Ardelia
Natural 
Supporter Arts Unit | Rarity | ★★★★★★ |
|---|---|
| Main Attribute | WIS |
| Weapon Type | Arts Unit |
| CV（English） | Lindsay Sheppard |
| CV（Japanese） | Kanemoto Hisako |
| CV（Korean） | Kim Ha-ru |
| CV（Chinese） | Cool |
Battle Tags
Traits
Attribute Growth
| Lv. | Breakthrough |  STR |  AGI |  WIS |  WIL |  Max HP |  ATK |  DEF |  CRIT Rate | ATK SPD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 9.8 | 9.5 | 20.1 | 15.9 | 500 | 30 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 2 | 0 | 10.9 | 10.4 | 21.5 | 17.0 | 556 | 33 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 3 | 0 | 12.1 | 11.4 | 22.9 | 18.2 | 612 | 37 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 4 | 0 | 13.2 | 12.3 | 24.3 | 19.3 | 668 | 40 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 5 | 0 | 14.4 | 13.3 | 25.8 | 20.5 | 724 | 43 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 6 | 0 | 15.5 | 14.2 | 27.2 | 21.6 | 781 | 46 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 7 | 0 | 16.7 | 15.2 | 28.6 | 22.8 | 837 | 50 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 8 | 0 | 17.8 | 16.1 | 30.0 | 23.9 | 893 | 53 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 9 | 0 | 19.0 | 17.1 | 31.4 | 25.1 | 949 | 56 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 10 | 0 | 20.1 | 18.0 | 32.8 | 26.2 | 1005 | 60 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 11 | 0 | 21.3 | 19.0 | 34.2 | 27.4 | 1061 | 63 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 12 | 0 | 22.4 | 19.9 | 35.7 | 28.5 | 1117 | 66 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 13 | 0 | 23.6 | 20.9 | 37.1 | 29.7 | 1173 | 70 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 14 | 0 | 24.7 | 21.8 | 38.5 | 30.8 | 1230 | 73 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 15 | 0 | 25.9 | 22.8 | 39.9 | 32.0 | 1286 | 76 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 16 | 0 | 27.0 | 23.7 | 41.3 | 33.1 | 1342 | 79 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 17 | 0 | 28.2 | 24.7 | 42.7 | 34.3 | 1398 | 83 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 18 | 0 | 29.3 | 25.6 | 44.1 | 35.4 | 1454 | 86 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 19 | 0 | 30.5 | 26.6 | 45.6 | 36.6 | 1510 | 89 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 20 | 0 | 31.6 | 27.5 | 47.0 | 37.7 | 1566 | 93 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 21 | 1 | 32.8 | 28.5 | 48.4 | 38.9 | 1622 | 96 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 22 | 1 | 33.9 | 29.4 | 49.8 | 40.0 | 1679 | 99 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 23 | 1 | 35.1 | 30.4 | 51.2 | 41.2 | 1735 | 103 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 24 | 1 | 36.2 | 31.3 | 52.6 | 42.3 | 1791 | 106 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 25 | 1 | 37.4 | 32.2 | 54.0 | 43.5 | 1847 | 109 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 26 | 1 | 38.5 | 33.2 | 55.4 | 44.6 | 1903 | 112 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 27 | 1 | 39.7 | 34.1 | 56.9 | 45.8 | 1959 | 116 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 28 | 1 | 40.8 | 35.1 | 58.3 | 46.9 | 2015 | 119 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 29 | 1 | 42.0 | 36.0 | 59.7 | 48.1 | 2071 | 122 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 30 | 1 | 43.1 | 37.0 | 61.1 | 49.2 | 2128 | 126 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 31 | 1 | 44.3 | 37.9 | 62.5 | 50.4 | 2184 | 129 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 32 | 1 | 45.4 | 38.9 | 63.9 | 51.5 | 2240 | 132 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 33 | 1 | 46.6 | 39.8 | 65.3 | 52.7 | 2296 | 136 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 34 | 1 | 47.7 | 40.8 | 66.8 | 53.8 | 2352 | 139 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 35 | 1 | 48.9 | 41.7 | 68.2 | 55.0 | 2408 | 142 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 36 | 1 | 50.0 | 42.7 | 69.6 | 56.1 | 2464 | 145 