Chapter 5
Original story and characters set in universe by Square Enix. No for-profit ownership is claimed over any of them.
The Dorter Metropolitan Art Museum in Hillberg Square is a modern-styled glass building whose planners conceived its architectural style to deliberately contrast to that of the grandiose yet baroque Imperial Museum in the capital Lesalia. The architects also envisioned the building as a cultural 'hybrid' intended to represent the city's status as a historical trade hub. Yet while the "Dorter Met" gained a reputation of its own, it continues to remain in the Royal Museum's shadow in terms of visitor numbers and sponsorship.
Thus the current exhibit was meant not just to show off artifacts, but also to help the museum achieve the status its architects intended.
The dark blue banners draped from the entrance to the museum read "The Heretic's Collection" in regal yet unimposing gold serif lettering, "Treasures of Eras Forgotten" as a smaller yet recognizable subtitle. Roughly a half-dozen journalists were milling about just inside the entrance, waiting for something interesting to happen or someone interesting to arrive. This was far from the opening night of a major motion picture, but the very presence of VIPs at all was enough to ensure the coverage in the arts sections of major newspapers at the least.
The chaffeur, several suited bodyguards and a slightly chilly breeze greeted the cardinal and the two architects as they stepped out of the limousine into the red afternoon. Aless shivered a bit in his suit.
His attention remained on the banners as he traversed the steps to the museum's main entrance. Although the use of the word 'heresy' had long since been consigned to those gatherings of role-playing board game enthusiasts and the odd fundamentalists, he could not help but feel a bit unsettled at the prominence of the word in association with the collection.
He then felt a hand on his shoulder, breaking his focus.
"I understand how one grows sympathetic to people they research so thoroughly," the Cardinal began, as the two resumed their pace toward the entrance, "But unlike all these artifacts, history has already settled the matter on him."
Aless knew exactly who the Cardinal was talking about. And he had little reason if any at all to doubt knowledge that had been imparted by the Cardinal and others before him. Most of the others anyway.
He sighed solemnly as the three made it out of the darkening cold into the warm lights of the museum.
The reception area of this institution, like the adjacent wings, had been prepared in advance for such an occasion, as no collection of artifacts and writings this size from the pre-Ajoran "eras forgotten" had ever been discovered let alone presented anywhere in Ivalice since the museum's opening. A couple of the less light-sensitive artifacts were in this area, where the electric lighting accented the fading sunlight of the later afternoon. Ample security was on hand in case something or someone decided to disturb the artifacts, while the bodyguards that escorted the Cardinal up the stairs dispersed across the lobby to strategic points.
A cleanly-dressed receptionist came out from behind the information desk to greet the three.
"Good evening and Blessings to you Cardinal, and to you Mr. Gianetti, and Ms. Carver," he said enthusiastically as he formally shook their hands in that order. He took special attention for the Cardinal, bowing his head as was common courtesy. "The conference room is this way, we will be starting soon."
The Cardinal nodded and smiled politely before the receptionist received a whispered comment from a passing colleague.
"Oh, Cardinal Savigny, you have a private call," he suddenly added.
"Ah, yes." Savigny smiled at the two, "Excuse me, I must take this one."
The Cardinal nodded and made his way toward the reception phone. Aless and Becca, meanwhile, stood by the entrance to the wing where the opening of the exhibition would be held. Some of the artifacts were already visible through the gate.
"Of all the people who would be excited to see their work shown like this," she said to him, "I'm surprised you aren't."
"I am, it's just..." Aless said, trying to find words as he ran a hand through his hair, "I wonder if this is what our studies over all these years will amount to...shiny objects in glass cases."
"You're not alone on that," Becca sighed, "So many people will just see these objects as shiny trinkets in glass boxes. They mean more than that to us, and perhaps they'll mean a lot to the people whose knowledge they pass down to."
She pointed at a young businessman about their age with a deceptively brilliant silver streak across his neatly-combed brown hair, who seemed transfixed with an ornate blue and gold vase on display. He seemed to be the only one apart from Becca who looked genuinely interested in the artifacts in front.
"Ah, you're right..." Aless muttered, looking down at the floor and rubbing his forehead. "Maybe I just need to relax."
"You been all right?" Becca said with concern, "You've been having nightmares a lot recently."
"Stress, and obsession...what the Cardinal said," Aless replied with a hint of anger before waving it off somewhat frantically. "I'm sorry. It's that dream again."
Becca put a hand on his shoulder. "We won't have to worry about that after tonight."
Aless gently removed her hand and looked at her solemnly. "...I hope so. That and the train ride back home."
Chapter 5 End