Pepe

Medical tests have confirmed that no infection is present.

Pepe, a renowned historian from Sargon with many tales of derring-do, is also the eldest daughter of a respected padishah. Now aiding Rhodes Island on a series of archaeological surveys in Sargon as a field operator.

Imaging tests reveal clear, normal outlines of internal organs, and no abnormal shadows have been detected. Originium granules have not been detected in the circulatory system and there is no sign of infection. At this time, this operator is believed to be uninfected.

Hard to believe, but while I was doing her medical exam, there was an etiquette officer by her side watching my every move.

Once operators aboard the landship heard there was a padishah's daughter about to visit Rhodes Island, there was no stemming their curiosity. They eagerly awaited her formal arrival, all so that they could take a peek behind the veil, so to speak. But she did not arrive at Rhodes Island with her caravan and retinue of servants until six months later. She came aboard in extravagant fashion, starting with a gold-embroidered carpet rolled out from the ship's hatch down to the reception room, followed by rows of servant girls bearing flowers and feather fans, then a sedan chair covered in layer upon layer of muslin curtains carried by four strapping young men in golden robes. Finally, a near-endless procession of porters, each carrying a rare treasure or ancient text from Sargon.

It's a shame this distinguished guest was hidden behind so many layers of servants, fans, and curtains that nobody was able to catch even a glimpse of her. Only her voice came through, one that felt slightly familiar to some.

As the gaggle of operators began to lose all hope, a clumsy servant accidentally tripped over their own robes, causing the line of servants to collapse like dominoes while also pulling away the curtains on the sedan chair, exposing the girl within. She was certainly not like how they imagined. A baggy T-shirt, carelessly tied-up hair, thick tomes in hand and ink smudged all over her face. Nobody could recognize her.

Upon seeing the dumbfounded operators, she merely scratched her head and laughed awkwardly, quietly saying:

Thought I could wear whatever I wanted considering the curtains, haha...

It was at this point an operator handling registration remembered why the padishah's daughter has a voice sounded so familiar.

Three months ago, a girl came along with some field operators returning from Sargon, her body completely covered in mud and dust. Everyone thought she was a patient who had been rescued at first, but she cheerfully told the operator in charge to get registration done ASAP, since she had a caravan to another excavation site to catch.

Another operator working in the library also heard her voice often, as there was a collaborating operator with the Sargon office who would always come with a giant pile of books to return, then leave with another equally giant pile of materials.

But when asked about her appearance, none were able to answer.

Didn't see, her face was caked in mud.

I didn't get a good look either, books always got in the way.

Lemme see...

...

Dammit, who the hell swapped the photo out for some wacky selfie? There's a giant mustache scribbled all over it; you can't see what she looks like at all!

Pepe is rather fond of lotus flowers. The things in her room all sport some sort of lotus design. She even added a lotus sticker to her badge. Of the gifts she bestowed upon Rhodes Island, the most precious were lotus seeds. They were planted in the Convalescent Garden, and ever since, all operators can have the opportunity to appreciate their fragrance.

Her giant hammer also has a lotus seal engraved into it. Once heated up by the flame jet, it can leave behind a painful lesson for any enemy—a great big lotus brand.

It's not hard to see why, considering the lotus is the symbol of Pepe's family, Sargon's most ancient line of historians. Her ancestor once followed Shahanshah Lugalszargus on all his campaigns, and with reed pen in hand, they recorded every epic scene of that heroic age.

Ever since, her family would pick the best of each generation to serve the Shahanshah. With the same ancient reed pen, they would record the entirety of the titan that was Sargon, experiencing all they could before finally compiling it all into an addendum to the famous endless tome, 'The Book of Sargon.'

As her family's eldest daughter, Pepe has shown an unusually strong interest in history, always seeking to inherit her ancestor's duty to enter the City of Gold and pen the newest chapter of Sargon's history. However, her father preferred her quieter younger brother Senid. This was hard for her to accept. Once an adult, she strove to do all she could to contribute to historical research, all to prove to her father that she was qualified to be the court historian. But his heart was set on the matter, and while Pepe was at an archaeological dig, he sent Senid to the City.

This development has not upset Pepe. Though she no longer constantly mentions 'a historian's duty' like she used to, she still pursues historical research with zeal. Not only does she fund, participate in and lead excavations, she also contributes heavily to the preservation of relics. In only half a year, tomb robbers have learned to cower in the face of that lotus pattern.

I always ask myself, why am I so into researching history? Back then, I would have said 'obviously my family's influence'...

But now, I'm starting to think you're a reason too. Ever since we were young, we'd study together, play together, scribble in the books together, recite texts as punishment from Father together... Safe to say that sitting at your desk and reading some dusty tome is super boring as a kid, but since you were there, time kinda just flew past while we bickered.

Historian... I'm not too interested in the position anymore. Now that you're in the City of Gold, I dunno when we can see each other again. I wonder... If I make some huge discovery... Maybe you'll read my paper on it, and that'll count as seeing each other...

Senid... It's been so long. I-If we see each other again, I'll... I'll give you a right trashing.

