The Unconfronting

Year: 984 - 02

Episode 1 - Episode 2 - Episode 3 - Episode 4 - Episode 5 - Episode 6 - Episode 7 - Episode 8 - Episode 9 - Episode 10 - Episode 11 - Episode 12 - Episode 13 - Episode 14 - Episode 15 - Episode 16 - Episode 17 - Episode 18 - Episode 19 - Episode 20 - Episode 21 - Episode 22 - Episode 23 - Episode 24 - Episode 25 - Episode 26 - Episode 27 - Episode 28 - Episode 29 - Episode 30 - Episode 31 - Episode 32 - Episode 33

Episode: 1
Location: Aboard Mephistopheles
The sun is almost set, leaving the bus to be shrouded in dusk.
Charon	… … ……
Charon’s humming a song while driving.
I found myself singing along in my head to that strangely familiar tune.
Vergilius	The most beautiful of performances are born from broken and ruined things. Ironic, the way the world works.
Vergilius spoke, having noticed that I was looking at the driver’s seat.
Vergilius	Alas, they have not the privilege to fully appreciate the glee of their own music… Oh, how unjust that is.
Dante	<……>
Vergilius	Charon, you look like you’re in a good mood today.
Charon nodded.
Charon	Mhm, joy brings out singing.
Vergilius	I see.
Vergilius	Although…
Vergilius	As far as I remember, you would often hum that song when you felt down.
Charon	Charon has no such memories.
Charon	Charon sings when she’s happy.
Vergilius’s eyes seemed to well with a subdued shade of dark.
The kind of hue that would be picked right away if one wanted to express solitude as a color.
But it only lasted for a brief moment…
So I decided to dismiss it as the vivid sunset playing tricks with the light.
Vergilius	…The world Charon hums now is one that lacks sound and color.
Vergilius	She’s going through a long tunnel with no exit in sight.
I’m sure that, just like the history of my own life that I’ve forgotten…
Charon and Vergilius must have their own threads of cruel reminders.
Vergilius	Ah, pardon me. I believe that’s enough of personal stories, Dante.
Vergilius	Your work is to manage your crew, not befriend this old guide.
When I looked at his face again, that momentary hint of sadness had fleeted, replaced with a faint smile.
I gave him a few nods, then turned around to check on the Sinners.
Our bus passengers have had lifted spirits for a while now.
It helped that they did what they were assembled for and secured a Golden Bough for the first time.
All the Sinners were busy talking about their exploits in J Corp’s District.
Rodion	You should’ve seen me show that card right there. Seriously, that was a real highlight~
Gregor	…I’m starting to get sick of hearing the same story for the seventh time in a row, so let me change the subject: Where are we going this time?
Vergilius	This time… we’re headed to K Corp’s Nest.
Heathcliff	District 11, eh? Job’s taking me to all sorts of places I’d never have thought to visit.
Don Quixote	‘Tis home to another great individual! And you are certain to find a souvenir shop there! I’ve always yearned for a limited-edition figurine set!
Rodion	Ooo~ Didn’t it also have a restaurant chain famous for its hamburg steak?
Outis	Huff… Life has gotten much easier these days, hasn’t it? Back in my marching days, all I had was a pinch of salt in my mouth.
Ishmael	I know, right? The only food I could swallow during my voyage was canned soup that tasted like iron.
Rodion	…C-Can’t wait to try the steak~ Right, Ryōshū?
Ryoshu	Well, imagining the variances in blood-color by region does make me salivate.
Rodion	Ugh… Can’t discuss anything with you. Hey, kiddo! What do you wanna eat?
Sinclair	……
Looking for someone to share tales with and have a sensible conversation, Rodya naturally turned to Sinclair.
However…
Rodion	Sinclair?
Rodion	Wha—?! Gosh, golly what’s wrong?
Meursault	He’s turned pale. He’s also suffering from hyperventilation and tremors.
Dante	<H—How long has he been like this?>
Meursault	Ever since Mister Vergilius mentioned K Corp.
Dante	<Why didn’t you tell me earlier?>
Meursault	…Because you did not order me to do so.
Meursault stared at me like I was at fault for not doing the obvious.
Sinclair	I… I just got an upset stomach. Sorry.
Rodion	Really sure you’re okay…?
Dante	<Now that I think about it…>
Dante	<Faust, I’m noticing a trend where one of us has visceral reactions to the destinations that Vergilius reveals.>
Dante	<Additionally, when we arrive, it turns out that the place does have a history with the person in question.>
Dante	<Does that have something to do with the reason we joined the company?>
Faust	…You just referred to the team as “we”.
Dante	<Huh?>
Faust	It’s a part of my mission to detect the slightest of changes.
Faust	As for your question, while I can’t tell you the reasons for recruiting the Sinners in detail…
Faust	There’d be no point in denying that our destinations and the backgrounds of each Sinner are indeed related to a degree.
Heathcliff	…Do all uppish snobs have some condition that makes them yap on and on about things that can be answered with a plain yes or no?
Faust	Hysteron proteron isn’t always correct. Faust simply adopts the most effective mode of communication for the given situation.
Heathcliff	Hyst… Hysterowhat?
Faust	…It means that you’re struggling to understand Faust because you’re too uneducated, not that Faust is overeducated.
Heathcliff	Why you…!
Sinclair	Euhgk…
Just as Heathcliff approached Faust with his bat shaking in fury…
Sinclair suddenly started throwing up on the floor.
The bus finally quieted down after that.

