It all began in 2063 of the Western Calendar, about 800 years from now. (Though this world uses the Arborian Calendar, the Pope says there’s no issue with treating them the same way)
- One day a meteor fell from space and introduced to the Earth a new concept: the power of the Branches, supernatural even for the future civilisations at the time. With them, humanity learnt to meddle with all sorts of things, with the most extreme one being “time”.
- Ultimately the dream of a time-crossing weapon came about, and that’s how many countries developed their own Towers.
Lucas asked wouldn’t those who used the Tower to change the past risk themselves not being born at all? The Pope explains that that’s why those in authority who consent to its use would first evacuate by becoming mere “souls” in the Tower…but that’d still leave everyone else facing said risk.
- That said, everyone understood that that the Towers are weapons of mass destruction, so nobody used them for real. Unfortunately, no matter how destructive, someone will come to push the button: somebody from the Empire. Or rather, from a country with a different name situated in a locale far away from the current land of Erin, who transported the Tower there due to its geographical advantages.
- In the name of stopping the Empire from changing history, other countries pushed their own buttons one by one. That is how in Year 0 of the Arborian Calendar, the Nine Towers were sent to this Western European world, and this war lasting over 1000 years began.
- The Pope is an “unimportant” agent, who like those in authority was also sent to the past only as a soul, using a fabricated body to go about his activities. His role is to, in their place, reign over the world of the past, defeat the Empire and cease their Tower’s operations.
While there’s no way to restore history or take back the lives that ought to have been born, at the very least they don’t want a future dictated by the Empire.
Okay, so Lucas heard all that, and there’s a lot he can’t understand or believe, but what does it have to do with why he can’t become a musician?
- The Pope explains that all Towers have a function to predict the future, meant to aid the war and get history as close as can be to the original timeline after the Empire’s defeat.
- According to the Papal State’s Tower… a young bugler will become a hero of this war. Conversely, it cannot predict a future when he becomes a musician.
- Of course, even such predictions are based on different patterns and subject to changes in how one thinks. But all of them foresee that Lucas’ life will be consumed by war.
Either way, the Pope understands how vital Lucas is to this war, so he won’t let him go. Surely even Lucas understands that he can’t leave the battlefield just yet, or leave Zoe and Miura on their own at this juncture.
Still, isn’t being a hero wonderful, to the extent that future generations will learn about his anecdotes in class? That’s better than being a mere musician, isn’t it?
Lucas protests: his dream isn’t because he wants to rise up in the world, but to break free of these battles swirling with dirty desire and pillaging and kicking others down.
“All I want… is to break free of this world that just sucks!”
“Even so, I think being a hero is more admirable.”
Before Lucas leaves, the Pope informs him that in a week’s time, a celebration will be held when their Rami Squad will be conferred medals, so please dress formally. Also, he’s gifting him a new future tool created from the Tower’s information (a bike).
At the celebration, Lucas isn’t taking the praises everyone gives him so well, especially not the Pope introducing him as their country’s hero, feared by their enemies as the Starlight Ramus.
Ultimately, the Pope advises him that from this point on, all kinds of people will want to get close to him, and this is an obligation and special privilege as a hero that he ought to enjoy.
He is not the one to be hated for his inability to be a musician. It is the future, and this era, that won’t permit him to be so.
Thankfully, Zoe woke up in time and talking with her cheered him up. Help give him the courage to pursue his dream no matter how unlikely it is.
He got to thinking, if the future sent something as crazy as the Towers, it must’ve been an era that sucks too. Essentially, he feels he may as well make the most of this era he’s born into now.
Given that the Garland’s father was off on his prediction, perhaps predictions aren’t perfect. Seeing as the Pope talked about defeating the Empire and stopping their Tower’s operation, perhaps making the Tower go away will also make their Branch powers go away, and they’ll be released. It’s a possibility he has no choice but to bet on.
“…hey Lucas, how far are you going?”
“…who knows?”
. Bicycle scene might unironically be my favorite scene in SK. More development than Shin ever got 😭. 9 year old baddie comes in to save the day (and Lucas's mental health). Happy smiling Zoe. Lucas trauma dumps and Zoe's immediate response is "Let me sleep in your house". Welp, that can't possibly fucking end well. Zoe says, "When I'm with you, it's coming out." I don't possibly want to know what that means. Thank the fucking Pope she meant courage.