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 37 | 1 | 51.2 | 43.6 | 71.0 | 57.3 | 2520 | 149 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 38 | 1 | 52.3 | 44.6 | 72.4 | 58.4 | 2577 | 152 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 39 | 1 | 53.5 | 45.5 | 73.8 | 59.6 | 2633 | 155 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 40 | 1 | 54.6 | 46.5 | 75.2 | 60.7 | 2689 | 159 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 41 | 2 | 55.8 | 47.4 | 76.7 | 61.9 | 2745 | 162 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 42 | 2 | 56.9 | 48.4 | 78.1 | 63.0 | 2801 | 165 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 43 | 2 | 58.1 | 49.3 | 79.5 | 64.2 | 2857 | 168 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 44 | 2 | 59.2 | 50.3 | 80.9 | 65.3 | 2913 | 172 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 45 | 2 | 60.4 | 51.2 | 82.3 | 66.5 | 2969 | 175 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 46 | 2 | 61.5 | 52.2 | 83.7 | 67.6 | 3026 | 178 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 47 | 2 | 62.7 | 53.1 | 85.1 | 68.8 | 3082 | 182 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 48 | 2 | 63.8 | 54.1 | 86.6 | 69.9 | 3138 | 185 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 49 | 2 | 65.0 | 55.0 | 88.0 | 71.1 | 3194 | 188 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 50 | 2 | 66.1 | 56.0 | 89.4 | 72.2 | 3250 | 192 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 51 | 2 | 67.3 | 56.9 | 90.8 | 73.4 | 3306 | 195 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 52 | 2 | 68.4 | 57.9 | 92.2 | 74.5 | 3362 | 198 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 53 | 2 | 69.6 | 58.8 | 93.6 | 75.7 | 3418 | 201 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 54 | 2 | 70.7 | 59.8 | 95.0 | 76.8 | 3474 | 205 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 55 | 2 | 71.9 | 60.7 | 96.5 | 78.0 | 3531 | 208 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 56 | 2 | 73.0 | 61.6 | 97.9 | 79.1 | 3587 | 211 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 57 | 2 | 74.2 | 62.6 | 99.3 | 80.3 | 3643 | 215 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 58 | 2 | 75.3 | 63.5 | 100.7 | 81.4 | 3699 | 218 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 59 | 2 | 76.5 | 64.5 | 102.1 | 82.6 | 3755 | 221 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 60 | 2 | 77.6 | 65.4 | 103.5 | 83.7 | 3811 | 225 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 61 | 3 | 78.8 | 66.4 | 104.9 | 84.9 | 3867 | 228 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 62 | 3 | 79.9 | 67.3 | 106.3 | 86.0 | 3923 | 231 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 63 | 3 | 81.1 | 68.3 | 107.8 | 87.2 | 3980 | 234 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 64 | 3 | 82.2 | 69.2 | 109.2 | 88.3 | 4036 | 238 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 65 | 3 | 83.4 | 70.2 | 110.6 | 89.5 | 4092 | 241 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 66 | 3 | 84.5 | 71.1 | 112.0 | 90.6 | 4148 | 244 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 67 | 3 | 85.7 | 72.1 | 113.4 | 91.8 | 4204 | 248 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 68 | 3 | 86.8 | 73.0 | 114.8 | 92.9 | 4260 | 251 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 69 | 3 | 88.0 | 74.0 | 116.2 | 94.1 | 4316 | 254 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 70 | 3 | 89.1 | 74.9 | 117.7 | 95.2 | 4372 | 258 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 71 | 3 | 90.3 | 75.9 | 119.1 | 96.4 | 4429 | 261 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 72 | 3 | 91.4 | 76.8 | 120.5 | 97.5 | 4485 | 264 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 73 | 3 | 92.6 | 77.8 | 121.9 | 98.7 | 4541 | 267 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 74 | 3 | 93.7 | 78.7 | 123.3 | 99.8 | 4597 | 271 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 75 | 3 | 94.9 | 79.7 | 124.7 | 101.0 | 4653 | 274 