Episode: 2
Location: Aboard Mephistopheles
Shortly after the situation with Sinclair was dealt with…
Gregor	By the way, you meant the Backstreets of District 11 when you said K Corp’s Nest, yeah?
Gregor	I missed pointing it out earlier since everyone got a bit excited there…
Vergilius	I rarely misspeak, if ever.
Vergilius	I know what I said, Gregor. K Corp’s Nest is where we’re going.
Gregor	Huh, alright, but if we’re entering a Nest…
Vergilius	Indeed, there’s the immigration process.
Rodion	I don’t have a K Corp. visa. Y’ain’t about to tell me everyone else got one, right?
Heathcliff	What. Why’re you lookin’ at me?
Ryoshu	The solution is simple: C. I.
Ryoshu	And keep on D. E. R. ‘til we’ve breached the defense.
Ryoshu	In short, CIDER. Huhu…
Whatever that eccentric abbreviation means for Ryōshū, the Sinners have learned to stop questioning it.
Ishmael	A company as big as ours might get a free pass.
Ishmael	Not to mention, breaking through using the method dear Ryōshū suggested will take ages. How badly must you underestimate a Nest actively governed by a Wing to say that?
Dante	<Oh, I see, no one’s gonna take into account how much I’ll suffer for that CIDER, huh?>
Sadly, none of our Sinners bothered to respond to me in any capacity.
Vergilius	As Ishmael said, we’ll pass the immigration without needing a visa.
Vergilius	Limbus Company has backing from the shareholders of a wide array of fields.
Hong Lu	Oh, do you happen to know the shareholder of H Corp, then?
Hong Lu	They once personally visited our home because my younger sibling insisted upon having a red passport as a kid.
Vergilius	Couldn’t say, I’m merely a humble guide who wouldn’t be in the position to know such a thing.
Vergilius	Otherwise, the question doesn’t seem like one that’s really worth answering.
Hong Lu	How harsh…
Vergilius	That leaves the route to the checkpoint as our concern.
Vergilius	Thorough inspection means that there are plenty of people looking for an easy way in, including those who’d take the pass by force.
Meursault	…I hear several interlopers surrounding the bus.
Dante	<Welp… Have bus—will battle.>

Episode: 3
Location: Aboard Mephistopheles
Charon	Cock-a-hoop Charon’s cock-a-hoop parking.
Vergilius	Alright, off the bus. Time to get inspected.
Vergilius	Ah, and let me add this just in case you’re feeling inclined to your usual antics.
Vergilius	Don’t go around making a scene expecting things to go your way…
Vergilius	Because that will not be how it works in this particular place.
I thought his words were pretty intimidating, but despite the worries…
Location: K Corp. Checkpoint
Announcement	We welcome all visitors to K Corp’s Nest openheartedly.
Announcement	Please form an orderly line as you enter, and stand where the instructions indicate.
The menacing and interrogative atmosphere could subdue the temper of any first-time visitors—and the Sinners were no exception.
I could occasionally hear Sinclair sniffling, followed by Rodya and Gregor calming him.
Any of my questions why were met with heads shaken sideways.
Vergilius	Look here, how nice it is to see you all stay in line and behave. Like a brood of chicks on an outing.
Ishmael	Wait, why’re you out here…
Dante	<What made you follow us outside the bus this time…?>
Noticing my flustered reaction at the unexpected company, Vergilius opened his mouth.
Vergilius	Because this is a Nest, Dante.
Vergilius	If one of you were to get into unexpected trouble here…
Vergilius	Well, Dante, the responsibility will be a bit too heavy for you to bear alone.
When Vergilius put it like that…
It sounded as if he were saying “You’re not reliable enough to be sent without supervision.”
…But I knew it’d be wise to keep this to myself.

