Rorschach was led into the textile factory night school by Pascal. "Teacher Pascal." The two people at the door saw their senior brother first, and were then pleasantly surprised to see Rorschach.

"Ah, how many times do I have to say it? Here, you call me Thor." Pascal also had Rorschach pick an alias. "Then just call me Heisenberg."

"Is that a place name?" the two asked, somewhat confused.

Pascal explained on Heisenberg’s behalf. "He’s an Empireist. It’s normal."

Rorschach took in his surroundings. The arched ceiling inside the factory was high, its main structure supported by wooden beams. Rows of numerous looms stretched out until they disappeared into the darkness. Now that the factory had stopped for the day, the disconnected waterwheel spun idly outside the wall. He could faintly hear the waves of the Seine River.

The "night school" he was in was merely a corner of the factory. Three kerosene lamps hung from above, doing their best to illuminate the blackboards, the desks, and the words "For the progress of human wisdom and well-being"—an excerpt adapted from the motto of the Valois High Master.

Due to the limited light, the desks were arranged in a circle, bringing the students of all shapes and sizes much closer together. They were a diverse group in face and age. A burly porter looked awkward, squeezed into a small desk and a low chair, but he still did his best to sit up straight.

The lesson content was nothing extraordinary. The current class was on the format of a basic letter. While teaching writing and grammar, it also introduced the textile workers and porters to vocabulary used in formal writing. The instructor was one of Rorschach’s former students, a young woman named Madeleine.

Rorschach didn’t remember much about her. She had rarely spoken up or participated in class discussions, being obviously quite shy. But now, though Madeleine’s face was flushed, she still stood before students older than herself and taught the class.

"’She’s doing a great job.’ Ro—Heisenberg and Thor were observing from the back of the classroom, at the boundary between light and darkness. So as not to disturb the class, they were communicating using the [Communication Skill]."

"Madeleine comes from a well-off family. She’s already transferred to the Valuva Grammar School, but she still insists on taking part in our activities."

"’We?’" Rorschach activated [Dark Vision] and scanned the factory. "The Friends of Universal Love and Equality Club?"

Thor crossed his arms. "The owner of this textile factory is a club member. He’s also sponsored the Valuva High Master in the past. When the school was shut down, he was furious and offered up his factory at night as a temporary school ground. Most of the women working here are from his own workshops, too."

’So enlightened?’ Rorschach had only known one factory owner like that, in his previous life, a man hailed as the "second violinist."

Thor continued his explanation. "There’s been some disagreement among club members about this night school. Some feel that these students of ours only need to be represented by men of virtue and wisdom. Others believe that citizens of every profession and class should have an equal right to voice their legitimate needs. Fortunately, the club chairman is on our side."

He began to imitate Maxim’s resolute speech, clenching a fist. "Gentlemen, my recent work providing legal aid to the masses has led me to a profound realization. The most critical first step is to make those who suffer from poverty and injustice aware of their rights, and then to teach them how to express themselves."

Then, his eyes shining, he met Ro—Heisenberg’s gaze and placed both hands on his shoulders. "So go and do it! Isn’t taking that tiny first step far better than all this empty talk?" Snapping out of his "Maxim impression," Thor continued his explanation. The club had started an internal fundraiser to launch the initiative, and students of the night school only had to pay a symbolic fee of a few Copper Coins each month.

"But don’t drag the High Master students into this." Rorschach knew full well that the various "clubs" in the Royal Capital were never just charitable educational groups.

"Don’t worry. We thought of that. We established the ’Enlightenment Mutual Aid Organization,’ which is independent of the club. I, Karon, and the factory owner here—three members with clean records—take turns running it."

’Clean records... Right. Whatever you say.’

The lesson ran for a standard forty-five minutes. The rest of the time was dedicated to a newspaper reading session. Rorschach thoroughly approved of this segment. At the very least, it allowed these people, who were usually buried in their work, to get more information. Listening to the news being read was also a form of rest.

Even the newspaper reading was meticulously prepared. The organizers selected short, simple articles for the faster learners with larger vocabularies to read aloud. More complex current events were read by the High Master students, accompanied by annotations tailored to the audience’s comprehension level.

Half an hour later, the activity ended. Everyone rose, thanked the young teacher, and left the classroom. Pascal explained that there were roughly three types of lessons offered. The first priority was, of course, literacy—reading and writing. Then there were lessons on arithmetic, as well as on workplace safety and how to provide first aid for minor illnesses and injuries.

After the "grown-up students" left, the night school didn’t close. At half-past eight, students Rorschach recognized started coming in, each of them greeting him. There were some unfamiliar faces as well, but Rorschach guessed they were also High Master students.

"That was the basic class. Now it’s the High Master students’ turn for a lesson," Thor said. "We’re planning to ask a few of these students to become ’young teachers’ as well, so we can start a second, more advanced class for the faster learners from the basic course. But the schedule would be too long. We’d need to arrange for a new classroom." As Thor finished speaking, the instructor for the second class of the evening made his entrance.

"Huh?" Rorschach froze for a moment. The man walking in was Druao, the engineering instructor from the Artillery Academy. Though he wasn’t in uniform, his stern demeanor was the same as ever. He meticulously retrieved his lecture notes from a leather satchel and asked a student in the front row to hand out paper and pens to everyone.

Druao’s eyes met Rorschach’s, and he surprisingly broke into a subtle smile.

’So the guy *can* smile,’ Rorschach thought. He nodded in acknowledgment and continued his conversation with Thor. "I found Andre today. He knows a few other students who have been forced out of school. Do you think they could come here? There are about six of them."

’Andre works the night shift, but if he could get into the Alchemy Department, he might have a chance to participate.’

This put Thor in a difficult position. "Space here is already limited, and we’re planning to add an advanced class... All right, but Rorschach, you need to understand something. For those workers, this education is a massive step up. But for our original High Master students, these classes are just a stopgap. They’re only meant to ensure they don’t forget what they’ve already learned."

Thor spread his hands. "They have fewer class hours here, and they won’t get a certificate of completion when they’re done. Can we really keep this up forever? We’re just advising them. Students who have the means should be preparing for interviews at other schools. Right now, our classes are more like a tutoring center."

Rorschach, of course, understood this place could never replace the High Master school. It was like a single Fire Seed left glowing in the embers, a temporary shelter for the chance these students from humble backgrounds had to change their fates.

In the end, Pascal agreed. The condition was that Rorschach had to join the teaching staff. On the list Pascal controlled, there were Mages, instructors from the Artillery Academy, and even a Priest.

With organizers and a venue, all these people were willing to return to teaching, even though the pay was so low it was practically volunteer work, and despite the much harsher conditions.

"See? Plenty of teachers can’t bear to abandon their students. That’s why we should find a way to rebuild the High Master school."

"Don’t be ridiculous!" Thor retorted. "With what we have now, we’re already at the absolute limit of our manpower and resources for a volunteer organization. You think reopening the school is that easy?"

"Where there’s a will, there’s a way," Rorschach said. "Of course, it won’t happen overnight." He made up his mind to go and talk with Mr. Pierre.

After class, since it was very late, the instructors, Druao and Thor, each carried a lantern. The students split into two groups to be escorted home. The routes were pre-arranged, so even with Rorschach joining them today, they had to stick to the original plan.

"Goodbye, teachers!" After seeing the last student safely home, Rorschach pulled out his pocket watch. It was already almost ten o’clock at night.