—Pepe babbling to herself after getting drunk

Don't mention anything to do with Shahanshah Lugalszargus while talking to Pepe. This was something everyone on the landship quickly learned. There was once an unlucky operator who barely even hinted at this king and his tales during a pre-dinner chat. Pepe then shoved them into a chair and proceed to talk about his glorious deeds for the entire night. From his birth to his ascension to the throne, up until his disappearance alongside Kharanduu Khagan in the foehn hotlands... The piteous soul was trapped until the light of dawn peeked over the horizon, unable to get a word in edgewise, reduced to staring blankly at Pepe's lips as they flapped about in excitement. That operator remembered it as such:

'My mind was completely blank. She kept saying things like 'this is a portrait of the Shah, very handsome I'd say, here, have a look—', then she'd take out a photo album with hundreds of pages and make sure I looked at each and every page real close.

When she was talking about that shah's life, it was like her eyes were glowing. All I wanted to know is where the Shahanshah actually went in the end... I didn't need to know about how he and Kharanduu Khagan drank, then fought, then drank after they fought...

It's hard to blame Pepe for her adoration of Lugalszargus. The king holds an exalted position in the hearts of Sargonians. Every child falls asleep to his tales, many cities have statues of him, and countless texts cite his words. There is an unending stream of scholars looking into the riddles he left behind, and Pepe is one of the foremost among them. Her research not only portrays Lugalszargus as a great conqueror and military genius, but also him as a son, husband, and father, aspects often overshadowed by his radiant deeds as king.

These past few years have seen Pepe wander all over Sargon, reconstructing those who stood by the king's side from time-worn carvings and phrases—loyal retainers, concubines who died tragically young, as well as a prince who stood vigil by his grave in the wake of his departure and a princess who wrote a full account of his life. They were forgotten by history, but thanks to Pepe's efforts, they have seen renewed attention in academia.

True, compared to the Shah's military brilliance, they're basically nobodies when it comes to historical influence. But they all had a deep emotional connection with him. It's these private, moving feelings that round out the Shah, and allow the past to resonate with us now. I believe that no matter the era, genuine bonds will survive history's forward march, shining for all eternity.

—A summary of one of Pepe's reports

As the one in charge of guiding Hatshepsut Hanim, I made my way down to the excavation site in the south of Sargon. Though dusk was about to set, the ruins were abuzz with workers scurrying about, laying down rain tarps above the excavation pits. It seems a rare rainstorm was about to hit.

When night fell, the storm arrived as expected. While others were falling sleep to the sound of raindrops pattering against the tarps, Hatshepsut Hanim put on her raincoat and set out, checking every part of the site to make sure not a single corner was overlooked during the covering. A sharp piece of rubble had torn her coat, and it was not until I offered her a new one that she realized she was soaked to the bone. After thanking me, she did not return to her quarters, but instead enthusiastically offered to show me around the site. I accepted, and we entered the ruins together.

There were only stumps of walls and pillars within, but they were enough for a peek into the past. The scene below the tarp showed a master of a garden enjoying a drink, the deep red within their cup proving the maturity of the wine industry at the time. The ruts in the stone pavement beneath my feet reminded me that this was once a thriving hub with carts passing back and forth incessantly. On the way back, Hatshepsut Hanim explained the discoveries found within the ruins while leading me to their edge. There, she revealed her most astonishing find yet.

At the end of a path, she lifted up a tarp close to the ground. I expected to see some priceless treasure, but within the pit all I saw were two even footprints embedded in the soil, one large, one small.

Noticing my confusion, she began to explain the principles behind the formation of these footprints. As she spoke, I began to imagine the distant past, walking alongside the footprints' makers as they wandered the city and enjoyed the fresh air and greenery, at least until some natural disaster or the other sealed their footprints in the mud for all eternity.

I still remember the last part of her speech:

'Preserving these footprints means preserving a beautiful, fleeting moment, in which these people will live on forever more. They will pass through the desert, walking into the distance...

Far, far away...

On the fourteenth of this month, the Padishah's wife Hati passed away after giving birth to her child in the hospital. She was mourned by all her people.

The funeral was held in the Padishah's residence on the twentieth, and she was buried in the garden she so loved in a private ceremony. She once mentioned during an interview that she was happiest when running barefoot through the garden with her daughter. Sadly, we can now only witness the tragic sight of her daughter carrying her baby brother while they mourn.

That day, countless citizens gathered in the streets to offer lotus flowers outside the Padishah's residence, enough to form small mountains of blossoms...

From this day forth, the garden will be forever closed. Do not enter without permission. Trespassers will be punished.

Date: ■■■ 21st ■■■■

Ahahaha, oh man, it hurts to laugh this much. Are these guys serious? A secret cabal of Savra in the jungles of Sargon, manipulating the governments of every country from the shadows... Haha, does this hack historian even know what he's writing?

You look at the girl giddy with glee in front of you and don't know why. You look once more at the stack of books on the table and pull out a few at random, wanting to know what she's even laughing at. Upon seeing their titles, you become even more perplexed.

Exploring the Foehn Hotlands: Eternal Soldiers of the Sands

Undying Immortal Sages

A Romantic History of Lugalszargus: The Secret Passions of the Once and Future Shah

...

You help pull the girl up from the ground, her face contorted in a mixture of howling laughter and pain. The pain is echoed on your face as she grabs your arm tightly, twisting it as she rises. As you wonder what to do, Kal'tsit comes to both your rescues, supporting the girl laughing so hard she can barely breathe while freeing your arm from her vice grip.

Relieved, you throw the books you're holding into the trash can.

The Shahanshah's secret passions? They couldn't even get the years right. Definitely not trustworthy.

What you don't notice, though, is that some of these ridiculous texts seem to have gone missing from the pile.