Episode: 4
Location: K Corp. Checkpoint
Ishmael	The line’s moving quickly. It’ll be our turn in about 10 minutes at most.
Ishmael	Will all thirteen of us need to answer immigration questions? They won’t be able to understand Manager Dante, so what should we do?
Ishmael seemed to have a habit of speaking quickly and being more inquisitive when she got anxious.
Vergilius	I was just about to get to that.
Vergilius	Listen up. The K Corp. official will only ask very simple questions to the passengers in this line.
Vergilius	And your answers will be similarly concise.
Vergilius	When the border official asks about the nature of your visit…
Vergilius	Say: “I’m here for business on the behalf of Limbus Company, please refer to my work visa.”
Vergilius	Remember this exact phrase so that you can recite it word for word.
Vergilius	I’ll take care of the rest, so you just have to prove that you aren’t here to cause trouble.
Faust	If even memorizing that is too much of a burden for you, I suggest that you keep your mouth shut.
Faust	You can present your employee card instead.
Dante	<Keep quiet and don’t cause trouble. Easiest tasks in the world.>
I sneakily mumbled a sarcastic remark.
I was worried that Faust might rat me out, but thankfully…
Vergilius was idly staring off into space, sparing me from his scathing commentary.
Vergilius	Now, next up.
Vergilius	If you have a question, make sure to first ask yourself if it’s actually meaningful.
Vergilius	Then quietly raise your hand.
Several hands were lifted, including mine.
Vergilius	Rodion.
Rodion	Since this trip is for business, we can carry our weapons, yeah~?
Vergilius	Correct. Next.
Rodion	Then, Greg’s creepy-crawly arm and Dante’s chichi clockhead’re getting a pass too?
Ishmael	That should be the case. For your reference, our manager’s head counts as a prosthetic rather than a weapon, which means it’d be approved even if what we had were a tourist visa, powers to revive notwithstanding.
Ishmael took the role of the model student and answered in Vergilius’s stead.
It feels like something changed about Ishmael’s attitude since the casino job…
She seems to have decided to take matters into her own hands after I betrayed her expectations of my capabilities as a leader.
Vergilius	Precisely.
Gregor and I put our hands down at the same time.
Vergilius	And, Ryōshū. Put out your cigarette before you speak.
Ryoshu	…I didn’t raise my hand.
Don Quixote	……
Vergilius was doing his best to ignore Don Quixote’s arm stretched skyward…
But he finally caved and gave the woman with an adamantly raised hand the chance to speak.
Vergilius	…Fine, Don Quixote. What is it?
Don Quixote	For what purpose doth that barrier of glass serve?
Following Don Quixote’s finger, our attention was drawn to the glass wall stood in the middle of the building.
On the other side of that clear dividing wall…
Were countless people waiting in line.
Gregor	That line’s slowed to a crawl, people are sat on the floor waiting for it to move.
Gregor	Looks like they’ve been there for quite some time.
Meursault	There are many armed guards as well. Three times as many compared to this side.
Vergilius	…Most of the glass walls you find inside buildings are there for safety reasons.
Rodion	Well~ Simply put, that line’s for Backstreets folks. Each Nest handles immigration differently, but wherever it may be, it’s super-duper hard to get into another Nest without a proper visa.
Rodion	Why’d you think those bullies jumped us on the way to the checkpoint? They wanted our visa so they could enter the Nest.
Vergilius	…A problem we are not in our power to resolve.
However, that answer didn’t satisfy Don Quixote.
Whether it was the fault of the gloomy yet oppressive atmosphere of the area beyond the wall…
Or the disturbances happening in there, I couldn’t say.
Outis	Manager, it’s our turn now.
Dante	<Huh? Right…>
Our line moved at such a quick pace, we barely had time to chat before it was our turn to answer the official’s questions.
Ishmael	Remember: When you’re asked about the purpose of your visit…
Ryoshu	…Remind me one more time and I’ll show SANGRIA to you and the official or whatever.
Despite Ishmael’s worries, our inspection was smooth sailing.
Checkpoint Official	Please state your affiliation and purpose of visit.
Gregor	Ah, I’ve come from Limbus Company on business. Here’s my employee card.
Checkpoint Official	…All checked out. Next.
Rodion	From Limbus Company. Business reasons. Take a look at my card and all that.
Checkpoint Official	…All checked out. Next.
After our first Sinner proved who we work for, it was a breeze for the rest of us.
The official asked the same question in the same dry tone, took a cursory glance at our faces and employee cards―though based on their speed, it seemed more like a customary gesture rather than an actual look over―then let each Sinner pass.
People in Line	…… ……
Ishmael	…Something’s amiss over there.
The glass wall standing between us and them was thick enough to block out sound.
It was hard for us to tell what was going on through the wall.
However, I could see what was happening unambiguously; someone with cuffed hands was being dragged away by security.
And a small child was crying next to them, clearly scared and confused.
Ishmael	…We shouldn’t bother. I don’t know what happened, but I guess someone broke a taboo.
Heathcliff	Yeah, sure. Those impoverished vandals and their audacity to break the taboo of not stuffing enough cash in the right people’s pockets, am I right?
Ishmael	…Are you mocking me right now?
Heathcliff	Huh. What, I thought you didn’t care? Guess someone’s knickers are in a twist.
While I was distracted by Heathcliff loudly celebrating his first successful tease on Ishmael…
Our usual suspect sprang forth at her least expected moment yet again.
Checkpoint Official	Please state your affiliation and purpose of visit.
Don Quixote	……
Don Quixote	I am come to liberate the weak and powerless!
An emotion is expressed for the first time on the checkpoint official’s face.
Flabbergastation.
They looked up at Don Quixote with a face screaming that it was flabbergasted.
Don Quixote	Release them at once! Can you not see that they are suffering?
Checkpoint Official	…Please state your affiliation and purpose of visit.
The official ignored her demand and parroted the same question.
All the while, Don Quixote was getting more upset by the minute.
And then…
In looking through the transparent wall again…
I saw the desperate child mouth a scream at the man dragged away in handcuffs:
Child	“Daaaaaddy!”
Don Quixote	If you are unwilling to take action, then I shall myself!
Checkpoint Official	…Hoo.
Checkpoint Official	Code purple. Code purple. Violation of Taboo K185 on site.
Checkpoint Official	Requesting Thrombocyte units. Repeat, requesting Thrombocyte…
Veering away from inquiry like a broken record, the official spoke an intimidating immune response to the radio.
Announcement	Attention all personnel: Code purple. Code purple. Circulation Hall 2, Inspection Booth 14. Thrombocyte, Leukocyte.
Blaring sirens accompanied the perplexing announcement, all the while thick metal gates shut around us.
Heathcliff	…Should’ve smashed her skull in and carried her in a body sack.
Ishmael	I doubt that would’ve made much of a difference.
Yi Sang	Thrombo, Leuko… I believe they refer to platelets and white blood cells respectively.
Faust	It must be them. Fitting for K Corp, I’d say.
Looking in the direction Faust indicated, we all saw what she meant.
Security forces wearing menacing uniforms were staring at us.

Episode: 5
Location: K Corp. Checkpoint
Dante	<I’ve gotten used to this sort of situation, but it looks pretty serious.>
Faust	Indeed. We’ve violated a taboo of the Wing, after all.
Dante	<It’s not like anyone was hurt—can’t we just talk this through?>
Faust looked straight into my face.
For Faust to face someone directly when she usually stares into empty space as she speaks can only indicate one thing:
I must have said something incredibly frustrating.
Faust	No matter the Wing, infringement of a taboo means—
A loud explosion left Don Quixote dismembered where she stood.
Faust	—that lethal measures can be taken against the violator without warning.
It looks like border control isn’t willing to forgive us until they dismember the rest of the Sinners…
Armed security staff was surrounding us on all sides.
Vergilius	…You never cease to surprise me.
Vergilius	You managed to wring out the last drop of expectation I had left for you.
Vergilius	I’m keeping out. Pin the whole thing on her, or take responsibility, or whatever.
Ishmael	I thought you accompanied us to handle situations that our manager can’t alone?!
Vergilius	I came with you to take care of inevitable problems, not have a pissing session in the wind.
Vergilius casually pushed his way through the line of armed guards and leaned against a wall.
He then crossed his arms, as if to further drive home that he’ll remain a spectator.

Episode: 6
Location: K Corp. Checkpoint
Dante	<Really just gonna watch from there?>
Vergilius	You won’t sway me with that look, Manager.
Vergilius	I’m nothing more than a guide that none pay heed to; it would be impertinent of me to brandish my weapon.
Vergilius	Well, to meddle one final time: K Corp’s Singularity takes the form of healing bullets that restore most wounds in the blink of an eye.
Vergilius	I suppose it could be compared to that ability of yours.
Dante	<Hey, wait…!>
Completely ignoring my feeble plea—not that they could hear it—K Corp’s security guards closed in on us.