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 76 | 3 | 96.0 | 80.6 | 126.1 | 102.1 | 4709 | 277 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 77 | 3 | 97.2 | 81.6 | 127.6 | 103.3 | 4765 | 281 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 78 | 3 | 98.3 | 82.5 | 129.0 | 104.4 | 4821 | 284 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 79 | 3 | 99.5 | 83.5 | 130.4 | 105.6 | 4878 | 287 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 80 | 3 | 100.6 | 84.4 | 131.8 | 106.7 | 4934 | 291 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 81 | 4 | 101.8 | 85.4 | 133.2 | 107.9 | 4990 | 294 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 82 | 4 | 102.9 | 86.3 | 134.6 | 109.0 | 5046 | 297 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 83 | 4 | 104.1 | 87.3 | 136.0 | 110.2 | 5102 | 300 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 84 | 4 | 105.2 | 88.2 | 137.5 | 111.3 | 5158 | 304 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 85 | 4 | 106.4 | 89.2 | 138.9 | 112.5 | 5214 | 307 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 86 | 4 | 107.5 | 90.1 | 140.3 | 113.6 | 5270 | 310 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 87 | 4 | 108.7 | 91.1 | 141.7 | 114.8 | 5327 | 314 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 88 | 4 | 109.8 | 92.0 | 143.1 | 115.9 | 5383 | 317 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 89 | 4 | 111.0 | 92.9 | 144.5 | 117.1 | 5439 | 320 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
| 90 | 4 | 112.1 | 93.9 | 145.9 | 118.2 | 5495 | 323 | 0 | 5.0% | 1 |
Breakthrough
Promotion I Activate this to raise operator level cap to 40
Protodisk ×8 Protodisk ★★★ A material that promotes operators to E1 or E2. Overview › 
Pink Bolete ×3 Pink Bolete ★★★★ A special fungus gathered from the wilderness or cultivated in the Growth Chamber. Promotes Lv.2... Overview ›
T-Creds ×1,600 T-Creds ★★★★ TC for short. This currency is recognized and used in many places. 
Outfitting I Activate this to let the operator equip blue quality gear
T-Creds ×1,600 T-Creds ★★★★ TC for short. This currency is recognized and used in many places. 
Promotion II Activate this to raise operator level cap to 60
Protodisk ×25 Protodisk ★★★ A material that promotes operators to E1 or E2. Overview › 
Red Bolete ×5 Red Bolete ★★★★ A special fungus gathered from the wilderness or cultivated in the Growth Chamber. Promotes Lv.4... Overview ›
T-Creds ×6,500 T-Creds ★★★★ TC for short. This currency is recognized and used in many places. Outfitting II Activate this to let the operator equip purple quality gear
T-Creds ×6,500 T-Creds ★★★★ TC for short. This currency is recognized and used in many places. 
Promotion III Activate this to raise operator level cap to 80
Protoset ×24 Protoset ★★★★ A material that promotes operators to E3 or E4. Overview › 
Ruby Bolete ×5 Ruby Bolete ★★★★ A special fungus gathered from the wilderness or cultivated in the Growth Chamber. Promotes Lv.6... Overview ›
T-Creds ×18,000 T-Creds ★★★★ TC for short. This currency is recognized and used in many places. Outfitting III Activate this to let the operator equip gold quality gear
T-Creds ×18,000 T-Creds ★★★★ TC for short. This currency is recognized and used in many places. 
Promotion IV Activate this to raise operator level cap to 90
Protoset ×36 Protoset ★★★★ A material that promotes operators to E3 or E4. Overview › 
Quadrant Fitting Fluid ×20 Quadrant Fitting Fluid ★★★★★ A rare material for operator promotion, weapon tuning, and operator skill mastery. Overview › 
Cosmagaric ×8 Cosmagaric ★★★★★ A special fungus gathered from the wilderness or cultivated in the Growth Chamber. Promotes Lv.8... Overview ›
T-Creds ×100,000 T-Creds ★★★★ TC for short. This currency is recognized and used in many places. Operator Files
BASIC INFO
CODENAME: Ardelia
GENDER: Female
AUTHENTICATION: Rhodes Island
DOB: October 18
RACE: Caprinae
[ORIPATHY INFECTION STATUS]
Oripathy negative, based on medical examination reports.
