Act of Sloth: Shield of Hope

**Act of Sloth: Shield of Hope** is an act of *Monark* that starts after Intermission: Dusk if the protagonist chooses to entwine his fate with Nozomi Hinata.

## Description

You tie your fate to Nozomi's and head to the library to try and persuade Kokoro against shutting herself away in the Otherworld. Upon destroying Kokoro's Ideals, you learn of her true wish before gently shattering her slothful ignorance.

## Objectives

* Head to the Dean's Office.
* Explore the Library - 2F (Mist).
* Win the battle and shatter the Ideal.
* Talk to people in the Stu. Council Room.
* Explore the Library - 3F (Mist).
* Win the battle and shatter the Ideal.
* Talk to people in the Stu. Council Room.
* Explore the Library - 1F (Mist).
* Win the battle and shatter the Ideal.
* Head to the Infirmary.

## Walkthrough

To start this act once Intermission: Dusk ends, go to the Student Council Room and talk to Nozomi. After this conservation, Vanitas will talk briefly with the protagonist. At this point, talk to Nozomi and choose the first option in all dialogue choices and confirm entwining fate when asked to do so.

### The first Ideal

* Go to the Dean's Office
* Go to the Library. There is a scene upon entering.
* Proceed up the stairs to Library - 2F.
* Vanitas will supply a new number for the Singularity connecting this floor to the depths of the Otherworld. It's a good idea to call in and destroy the Singularity before continuing on.
* On a chair to the west of Vanitas, Kokoro Surugadai has left a message with "19.5" followed by a right arrow pointing to a phone.
* Head east from the chair and turn south immediately past Vanitas.
* Continue to the door and go through to South Block.
* There should be a bookcase labeled "18" directly to the south.
* To the west of "18" are bookcases "19" and "20". Go between those two to find the call.
* Prepare for a fight and answer the call. Defeat the fiends to destroy the first Ideal.

### The second Ideal

* Talk to Nozomi.
* Return to the Library.
* Go up the stairs to Library - 2F.
* Take stairs from there up to Library - 3F.
* Vanitas will supply a new number for the Singularity connecting this floor to the depths of the Otherworld. It's a good idea to call in and destroy the Singularity before continuing on.
* *Beware the students on this floor.* If approached, they will move toward the protagonist and Nozomi and emit waves of madness that will increase the MAD Gauge extremely rapidly.
* On a chair to the west of Vanitas, Kokoro Surugadai has left another message with a number of notes:
	+ "Past Bookshelf 50, at the end" followed by a right arrow pointing to a phone.
	+ "43.5" followed by a right arrow pointing to "Locker Combination: Reading Room 1". Going between bookshelves 43 and 44 reveals a memo with the locker combination 1081. The locker contains a Status Stabilizer.
	+ "53.5" followed by a right arrow pointing to "Locker Combination: Reading Room 2". Going between bookshelves 53 and 54 reveals a memo with the locker combination 3341. The locker contains a Revival Agent.
	+ "39.5" followed by a right arrow pointing to "Locker Combination: first-floor reception". Going between bookshelves 39 and 40 reveals a memo with the locker combination 8181. The Central Reading Room Key is in that locker.
* Optionally return to the first floor to open the lockers, then return to Library - 3F.
* The safest route to the call to the ideal is:
	+ Go west from the stairs.
	+ Continue north past the bookcases.
	+ Go east to the door and stop. Don't go through.
	+ Instead, go through the *north door* here.
	+ Walk north past the two bookcases.
	+ *Quickly* walk east to the curving path, giving the student sitting on the bench a wide berth.
	+ Follow the curve to the end.
* Prepare for a fight and answer the call. Defeat the fiends to destroy the second Ideal.

### The third Ideal

* Talk to Nozomi.
* The Central Reading Room Key is now needed. If not already retrieved, it's inside the locker on the floor near the reception desk. The combination is 8181.
* Unlock either door to the east and enter the Central Reading Room.
* Vanitas will supply a new number for the Singularity connecting this floor to the depths of the Otherworld. It's a good idea to call in and destroy the Singularity before continuing on. Since he's near the center of the room, it's necessary to move closer before the call can be made.
* *Again, beware the student next to the north door.* If approached, she will move toward the protagonist and Nozomi and emit waves of madness that will increase the MAD Gauge extremely rapidly.
* The call is coming in near the east wall north of bookshelf 1. Prepare for a fight, move around the student quickly, and answer the call.
* Defeat the fiends to destroy the third Ideal.