Episode: 7
Location: K Corp. Checkpoint
K Corp’s Singularity: HP Bullets.
Any would-be fatal injuries we managed to inflict were healed away with a single shot of those regenerative rounds.
It was only a matter of time before the thread by which Heathcliff’s patience was hung snapped.
Heathcliff	I can’t take it anymore! This has got to be the most pointless fight in the world! Can’t you see?
Faust	I told you. Entering into conflict with a Wing is an exercise in futility.
Rodion	Just didn’t know the futility would hit us right away~
Meursault	The flesh regrows as soon as it’s removed.
Meursault	It is difficult to continue on with combat.
Ryoshu	……
Ryoshu	Really… Art can be rubbish like this, huh…
Ryōshū made the most pained expression I’ve seen from her, begrudgingly swinging her sheath around.
Cuts and slashes will mend before even a drop of blood can spill from them. There couldn’t be a worse battle for Ryōshū to fight.
Dante	<Isn’t there anything we can do…?>
Faust	HP, or Helapoiesis, is a bioengineered technology that allows for the continuous repair of damaged or lost cells.
Faust	One dose already lasts considerably long, so imagine what that means for those in the Nest who receive constant supplies…
Faust	To put it simply, you can’t reasonably defeat them in combat.
Even Faust was shaking her head in despondency, but then…
Siegfried	Mwahahahahaha!!! In the height of chaos, I have arrived at last!!
A peal of overwhelmingly energetic laughter rang through the air.

Episode: 8
Location: K Corp. Checkpoint
A figure approached us with terrifying force, reminiscent of a frenzied beast.
Heathcliff	‘Ey, what the… What’s that thing running at us?
Meursault	ETA is three seconds. Manager, your judgement?
Dante	<I… I dunno, I’m not sure what to…>
Vergilius was the only one who showed no surprise.
To be more clear, he was more displeased than unsurprised at this apparently expected arrival.
Vergilius	Ah, there you are. K Corp’s superstar.
A jovial-looking man appeared amidst the chaos with an obnoxious laugh.
Siegfried	Greetings one and all! You are free to share stories of the heroic feats you are to witness here, but photographs and more will require permission from K Corp!
Siegfried	Alas, I must attend a magazine interview in half an hour, so I cannot overlinger. I pray you to understand!
Vergilius	Was wondering when you’d come.
Vergilius	I heard you became a wagie serving a Wing, Siegfried.
Siegfried	Ahaha! I see your tongue is as sharp as ever, dear fellow!
Siegfried	I rushed here at once in response to code purple, and methinks your friends were the perpetrators!
Vergilius	Not exactly friends. I hope you understand that I have nothing to do with the commotion.
Siegfried	In that case…
Vergilius	Yup, I’m counting on you to give them a spicy lesson.
Heathcliff	What are you two muttering about? Don’t bode well.
Ryoshu	Agreed. From under what stone did he come out?
Siegfried	Hahahah! Well well, it appears that some of you come from faraway lands. Right then, I shall grant you all the privilege of photography for this special occasion!
Outis	He treats us like worshippers on the streets. How dare y—
Don Quixote	OOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Dante	<Don Quixote, what’s wrong?>
Don Quixote	Th, tha, the, tha, th-tha, the, th, th, tha, that, TH, THE, HH, THAT MAN, HE, HIM, THE MAN HIMSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vergilius	We’re in a hurry, so get this done within one minute if possible. And keep that clockhead out of this.
Siegfried	Hmm… A prosthetic, is it? Right then, make it 50 seconds!!!
Both a skilled fighter and talented performer, I could only watch in awe as he proved himself to be nothing short of a “hero”.
Heathcliff	Khgh!
Siegfried	Now, look here once more! I’m sure our fans will love it!
Ryoshu	This blighter… is too damn strong.
Siegfried	Hm? What did you do just now? Hahahah! Well, isn’t that cute!
Ryoshu	Gah…!
One after another, he made short work of the Sinners.
Vergilius watched the carnage with a pleased expression.
Dante	<……>
Vergilius	About time they learned what happens if they kick up a ruckus in a Nest thinking they can get away with it.
Vergilius	…Dante, you may not remember it at the moment, but at one point you used to be something of a bigwig… so to speak.
Dante	<I… I was?>
I just couldn’t picture it.
Right now, I’m just a powerless leader who fumbles in any emergency—constantly being chewed up, spat out, and ignored in the trash by my Sinners.
They’ve even started treating me as the team’s field medic; to think that this miserable manager used to be the respected leader of many sometime in the past.
I felt a genuine desire to ask Faust for another way to recover my memories.
Vergilius	However, your memory loss does not wholly excuse all the faults in your performance as the manager. I’m certain you understand what I mean.
Dante	<……>
I thought of the staff at the K Corp. checkpoint.
They showed no pity for the family they were about to tear apart, treating it all as nothing more than part of the due procedure.
Although Don Quixote got us into trouble when she sprang forth to rectify injustice…
I just know it would’ve haunted my sleep for days if we turned a blind eye.
And seeing Heathcliff tighten the grip on his weapon to veins as he witnessed the disturbance…
If not Don Quixote, I feel at least one of us would have intervened.
Truth be told, I didn’t do everything in my power to keep Don Quixote down. Vergilius isn’t necessarily wrong when he says the blame rests on me for causing this.
Dante	<Taking back my head might not be for the best after all, Vergilius.>
Vergilius	Ah, dear… I’ve got to tell them to put a microphone next time.
Vergilius	…I’ll take it that you’ve gotten my point.
Siegfried	Hurrah! 46.5 seconds! Another day, another heroic tale of justice written!!
Vergilius	Ah, looks like the curtains have closed. Time to rewind, Dante.