[INTEGRATED PHYSICAL EXAMINATION]
PHYSIOLOGICAL STRENGTH: Normal
COMBAT SKILL: Standard
TACTICAL ACUMEN: Normal
ORIGINIUM ARTS ASSIMILATION: Outstanding
GENDER: Female
AUTHENTICATION: Rhodes Island
DOB: October 18
RACE: Caprinae
[ORIPATHY INFECTION STATUS]
Oripathy negative, based on medical examination reports.
[INTEGRATED PHYSICAL EXAMINATION]
PHYSIOLOGICAL STRENGTH: Normal
COMBAT SKILL: Standard
TACTICAL ACUMEN: Normal
ORIGINIUM ARTS ASSIMILATION: Outstanding
HUMAN RESOURCES SUMMARY
Ardelia is an expert geologist from Rhodes Island. She specializes in volcanic hazards and has made significant contributions to Talos-II's geological research. Now employed by Endfield, she spends much of her time conducting site investigation.
Ardelia is one of those rare minds at the forefront of scientific discovery. What sets her apart isn't just her expertise, but her perseverance, fearless spirit, and above all, her genuine love for science and unquenchable curiosity. Without dedicated researchers like her, we might never truly understand the world we live in.
You'll often find her venturing out alone — collecting samples, studying geological structures, and transforming observations into theories. Thanks to her efforts, Endfield has gained a much deeper understanding of Talos-II's geology and the threats posed by the Blight. Her research has laid the groundwork for emergency plans in case of Blight outbreaks. I have great respect for Ardelia — for her humility, grace, and unwavering sense of purpose. It's as if she carries an endless well of strength, always certain of the path she must follow.
— Martin Marvin Malen, Assistant, HR Division, Endfield Industries
Ardelia is one of those rare minds at the forefront of scientific discovery. What sets her apart isn't just her expertise, but her perseverance, fearless spirit, and above all, her genuine love for science and unquenchable curiosity. Without dedicated researchers like her, we might never truly understand the world we live in.
You'll often find her venturing out alone — collecting samples, studying geological structures, and transforming observations into theories. Thanks to her efforts, Endfield has gained a much deeper understanding of Talos-II's geology and the threats posed by the Blight. Her research has laid the groundwork for emergency plans in case of Blight outbreaks. I have great respect for Ardelia — for her humility, grace, and unwavering sense of purpose. It's as if she carries an endless well of strength, always certain of the path she must follow.
— Martin Marvin Malen, Assistant, HR Division, Endfield Industries
FILE 1
Mr. Dolly's Game I
Shortly after joining Endfield, Ardelia visited a Blight-ravaged sector of Talos-II. The geological disaster had shredded a once-peaceful settlement, leaving fissures that pulsed with residual energy. Survivors bore wounds beyond the physical, their eyes hollow with the kind of trauma only disaster refugees know.
Ardelia stayed at the shelter for a while. The wounded crowded steel cots — limbs lost, eyes vacant, voices severed by trauma. White curtains divided their suffering as medical monitors pulsed like weary hearts.
Ardelia worked tirelessly — organizing supplies, changing bandages, murmuring "I understand your sorrow" to the wounded. Until a voice, serrated with grief, cut through: "You don't understand."
It was a young girl. Small but fierce, she forced the words through gritted teeth: "You stand straight. Your steps don't falter. No disaster has carved its marks into you."
The girl turned away, her voice fraying at the edges. "Stop. Just stop pretending. Maybe you've been sick, but you healed. That's luck we'll never taste. Our stories end in the same sentence: lifelong pain. So when you say you 'understand'... is that pity's cheap coin? Spare us."
Ardelia stood there in her research coat, ponytail precise, steps steady, and eyes bright. The Originium had scoured the reconvener's illness away, attuning her to wind whispers and microscopic fractures in stone. Yet here, before those still drowning in pain, her engineered perfection rendered her mute.
When darkness fell upon the land, Mr. Dolly appeared.
It trotted between beds and corridors, leaving chaos in its wake — toppling medicine cabinets, upending tea trays, kicking a freshly filled hot-water bottle beneath pillows. Nurses cursed the sudden swelter; children shrieked about 'something furry' burrowing under their blankets.
