I just want you to promise me one thing.”
All of the soldiers in the waiting rooms and small meeting rooms had been armed with weapons. The soldiers who had been on security duty at the entrance pretended to change shifts, and probably hid themselves inside the rooms around the large hall. It was clear what they were trying to do.
“That you will not spill blood for this change of government. Something paid for in blood will someday, without fail, necessitate even more blood.”
Rygdea's who had stopped and turned around, just stared back at him quietly. Even though he made no facial expressions whatsoever, that face still seemed to pierce his heart.
“That's something I've learned the hard way.”
Without waiting for Bartholomew's reply, Rygdea turned on his heels and exited the storage room.
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