Episode: 9
Location: K Corp. Checkpoint
After twelve whirls of agony, the Sinners were all back in one piece.
The massacre must’ve been humbling because it feels rather strange seeing them this quiet.
Siegfried	How’s life been, Red Gaze? We’ve rarely had a chance to meet in recent times. Haven’t shown up to the ‘League of Excellent Nest-dwelling Fixers’ lately, either…
Siegfried	Were you unable to read the dozens of invitations I sent you?
Vergilius	Changed addresses. And I don’t have the time to lick top-brass boots like you’re doing.
Dante	<I don’t know what happened between these two, but… Vergilius is a bit hostile here, right?>
Faust	The difference in disposition between them is rather clear, isn’t it, Dante?
Dante	<In what ways?>
Faust	Simply put, Mr. Siegfried can be described as a pro-Wing Fixer based on the views he’s expressed.
Faust	On the other hand, our guide Vergilius sought independence as a Fixer.
Faust	He believed that a Fixer loses sight of their core principles the moment they become subordinate to an influential entity.
Faust	He is someone who is strict towards those with power, after all.
While speaking with Faust, I saw Don Quixote quake and approach Siegfried with shaky hands.
She must’ve been honored to see him, even after being mincemeat by his hands mere moments ago.
Don Quixote	F, fe, fa, feh, afa… a fan, I am! I have collected figurines sculpted after you! Though I’ve yet to get my hands on limited editions… I set my heart on becoming a magnificent Fixer such as you!
Siegfried	Aha! An aspiring Fixer! I have little time to spare, but more than enough for an autograph!
Don Quixote	I… Is that true? Then would you sign… an autograph… here… Ehehe…
Gregor	Slow breaths, Don Quixote…
Announcement	Attention. Code purple, dismissed. Code purple, dismissed. All codes cleared.
Siegfried	Huzzah! That’s a job done well!
Siegfried	Now then, until next we meet! Hahahaha!!
Leaping with tremendous force, Siegfried vanished into the air…
Although there was a small delay, we did get the travel permit in the end.
Vergilius returned to the bus in the meantime. Or, perhaps he only got off knowing that we’d run into that Siegfried.
He looked rather upset as he walked away, but no one else seemed to care that much…
Don Quixote	Ufu, wuhuhu…
Clueless to the surrounding frigidness, Don Quixote was happy as a clam, caressing the sheet of paper autographed by Siegfried.
Don Quixote	I must be caught in a dream! Manager Esquire! Will you pinch my cheek just once?
Just as I was about to give the blissful Don Quixote a word while we walked out of the border checkpoint…
An armored vehicle stopped before us.
Outis	…A newfound foe? Bold of them to challenge us right in front of a Nest’s checkpoint.
Faust	This vehicle is from… LCC, the clearance department.
Following Faust’s plain reply, the vehicle’s doors opened.
Effie	Ah geez, what took you so long? We had to cycle three laps waiting for it to be over.
A couple of familiar faces appeared out of the car.
Effie, and Saude.
Even though their outfits had changed, their faces were greased with just as much confidence and poise.
Gregor	Oh, people from the Before Team, eh? Something about you looks different, I’ve gotta say.
Saude	That was a disguise we had in order to infiltrate the casino. It was ultimately useless, though.
Dante	<……>
Gregor	…Still got that sharp tongue too, huh.
My chest ached a little at the thought of the harmonious cacophony that was our last operation.
Effie	Pft… Saude, you see that hand on the clock trembling? You’ll make them cry.
Saude	I was just being playful. While you had much room for improvement in regard to skill, I’ve made up my mind to admit that the LCB department has its own character.
In spite of the rough path we took, it sounds like we did leave a positive impression on the two.
Faust	The Before Team was supposed to be on site at this hour, wasn’t it?
Effie	The others should be there already. We decided to wait for you because we had useful intel to share.
Gregor	Hmm… In any case, you cared about us, right?
Rodion	Pfhu, do we have a couple of new fans knee-deep in our charm?
Rodion	Y’know~ Something like—the sorta food that’s cooked from ghastly ingredients, but the end result’s a pleasant surprise.
Gregor	Yep, had a lot of that on the battlefield. Miserable to swallow, but somehow memorable…
Saude	…What kind of food have you two been eating?
Hong Lu	Um, by the way, what’s the intel you were going to share with us?
Effie	It’s about our target location. It seems another faction has occupied the place already.
Effie	We’re putting in more manpower than usual as a result.
Outis	Hmph, I bet they are yet another swarm of gadflies attracted by opportunity.
As Outis pointed out, we weren’t new to encounters against groups of foes drawn near the Golden Boughs.
For our first mission, straggling soldiers from G Corp. took shelter in the abandoned facility.
And on our second, a variety of gangs inhabited the casino.
Effie	Unfortunately, our opponents this time won’t be some crummy no-names like before.
Effie	We took a peek at the immigration inspection records and found out that N Corp. dispatched a legion of employees a few weeks ago. Same destination as ours, too.
Ishmael	From N Corp?
Effie	Though this wasn’t an officially disclosed activity, seeing that K Corp. has let them pass means they might have made a deal under the table.
Saude	Which… if it’s true that N Corp. has sent staff in advance, then the journey won’t be a smooth one.
Gregor	…I see. I’m worried we might make enemies of several Wings as we go on.
Faust	In the long term, conflicts with Wings will be an unavoidable step in the process.
Faust	Judging from the fact that N Corp. hasn’t made this motion officially known, it could end as a simple conflict of interest.
Faust	Furthermore… We can’t discount the possibility that it’s not the Golden Bough they’re after.
Gregor	Doesn’t change that we’re convenient pawns for our higher-ups to throw around either way…
Effie	Oh, right, I heard some morons caused a scene at the K Corp. checkpoint. Did you guys see who they were?
Don Quixote	…R—Rumor travels with such haste. ‘Twas as though… astride Rocinante.
Don Quixote hung her head, possibly in embarrassment.
Perhaps she’s finally starting to learn that her reckless actions have repercussions.
…That, or I’m mistaken and she’s glad that more people know of what she’s done.
Saude	A shame I missed it. That’s not the kind of spectacle you see every day.
Saude	Really, who in their right mind would mess with a Wing at a border checkpoint unless they had lives to spare…
Dante	<……>
Don Quixote	……
Saude	…Please, don’t tell me.
Ishmael	Come on, we don’t have much time, so we should get going.
Effie	Ah, dear. Mr. Vergilius is nowhere to be seen again.
Gregor	…Oh, him? He went back to the bus first.
Saude	What a pity. I didn’t want to miss my chance to say hello…
Effie	We’ll leave an impression on him next time, mark my words. I’m planning to ask him if we can join the team in your stead.
Dante	<What, that’s the reason you wanted to meet him?>
Saude	That wasn’t entirely a joke. See you at the site, then.
Effie	If you can get there in one piece, anyway.