Ardelia chased Mr. Dolly into an old break room where she tugged at a canvas sheet to reveal a dust-choked piano. It stomped the keys, a discordant chime that jolted Ardelia into clarity.
Ardelia approached, brushing away the dust. The yellowed keys stared back, a few bass notes dissonant but functional. She sat, fingertips tracing a tentative sequence of Leithanian arpeggios into the stale air.
First piece ... second ... and as the third began, soft footsteps whispered from the hallway's depths.
Mr. Dolly lay curled nearby, a silent cushion of warmth. The children nestled against its fur, their breaths syncing with Ardelia's piano as the notes wove through the stale air.
The young girl came in as well, perching quietly in the farthest corner.
"It still hurts," she murmured, "but when you play... the world becomes something worth enduring."
Shortly after joining Endfield, Ardelia visited a Blight-ravaged sector of Talos-II. The geological disaster had shredded a once-peaceful settlement, leaving fissures that pulsed with residual energy. Survivors bore wounds beyond the physical, their eyes hollow with the kind of trauma only disaster refugees know.
Ardelia stayed at the shelter for a while. The wounded crowded steel cots — limbs lost, eyes vacant, voices severed by trauma. White curtains divided their suffering as medical monitors pulsed like weary hearts.
Ardelia worked tirelessly — organizing supplies, changing bandages, murmuring "I understand your sorrow" to the wounded. Until a voice, serrated with grief, cut through: "You don't understand."
It was a young girl. Small but fierce, she forced the words through gritted teeth: "You stand straight. Your steps don't falter. No disaster has carved its marks into you."
The girl turned away, her voice fraying at the edges. "Stop. Just stop pretending. Maybe you've been sick, but you healed. That's luck we'll never taste. Our stories end in the same sentence: lifelong pain. So when you say you 'understand'... is that pity's cheap coin? Spare us."
Ardelia stood there in her research coat, ponytail precise, steps steady, and eyes bright. The Originium had scoured the reconvener's illness away, attuning her to wind whispers and microscopic fractures in stone. Yet here, before those still drowning in pain, her engineered perfection rendered her mute.
When darkness fell upon the land, Mr. Dolly appeared.
It trotted between beds and corridors, leaving chaos in its wake — toppling medicine cabinets, upending tea trays, kicking a freshly filled hot-water bottle beneath pillows. Nurses cursed the sudden swelter; children shrieked about 'something furry' burrowing under their blankets.
Ardelia chased Mr. Dolly into an old break room where she tugged at a canvas sheet to reveal a dust-choked piano. It stomped the keys, a discordant chime that jolted Ardelia into clarity.
Ardelia approached, brushing away the dust. The yellowed keys stared back, a few bass notes dissonant but functional. She sat, fingertips tracing a tentative sequence of Leithanian arpeggios into the stale air.
First piece ... second ... and as the third began, soft footsteps whispered from the hallway's depths.
Mr. Dolly lay curled nearby, a silent cushion of warmth. The children nestled against its fur, their breaths syncing with Ardelia's piano as the notes wove through the stale air.
The young girl came in as well, perching quietly in the farthest corner.
"It still hurts," she murmured, "but when you play... the world becomes something worth enduring."
FILE 2
Mr. Dolly's Game II
The geology of Talos-II... unlike the volcanoes she knew, brimming with the vitality of expansion, eruption, and flow. Under erosion, it showed more of corrosion, withering, and consumption. The rock layers lost their logic, the earth as if diseased. Its skin peeled away, veins twisted, some areas warped by aberration.
Ardelia came to study the Blight, to keep pace with its unpredictable spread. She often ventured into high-risk zones alone, turning her life into lists of tasks.
She started to speak less, no longer weaving her thoughts into poetry. Her voice grew quieter, meals were often forgotten, and at night her fists clenched unconsciously in her sleep. The things she had fought so hard to protect — her eyes, her ears, the rhythm of her pulse, now filled her with a quiet unease. The health she had regained was slowly being eroded by an unseen dread.
"How much time do I have left?" she wondered. It wasn't death she feared, it was a desperate race against the crumbling of this strange new land.
Until that day Mr. Dolly leapt out from a shallow pit.
