The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie/New Orbal Gear Development Project Part 1

New Orbal Gear Development Project Part 1 (新・オーバルギア開発計画 前編) is an episode in. Its events take place prior to the main story.

Background
The episode can be accessed from the Infinity Corridor.

Synopsis
Tita Russell hands over the final report for the Orbal Gear III to G. Schmidt who is satisfied with the result. He reveals a strange device with a purple glow that he wants Tita to investigate. They are interrupted by the arrival of Tita's mother, Erika Russell with Renne, Agate Crosner, George Nome, Estelle Bright, Joshua Bright and Alisa Reinford in tow. Erika embraces Tita because she is overwhelmed with her cuteness.

The group has assembled to discuss countermeasures to the problems arising from the Black Workshop. The Imperial government requested Erika to come and help out. Tita offers to help out but the others state that it is not necessary. They all have reasons for being in Erebonia, including Renne who has obtained leave from Jenis Royal Academy. Tita decries this as unfair. Shouts of alarm from Mint result in Tita rushing off to help.

At dinner in Barney's Inn, the Liberl group have a discussion over dinner, including talk about how Erika treats Agate badly and increasingly so. Erika reveals her reason for coming to the Empire is twofold, one to help with the Black Workshop investigations, and secondly to bring Tita back to Liberl, her primary reason for coming having been accomplished. Tita is reluctant to go and tries to persuade her. The others help and she succeeds in earning a four month grace period. In order to stay, Tita must satisfy Erika's two conditions: firstly, produce results that Erika approves of, and secondly, pass her 'test'.

Later at a planning meeting, Tita assembles Mint, Pablo and Gustaf. The latter two don't feel they have the means necessary to help but Tita implores them to stay. They decide a successor to the Orbal Gear III is the best approach, as Erika developed the first iteration and advancing the concept has the best chance of winning her over. It will be difficult to upgrade the specifications of the Orbal Gear III however as it only just finished development. They arrive at the idea of using flight, basing it on the Eidolon Gear developed by the Epstein Foundation. they contact Tio Plato who tells them it is difficult because the Gear works in tandem with the Aeon System and cannot support more weight than the one passenger. Tita decides to use this as the basis for the IV model, thinking she can improve on the eidolon's shortcomings.

One month later, Tita has not progressed much. Sandy and Freddy come to motivate her, bringing dishes they have prepared. They discuss the progress of the project with the pair recommending Tita consult Schmidt. Tita is reluctant but she remembers the device the professor asked her to investigate. She discovers it could be some kind of gravity engine and therefore the solution to her issues with the Orbal Gear IV. She tries to ask Schmidt if she can use it, but he is busy and dismisses her quickly, stating she could do whatever she wanted with it and doesn't need to ask for permission for every little thing.

After two more months of development, a working model is brought to the Languedoc Canyon. Agate is assisting Tita. The terrain is perfect for testing the abilities of the Gear. Tita completes a few laps of the canyon and proves its effectiveness. The pair exclaim that only Erika's test is left. All of a sudden, a rapidly descending aircraft arrives on a collision course with a rock face. Not hesitating, Tita flies off to save the aircraft. She is forced to use full power in order to guide it safely to even ground where it can land. After saving the crew, the Orbal gear overheats and begins to combust. Agate leaps and rescues Tita but the orbal gear falls to the canyon floor and is destroyed.

They now have very little time to repair it, and after searching through the wreckage, the 'gravity engine' is nowhere to be found. Cloaked and watching nearby, the Emperor watches on.

This episode's events are continued in New Orbal Gear Development Project Part 2

Trivia

 * The airship is the same one Wilhelm Ballad acquired in his own episode. These events are what convince him to give up the ship to Jingo so readily.
 * the 'gravity engine' is strongly implied to be based on the orb from the Monarch's regalia, a set of artifacts the Emperor used.
 * It has a circular purple glow that matches the orb.
 * Schmidt mentions the device was built around an artifact that could control gravity, and its powers match what the orb is stated to be able to do.
 * The orb itself was missing when Emperor was defeated originally, making it plausible that the Black Workshop had it in their possession.
 * Emperor is present at the site and is the most likely candidate for the aircraft's plight. After this encounter, he is seen with the orb, suggesting this is where he obtained it again.