Episode: 10
Location: Aboard Mephistopheles
A pouty Charon and the cold stare of Vergilius awaited us on the bus…
The air was heavy with a sense of oppression, leaving little room for lighthearted jokes.
Charon	You’re late. Charon counted to one hundred and you still didn’t come.
Vergilius	Charon.
She seemed to have a few more words ready to be flung in that icy tone, but Vergilius put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a glance.
Charon	Verg, Charon will remember this.
Vergilius	Sorry about that. I’ll buy you something sweet later.
Charon sat in the driver’s seat without further complaint, and Vergilius slowly turned to us.
If there was one thing the Sinners and I were all good at, it’d be sensing imminent danger and making way.
Dispersing from the group, we scuttled away into our seats…
Leaving only Don Quixote anxiously standing in the aisle of the bus.
Vergilius	Let’s hear your excuse, Don Quixote.
Don Quixote	I… could not turn a blind eye to the weak being persecuted—
Vergilius	No, wrong.
My vision couldn’t follow what happened in that instant.
I have nothing to blink, so it shouldn’t have been possible for me to miss a moment, and yet…
Don Quixote	Gahgk…! Ghk…
When I caught up with the situation…
The first thing that came into my sight was Don Quixote brought to the ground, shoulder trampled under Vergilius’s shoe.
Vergilius	I asked for an excuse, not a justification of your views.
Don Quixote	Gnnngh…!
Vergilius	This isn’t the first time, either, Don Quixote. You’re responsible for three separate incidents already.
Vergilius	That’s three separate times you’ve jeopardized our work with your deranged behavior.
Vergilius	What do you think? Speak.
Don Quixote	Wh… While mine own actions did inconvenience my colleagues…
Don Quixote	Hngk… GUAAAH!!!
Don Quixote’s pained groan grew louder, but no one stepped in.
Of course, she was being punished for her own actions…
But more than anything, it was evident that disrupting this wasn’t going to make the situation better.
Vergilius	I was asking for your thoughts. Why do you not understand this?
Don Quixote	I—I was speaking only to be interrupted!
Vergilius	What you should’ve said to me at the get-go was an apology, Don Quixote.
Vergilius	Anything you’d add should be an elaboration on how you plan to improve your conduct.
Don Quixote	What unjust… Agh! Thou’rt demanding a specific answer out of me…!
Vergilius	Don’t you know? A company already has the “correct” answers for its employees. The questions are only asked to see if you can get it right.
Vergilius	You’re sorely mistaken if you believe the company is sincerely curious about your input.
Don Quixote	Kagh… If—If the company insists so, then I—!
Vergilius	…I’m sick of this.
Vergilius kicked Don Quixote, tossing her to the floor.
Then, gripping her fall by the collar…
Vergilius	I’m sure you remember what went down when you joined.
Don Quixote	…!
Vergilius	I hope you haven’t forgotten the deal we struck that day. …Miss. Don. Quixote.
Vergilius’s eyes glistened with a much brighter hue of red than usual…
Staring directly into them, Don Quixote soon gave back a nod without another word.
Vergilius	…That’s all. Back to your seat.
Watching someone who usually exuded pride and confidence quickly shift to such a discouraged, crestfallen state didn’t exactly make for a pleasant sight.
Though, a deal that got Don Quixote to go silent simply by bringing it up…
It makes me wonder what it was about.
Vergilius	The same goes for the rest of you.
Vergilius	A company isn’t a platform for fulfilling egocentric dreams or preaching big ideas.
Vergilius	If you would still go against the terms of your employment contract to act unprompted, consider the consequences before you do.
Vergilius	You’ll spend a grueling period of being unable to escape; not through death, nor through struggles at severance.
Gregor	I guess getting help from that guy―who was that again, Mister… Zack Friture, or something―must’ve ruffled his feathers.
Don Quixote	It’s… Lord Siegfried…
Rodion	Sheesh, the mission hasn’t even started and we already got a scolding~ Have some tact before you act, ‘kay?
Ishmael	Phew… I knew this day would come sooner or later. We should all be careful from now on.
Heathcliff	Why are you two birds gawking at me? Looking to get stoned?
Vergilius	……
Heathcliff	…Fine, I got it! Tsk.