He knocked over her rock hammer and snatched the instrument case. Ardelia followed, shouting in vain. They ran farther and farther — off-route, off-plan. She was supposed to be surveying a newly-formed Blight rift, but instead, she found herself in a quiet valley, sheltered by cliffs.
A vast outcrop of columnar igneous rock stretched before her. Hexagonal pillars rose from the ground like piano keys. Beneath her feet lay ancient volcanic ruins, so well-preserved it was as if time had paused.
That familiar spark kindled in her heart once more. Ardelia knelt down, pulled out her notebook, and began to sketch — not for a mission, nor for data, but simply because it was beautiful and captivating.
That evening, Ardelia and Mr. Dolly made camp nearby. A cool breeze whispered through the air as stars rose between the jagged rock spires. Mr. Dolly, curled at her feet, let out a sneeze, sending her pen cap tumbling into the grass.
"You led me here on purpose, didn't you?"
Mr. Dolly didn't answer. It rolled over and tapped her boot with its leg.
"You think I've stopped being myself... that all I do now is worry, racing against the Blight."
"But I'm scared, too. Scared that if I slow down, even for a moment ... it'll be too late."
She ran her fingers along Mr. Dolly's back and closed her eyes. The warmth of its fur against her palm was so comforting that for the first time, she slept soundly and sweetly under the open sky.
The next morning, she logged in her journal:
"Ancient volcanic ruins discovered in the northeast. Columnar joints well preserved."
"Led here by Mr. Dolly. Reconnected with my love for geology. Mood: content."
"Note to self: Slow down. Stay healthy."
The geology of Talos-II... unlike the volcanoes she knew, brimming with the vitality of expansion, eruption, and flow. Under erosion, it showed more of corrosion, withering, and consumption. The rock layers lost their logic, the earth as if diseased. Its skin peeled away, veins twisted, some areas warped by aberration.
Ardelia came to study the Blight, to keep pace with its unpredictable spread. She often ventured into high-risk zones alone, turning her life into lists of tasks.
She started to speak less, no longer weaving her thoughts into poetry. Her voice grew quieter, meals were often forgotten, and at night her fists clenched unconsciously in her sleep. The things she had fought so hard to protect — her eyes, her ears, the rhythm of her pulse, now filled her with a quiet unease. The health she had regained was slowly being eroded by an unseen dread.
"How much time do I have left?" she wondered. It wasn't death she feared, it was a desperate race against the crumbling of this strange new land.
Until that day Mr. Dolly leapt out from a shallow pit.
He knocked over her rock hammer and snatched the instrument case. Ardelia followed, shouting in vain. They ran farther and farther — off-route, off-plan. She was supposed to be surveying a newly-formed Blight rift, but instead, she found herself in a quiet valley, sheltered by cliffs.
A vast outcrop of columnar igneous rock stretched before her. Hexagonal pillars rose from the ground like piano keys. Beneath her feet lay ancient volcanic ruins, so well-preserved it was as if time had paused.
That familiar spark kindled in her heart once more. Ardelia knelt down, pulled out her notebook, and began to sketch — not for a mission, nor for data, but simply because it was beautiful and captivating.
That evening, Ardelia and Mr. Dolly made camp nearby. A cool breeze whispered through the air as stars rose between the jagged rock spires. Mr. Dolly, curled at her feet, let out a sneeze, sending her pen cap tumbling into the grass.
"You led me here on purpose, didn't you?"
Mr. Dolly didn't answer. It rolled over and tapped her boot with its leg.
"You think I've stopped being myself... that all I do now is worry, racing against the Blight."
"But I'm scared, too. Scared that if I slow down, even for a moment ... it'll be too late."
She ran her fingers along Mr. Dolly's back and closed her eyes. The warmth of its fur against her palm was so comforting that for the first time, she slept soundly and sweetly under the open sky.
The next morning, she logged in her journal:
"Ancient volcanic ruins discovered in the northeast. Columnar joints well preserved."
"Led here by Mr. Dolly. Reconnected with my love for geology. Mood: content."
"Note to self: Slow down. Stay healthy."
FILE 3
Mr. Dolly's Game III
Gazing out at the glistening coastline and distant skyscrapers, a long-forgotten name came to Ardelia's mind — Siesta, a volcanic city wrapped in warm memories.
