Chapter 77

Nightmares keep jolting Thomas Austin awake in the weeks after the Red Circus took his bus hostage. Following Henderson's recommendation, the Cecile Hall dorm tutor books a psychiatric consultation with Loid at Berlint General Hospital. Loid spots an opportunity immediately: a man with likely ties to influential Eden alumni is worth putting in his debt, so he takes the case gladly. Yet as Thomas describes his symptoms and pins them on the hijacking, small contradictions in his story and body language tell Loid the trauma has another origin. Fiona Frost, arriving after the session with identical suspicions, agrees to dig into the tutor's background.

The follow-up appointment turns to Thomas's marriage, which his wife knows nothing about, including the therapy itself. Armed with Fiona's findings, Loid delivers his conclusion: the symptoms began months before any bus was hijacked, and the stressor is one Thomas faces every single day. His wife frightens him more than armed terrorists did. Denial gives way to panic as the memories line up, and Loid prescribes the only real cure, an honest conversation with her, backed by practical advice for repairing the relationship. Even rehearsing that conversation through talk therapy nearly defeats them both, leaving an exhausted Loid reflecting that genuine marriage looks brutally hard. Fiona, eavesdropping throughout, concludes that a marriage to her would involve no quarrels whatsoever.

In time, Thomas manages to speak with his wife again. He thanks Loid for the help, and the doctor considers the world one small step more peaceful.

Thomas Austin seeks psychiatric treatment from Loid on Henderson's recommendation, and Loid accepts to cultivate a connection to Eden alumni.

Loid and Fiona independently notice inconsistencies suggesting the hijacking is not the true cause of Thomas's condition.

Investigation confirms the symptoms predate the incident; the real stressor is Thomas's fear of his wife.

Loid coaches Thomas toward confronting the problem, and the tutor gradually becomes able to talk with his wife again.

Mission 77 is a 14-page chapter in Volume 12, released March 20, 2023, within the Bus Hijacking Arc and adapted in Episode 47. Thomas Austin takes the cover solo, and his wife debuts inside.

The chapter finally names Cecile Hall's dorm tutor as Thomas Austin, a name he happens to share with a real Australian politician who served in the Royal Australian Navy during World War II.