Episode: 11
Location: Aboard Mephistopheles
With the conflict sorted out, the bus finally departed.
Looking out the windows evoked a strange feeling in the passengers.
Rodion	Check out those people, they look like they haven’t a care in the world…
Dante	<This is way different from the roads we’ve been through.>
Gregor	Aha, I guess this is our manager bud’s first time traveling in the middle of a Nest.
Ishmael	There’s a world of difference between the Nests and the Backstreets. Besides, each Nest has its own cultural heritage.
Vergilius	Attention, all.
Vergilius	Our destination is the town of Calw, situated in Nest K. Investigation revealed that a passage connected to a Lobotomy Corp. branch exists somewhere in that village.
Sinclair	…!
As soon as the name ‘Calw’ was mentioned, Sinclair lapsed into fear once again and started trembling.
As if something were coming after him…
Vergilius	But, as you have told me, a third party has occupied the area surrounding that branch facility. That’s why I requested an additional recon operation from Clearance.
Faust	Preliminary Observation Unit 3 from the Before Team has been dispatched. Mr. Effie and Ms. Saude should be with them by now.
Vergilius	We’ll receive a report from them once they get a good grasp of the situation.
Shortly afterward, the bus entered a quiet woodland path leading to the village.
Lush green trees rarely found in the Backstreets began to decorate the scene, providing a comforting sight. But that was soon disturbed by something odd.
I could see an ominous billow of smoke rise in the distance.
Sinclair	Why is… smoke… coming from…
Rodion	Sinclair…?
Vergilius	Charon, turn.
Charon	Evasive maneuver. Rumble-tumble.
The bus made a sharp turn to the left, shortly before a giant nail flew in and noisily embedded itself in the back window.
Heathcliff	Wha… Who the hell was that?! I almost kicked it!
Faust	Hmm… Though I hadn’t run a test with a projectile at such velocity, this does suggest that the windows need to be reinforced a little.
Outis	That was aimed directly at us. They must be the faction the Before Team warned us about… The Employees of N Corp.
Charon	Verg, Mephi got hurt. Charon’s sad.
Vergilius	Doesn’t look like they’ll stop anytime soon.
Vergilius	Off the bus, all.
Location: Path towards Calw
As we got off the bus, a group stood in the way, clad from head to toe in rusty armor with faded coats of white.
???	Halt. You may not use this road.
Gregor	You should’ve said so in the first place, ‘cause what about our windshield? Ah, bugger…
Outis	You’re rather rude for someone who attacked without warning. Isn’t it at least common courtesy to state your affiliations?
Inquisitor	We are Inquisitors. We are the nail that fixes the blasphemous, and the hammer that strikes down the sinful.
Ishmael	So, N Corp… That’s one convoluted way to tell someone that you’re an employee of Nagel und Hammer.
Faust	…Also known as “Nail and Hammer”.
Inquisitor	You shall not proceed as we are in the midst of cleansing heretical dissidents.
Gregor	Heretics? Hey now, we just want to pass through, not looking for any trouble. We’re on the, uh…
Gregor	A tour…! That’s right, and this is a tour bus.
Dante	<……>
Labeled as tourists all of a sudden, the Sinners exchanged looks in silence.
To prevent another disastrous first impression, Gregor was doing what he could―even though his efforts fell flat for the most part―to gently appease the armored crowd.
Accompanied by an attempt at the kind, harmless smile a tourist would wear.
Rodion	Greg, I’ve been thunkin’ this since the job at the mine, but… are you that into these kinds of bits…?
Gregor	That’s not exactly it…
The quivering corners of his mouth roused pity in my heart.
Inquisitor	In that case, you shall prove yourselves to be untainted.
Gregor	Fine, tell us how so we can get on with it.
The Inquisitor suddenly pointed in my direction.
Inquisitor	Behead that blasphemous traveler.
Dante	<M… Me?!>
Inquisitor	And kneel before our hammer as you consecrate their head to us.
Inquisitor	Such will prove that you are untainted ones, and your journey shall continue without hindrance.
Inquisitor	You will, of course, have to part with the defiled vehicle as well.
Heathcliff	Love to spew on, don’t you blokes? Oi, I don’t know who you think we are, but do we look daft enough to do as you say?
Furious, Heathcliff was the first to quit playing as a harmless tourist.
Dante	<Heathcliff… You didn’t have to…>
Heathcliff	Proper trifling twits, tch. Who are you telling me to kneel?
Dante	<……>
The Inquisitor—as was declared to us—nodded in response.
Inquisitor	Understood. Then I declare all of you to be heretics.
With that, the group of Inquisitors moved into position at once, ready to attack.

Episode: 12
Location: Aboard Mephistopheles
Getting back on the bus, Vergilius greets us by casually lifting a hand.
Vergilius	Weren’t they a little trickier to deal with than your usual foes?
Rodion	I keep saying we could be done with ‘em a lot faster if you lent a hand~
Vergilius	And as I always answer, there won’t be any point to this if I help you.
Ishmael	Those people… They labelled us as heretics. Just what is their judgement based on?
Dante	<I think they were targeting me.>
Meursault	Nagel und Hammer… The Wing that values experience above all else.
Meursault muttered vaguely.
Dante	<Experience?>
Meursault	Humans are made to have experiences and actions appropriate for their worth… That is what they say of it.
Outis	They told us to offer up the severed head of our manager.
Outis	That means…
Sinclair	…They’re back. They didn’t forget. Coming back like that, to—
Sinclair was almost having a fit at this point.
Rodya looked at him with pitying eyes, but there was little she could do about it.
Charon	Verg-verg, the sound box is being noisy.
Vergilius	…Looks like the advance team has words for us.
Various radio noises were emitted.
Effie	*Pzzt Zzzt Zzzt* This is… *Pzzz…*
Effie	*Zzzt Pzzt* Saude is… *Pzzz…*
Gregor	Gimme that.
Gregor	Effie, this is the bus. How are things over there?
Hellish screams come through the speakers.
Effie	“…You shall bear here your every sin and be purified.”
Gregor	Effie?
Ishmael	Was that… Effie’s voice? Or something else?
Ishmael	No, actually… Was that even a human voice at all?
Sinclair	Whistles…
Rodion	Sinclair, what are you talking about?
Sinclair	You heard the whistles! Right at the end… Faintly…
Gregor	Was there now…?
Sinclair	It’s her! That wretch is there! After all this time… To destroy the rest of our town…
Dante	<Calm down, Sinclair. What do you mean by whistles, and who is this “wretched” woman?>
Sinclair	She’s waiting for me. That was a message calling for me!
Resentful tears were streaming from Sinclair’s face as he rambled.
Ishmael	Hang on, there are people like the ones we met on the road up ahead…
Sinclair	We should go back…
Dante	<What?>
Sinclair	Can’t we… just head back? I don’t wanna go—let’s just turn around. Just tip the steering wheel and…
Rodion	Kiddo… What’s wrong? What’re you so worried you’ll walk into?
Sinclair	We shouldn’t go. We’ll all die—we need to go back.
Vergilius	Emil Sinclair. Don’t be absurd…
Outis	……
Thud.
Outis was calmly flicking her wrist.
Outis	I delivered a light blow to the stomach to knock him unconscious for a short while, nothing more.
Vergilius	We’re in agreement for once, it seems. I was this close to stepping in.
Outis	I don’t need cowards on my battlefield. Can’t I throw him out of the bus?
Dante	<That… might be a bit too far.>
Outis	…If you say so, Manager.
Outis looked down at Sinclair with a displeased face.
Even though he was the timid sort, he’s never opposed something so strongly until now.
This unprecedented behavior of his bothered me…
But I couldn’t bring myself to ask him why, as he didn’t seem to be in any state to tell me.
Soon enough, Sinclair came back to his senses. He stared out the window with vacant eyes.
Dante	<…The others are all out fighting.>
Sinclair	I’m… sorry. I’ll go join them.
Sinclair	I can’t keep dragging others down.