But, this was La Fantoma — the gem of Band, the gilded city of Talos-II.
As a renowned geologist, Ardelia was invited to speak at a major academic forum on "Order in the New Geological Ecology of Talos-II." She had only planned to deliver a standard presentation, but to her surprise, her speech caused quite a stir.
Corporate representatives quickly surrounded her, sharing blueprints for a new industrial park and asking for her thoughts. Senior researchers eagerly shared their latest findings, hoping to spark potential collaborations with Ardelia. Even government officials brought thick binders and invited her to join their next major project.
Just like that, a quiet field researcher had become the star of the show.
What began as simple handshakes soon turned into warm compliments — "You're an inspiration to us all." In the elevator, someone stopped Ardelia with a notebook, asking for an autograph to hang in his lab. At crosswalks, kids would shout, "I wanna be a scientist too!" Even a street vendor handed her a soda, saying, "My nephew loves geology — got any book recommendations?"
At first, Ardelia found it moving. She nodded politely to every earnest face, patiently answered each well-meaning question. But slowly, exhaustion crept in. She didn't resent these people, nor did she dislike their attention. It was just… she wasn't ready to be "known".
After a grueling three-hour roundtable, she pushed open the door and ran. She passed a giant poster of herself labeled "Young Female Scientist Role Model" and vanished into the crowd.
That's when she realized: Mr. Dolly was gone.
No one knew what it was or where it had gone. In a shopping mall, a woman screamed about "something fluffy" bumping into her. On a rooftop, a flower bed was trampled flat by "something pink." Someone even posted a blurry photo "something round" darting over the ticket gate — carrying a bag of cotton candy.
Ardelia tracked these clues and searched half of the city. Her shoes wore thin, mud clung to her skirt, and headache crept over her.
Nearly out of breath, she stumbled out of a side alley and stopped.
It was a patch of untouched wilderness at the city's edge — untamed, bursting with wildflowers. The sea breeze carried their fragrance in gentle waves. And there, lay Mr. Dolly, sprawled at the heart of it all, motionless as the earth itself.
"What are you even doing here?" Ardelia asked, half-frustrated, half-amused. Mr. Dolly didn't answer. He just rolled over lazily.
Ardelia walked over and sat beside him. Then, she switched off her handyterm. The meetings, the obligations — all of it could wait.
After all, nothing suits a geologist better than the open wild.
Gazing out at the glistening coastline and distant skyscrapers, a long-forgotten name came to Ardelia's mind — Siesta, a volcanic city wrapped in warm memories.
But, this was La Fantoma — the gem of Band, the gilded city of Talos-II.
As a renowned geologist, Ardelia was invited to speak at a major academic forum on "Order in the New Geological Ecology of Talos-II." She had only planned to deliver a standard presentation, but to her surprise, her speech caused quite a stir.
Corporate representatives quickly surrounded her, sharing blueprints for a new industrial park and asking for her thoughts. Senior researchers eagerly shared their latest findings, hoping to spark potential collaborations with Ardelia. Even government officials brought thick binders and invited her to join their next major project.
Just like that, a quiet field researcher had become the star of the show.
What began as simple handshakes soon turned into warm compliments — "You're an inspiration to us all." In the elevator, someone stopped Ardelia with a notebook, asking for an autograph to hang in his lab. At crosswalks, kids would shout, "I wanna be a scientist too!" Even a street vendor handed her a soda, saying, "My nephew loves geology — got any book recommendations?"
At first, Ardelia found it moving. She nodded politely to every earnest face, patiently answered each well-meaning question. But slowly, exhaustion crept in. She didn't resent these people, nor did she dislike their attention. It was just… she wasn't ready to be "known".
After a grueling three-hour roundtable, she pushed open the door and ran. She passed a giant poster of herself labeled "Young Female Scientist Role Model" and vanished into the crowd.
That's when she realized: Mr. Dolly was gone.
No one knew what it was or where it had gone. In a shopping mall, a woman screamed about "something fluffy" bumping into her. On a rooftop, a flower bed was trampled flat by "something pink." Someone even posted a blurry photo "something round" darting over the ticket gate — carrying a bag of cotton candy.
