5 The Aftermath of the Disaster: Part 1

After a week, the Rationals were gradually recovering from the catastrophe — some were able to go home, some were about to resume their businesses, some already started working.

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After visiting Kerchief, Chihiro Suzuki noticed a strange occurrence on their way home — he saw a bizarre cloud of smoke that looked like a fog circulating around the fallen and broken woods. He ordered to stop the carriage — the carriage was made of a maple tree, at least four persons can fit inside, two persons can sit in front (the coachman and a passenger or another coachman), and the carriage had six horses to pull them. At that time, only two Marahuyo was accompanying Chihiro Suzuki because he instructed the other three Marahuyo to stay and investigate in Kerchief.

When they stopped, Chihiro Suzuki told the Marahuyo to wait in the carriage, and he followed the smoke. Before he caught up to the circulating smoke, it vanished. Chihiro Suzuki was fazed and intrigued. Then, he went back to the carriage and continue their travel to go to the Land of Wisdom.

In a short time, they arrived in the Land of Wisdom, where thousands of the residents were devastated and traumatized. Only a few residents remained outside since they were waiting for the last temporary shelter to finish. The nuns from the Panels already treated the injured and were already preparing meals.

Chihiro Suzuki gathered all the citizens of the Land of Wisdom and announced, "My dear Rationals, we will recover from the most terrible calamity in our history. I know that some of you are still overwhelmed, grieving, and are in pain. As your Supreme, I will say to stop looking in the ground and look up, accept it and move on, but... as a person, I will say take the time you need to recover; you don't need to rush it, just cry and cry if you cannot contain it and... because even me... all of us... are hurt and mourning." He was walking around and was approaching his fellow Rationals while announcing his words.

Some on the Rationals cried, some looked down with a sorrowful face, some left to help the Panels.

Chihiro Suzuki left and went to his flat. After his arrival, he directly ordered the Ǝ to make clothes, sheets for sleeping, and loaves of bread. Then, he went to his room and wrote a telegram to his fellow Supremes.

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My fellow Supremes,

I am already in the Land of Wisdom. I also agreed to collaborate with Kerchief regarding this incidence. Our meeting will be a month from now. We should focus on recovering for now. It will also allow us to investigate further given the amount of time we have.

Stay safe and be careful when you are investigating as I encountered a strange cloud of smoke circulating recently and it vanished as I approached it.

Chihiro Suzuki

The Supreme of Wisdom

•••••

In the morning, Chihiro Suzuki went to temporary shelters with the clothes, sheets, and loaves of bread. He gave it to the nuns and said to distribute it to the Rationals.

He went to Hughea and entered the Secret Box; he gathered ten books concerning mysterious cases that happened in the past. Afterward, he sat down on a wooden chair in the Secret Box and read the books. The first book was titled Question-Mark — it talks about the disappearance of hundreds of the Rationals 200 years ago, and it remained unsolved. The second book's title was Quandary — it is about a tragic event, the first earthquake that took place in Harmonia. The third book's title was Enigma — it looks into a strange happening 50 years ago, where hundreds of the Rationals that went missing 200 years ago were found dead in a mountain called Mount Targon. Although 200 years ago, all the Supremes ordered their men to search all places in Harmonia and rescue the missing people but was never found. Also, according to the book, there was an alive infant found in the arms of a dead woman — but the baby died an hour later.

Chihiro Suzuki did not finish reading the remaining books after reading the Enigma.

He rushed back to his flat and told the Ǝ to prepare their wagon — the wagon is made of softwood and has a capacity to carry four passengers and a coachman. He also informed the head of the maids, Mayumi, and the head of the butlers, Malaya, to get ready as they are coming with him.

"Makisig (his personal coachman), Malaya, and Mayumi all of you are coming with me. Bring clothes, loaves of bread, and surviving tools. We are going to the woods and stay there for at least a week."

After the preparation, Chihiro Suzuki immediately instructed Makisig to go to the forest quickly on the way to Kerchief. Makisig whipped the four horses to run faster. While traveling, Chihiro Suzuki explained what's going on to Malaya and Mayumi and told them the purpose of their travel.

"...So, basically, we are going to stay there to investigate."

Moments later, they arrived in the woods where Chihiro Suzuki first saw the cloud of smoke. Then, they stopped where the river is near. Makisig and Malaya arranged and assembled the three tents. Mayumi prepared two glasses of water and the sheets for the tent. Chihiro Suzuki, on the other hand, went to explore the woods where he last saw the cloud of smoke.

Subsequently, Makisig went to gather woods, Malaya went to go fishing, and Mayumi started to prepare the ingredients to make a curry — she also brought some ingredients with her to make a decent meal.

Chihiro Suzuki did not find anything and decided to go back.

After returning, Makisig was still gathering woods, and he helped Makisig to get enough woods to be used in the following days. At the same time, Malaya was putting the woods together to start a fire. Malaya caught eight catfish.

It was dark, and the full moon was shining when they finished. Mayumi immediately cooked their meals — a curry and a roasted catfish. She placed the pot above the fire and gave the three two sticks of catfish each for them to roast.

After eating, they went to sleep. Chihiro Suzuki and Mayumi have their own tent, and Makisig and Malaya slept in the same tent.

The following day, they began their investigation after eating the loaves of bread for breakfast. They divided the area to make it easier and to shorten the time needed to investigate. Only Mayumi stayed where they decided to lodge. She cleaned the place, then went to gather fruits and edible plants.