Ardelia tracked these clues and searched half of the city. Her shoes wore thin, mud clung to her skirt, and headache crept over her.
Nearly out of breath, she stumbled out of a side alley and stopped.
It was a patch of untouched wilderness at the city's edge — untamed, bursting with wildflowers. The sea breeze carried their fragrance in gentle waves. And there, lay Mr. Dolly, sprawled at the heart of it all, motionless as the earth itself.
"What are you even doing here?" Ardelia asked, half-frustrated, half-amused. Mr. Dolly didn't answer. He just rolled over lazily.
Ardelia walked over and sat beside him. Then, she switched off her handyterm. The meetings, the obligations — all of it could wait.
After all, nothing suits a geologist better than the open wild.
FILE 4
Mr. Dolly's Game IV
The day Ardelia boarded Dijiang with her sample box, she realized something was missing.
"Where's Mr. Dolly...?"
Invisible to most people, this fluffy creature was already happily wandering around Dijiang.
In plain sight, Xaihi bowed apologetically to the empty space and said, "My sincere apologies, I did not mean to step on you, noble invisible being."
"Something just barged in here!" "Who licked half the hotpot soup base!" The canteen buzzed with surprised shouts.
"Who changed my alarm sound to 'baa baa baa'!? Oh no, oh no... I'm going to be so late for sword practice!"
"It must be a ghost! And it's pink! Oooohhh, I'm calling dibs!" Yvonne dashed down the hallway excitedly.
When Ardelia arrived, she found the Endministrator crouched by the door, slowly extending a hand, as if waiting for some silent consent.
Mr. Dolly gazed at the Endministrator a moment before leaning in, letting the fingers sink into its thick wool, without a word.
"That devout sister... pays little mind to anything beyond the pursuit of wisdom."
"The cheerful chef? Oh, he hides weightier thoughts behind that grin. Don't mistake his ease for carelessness, not until his burdens are settled."
"The girl who dreams of being a master pugilist... Will she wake from those dreams? Or will she bend the world to match them?"
"And the one who shares my shade of pink... She's already found her path. Already happy."
On the Bridge, Ardelia sat with Mr. Dolly beside her. Beyond the viewport, stars flickered like distant lanterns, and Dijiang itself slumbered in the quiet dark, a silent giant adrift in the cosmos.
"As for the masked one..."
Mr. Dolly flicked its ears and let out a soft, satisfied 'baa' — as if saying, "You can trust the Endministrator."
The day Ardelia boarded Dijiang with her sample box, she realized something was missing.
"Where's Mr. Dolly...?"
Invisible to most people, this fluffy creature was already happily wandering around Dijiang.
In plain sight, Xaihi bowed apologetically to the empty space and said, "My sincere apologies, I did not mean to step on you, noble invisible being."
"Something just barged in here!" "Who licked half the hotpot soup base!" The canteen buzzed with surprised shouts.
"Who changed my alarm sound to 'baa baa baa'!? Oh no, oh no... I'm going to be so late for sword practice!"
"It must be a ghost! And it's pink! Oooohhh, I'm calling dibs!" Yvonne dashed down the hallway excitedly.
When Ardelia arrived, she found the Endministrator crouched by the door, slowly extending a hand, as if waiting for some silent consent.
Mr. Dolly gazed at the Endministrator a moment before leaning in, letting the fingers sink into its thick wool, without a word.
"That devout sister... pays little mind to anything beyond the pursuit of wisdom."
"The cheerful chef? Oh, he hides weightier thoughts behind that grin. Don't mistake his ease for carelessness, not until his burdens are settled."
"The girl who dreams of being a master pugilist... Will she wake from those dreams? Or will she bend the world to match them?"
"And the one who shares my shade of pink... She's already found her path. Already happy."
On the Bridge, Ardelia sat with Mr. Dolly beside her. Beyond the viewport, stars flickered like distant lanterns, and Dijiang itself slumbered in the quiet dark, a silent giant adrift in the cosmos.
"As for the masked one..."
Mr. Dolly flicked its ears and let out a soft, satisfied 'baa' — as if saying, "You can trust the Endministrator."
Artwork
Let's Start Playing
Daydream Without End
Aspiration