Episode: 13
Location: Calw - Town Square
The smoke that was faintly visible through the bus windows covered the whole town.
Ishmael	Ugh… What a mess this is, huh.
Ishmael	By the way… Don’t you hear a familiar song from somewhere?
Heathcliff	Oh, yeah, I know this one. Used to hear this tune an awful lot on snowy days…
Gregor	They played it a bunch during wartime to raise our spirits. Did the exact opposite for me.
The song evoked various memories in the group.
For me… I’m not sure. It’s definitely familiar, but it doesn’t bring up any clear images in my head.
However, I could still feel a faint splash of feeling from deep in my heart.
Maybe I knew this song before I lost my memory.
This mist of emotion roused inside me, though… It doesn’t feel precious or warm.
An ache.
An inexplicable sting is what I felt.
Sinclair	Right… That day…
Sinclair	It was snowy like this… and that song was playing…
The trees before us were decorated with grim ornaments.
All sorts of internal organs and mechanical parts were hung from the branches, as if someone put people’s innards on full display.
Rodion	Bleck… Isn’t this going too far?
Ryoshu	A classic… but, more kitschy than anything.
Meursault	…There are no survivors nearby.
Then, everything finally fell into place.
It’s just like…
???	Ah~ Ahh~! Mic test, mic test!!
A piercing sound caused the group to cover their ears.
???	Enjoying your Noel, everyone?
???	The night isn’t really silent, but it sure is holy.
Dante	<…? Isn’t Christmas still a fair way off?>
Ishmael	You’re right, it’s not any time soon.
Kromer	My name is Kromer. I’m a humanitarian who loves purity, and the one who grips the hammer.
Kromer	I don’t know how you managed to get here, but you’re trespassing on private property.
Kromer	As you can see… this hallowed ground is undergoing our nailing judgement. I hope you like the decorations I set up.
Kromer	Well, let’s just say that you got lost… Turn back now and a fine will be all you have to pay.
Kromer	I’m feeling generous… Today is the Nativity after all!
Kromer	Oh, before that. Is Guido there?
Guido	Here I stand.
Kromer	Good. Just in case, do you see any heretics over there?
The massive man named Guido who responded to her turns to us.
He intently stares into each of us, until his eyes fall upon me.
He gazes at me for a very long time.
Although he was wearing a mask, those eyes of his…
They froze us completely still, as if his glare nailed us to the ground.
Guido	I see an impure one and their followers.
Guido	And with them… the child you spoke of.
Kromer	Hahahah! Really! My Sinclair is back?
Kromer	Come see me, Sinclair. I’ll be waiting at that familiar spot!
Sinclair	Gr…hrrrkh… Kro…mer…
I can hear Sinclair grinding and gnashing his teeth.
He made a dreadful noise; I couldn’t be sure if it was from hatred or fear.
Kromer	Take out the rest, Guido. Or should I myself? I wouldn’t mind.
Guido	I urge you to focus on hammering the impure, O One Who Grips.
Kromer	Hahahahaha! Good, good!! Let’s keep up the purification!
Kromer	Now then, everyone. Merry Christmas!
A number of Inquisitors gathered around Guido.
He stands firm behind them.
…He’s not making any movement, but his presence alone is threatening enough.
An intense aura of hostility was radiating straight from him.

Episode: 14
Location: Calw - Town Square
Ishmael	…That was a tough opponent. We should move before they come back to their senses.
Outis	What a shameful thing to say. A soldier does not retreat before the enemy when victory is in sight.
Ishmael	Can’t you save the military drill for a better time?
Dante	<Ishmael is right. That’s not someone we can beat easily.>
Outis	…We will fall back.
Outis reluctantly backed down.
Dante	<Sinclair, do you know what that Kromer meant by “that familiar spot”?>
Sinclair	That’s… well…
Sinclair shook. He was seemingly overwhelmed with dread.
But I could also see a teeth-grinding anger in him that surpassed his fear.
Looking at him, a thought blossomed in my mind.
Dante	<You need to talk, Sinclair.>
Dante	<Tell us what you know, and you’ll prevent half the deaths we might suffer.>
Outis	It’ll also raise the likelihood of our success. I’m looking forward to hearing something useful.
…I hope I’m doing the right thing as the manager.
Sinclair shook his head upon hearing my words, breathed in, and finally opened his mouth after some struggle.
Sinclair	…My house. That’s where Kromer must be.
Heathcliff	So, you know that bird?
Heathcliff	Bollocks, my head is still pounding thanks to her shrill laugh.
Sinclair	…I met her at school.
Rodion	Oh boy, she’s a friend of yours? Whatever’s going on, sure hope you can talk it out…
Sinclair	She’s not my friend. Kromer killed my family.
Rodion	……
Rodion	My bad.
A prosthetic head hanging from a tree slowly turned to face us.
Lights and sparks occasionally flickered within.
A Prosthetic Head	Sin…cl…a…ir… Bzt… Pzzt…
A Prosthetic Head	Why… did you… return…
Rodion	…Sinclair, are those your neighbors?
Rodya asked while looking at the dismembered prostheses.
Sinclair	It looks like they were… I really hope that isn’t the case, though…
Sinclair replied, watching with a grim look on his face as their bare wires sparked and short-circuited.
The robotic head soon stopped moving, only emitting discordant things.
Then, a song begins to fill the air.
A Prosthetic Head	Silent night…
All the heads hung from the trees are singing the same song.
The carol leaking through the vocal units of so many lifeless heads lands on the flames below.
A Prosthetic Head	Holy night…
Ishmael	It’s clearer than ever now… Prosthetic body parts are “heresy” to them.
Faust	Though it has been quite a while since prostheses were first introduced to the City…
Faust	Many people still find them foreign and alienating.
Sinclair	…Our town.
Sinclair	Our town was called… “The Holy Site of Nest K’s Prosthetic Industry”. Most of the residents worked in manufacturing high-end prosthesis components.
Sinclair	Kromer has been keeping an eye on our town for a long time.
Gregor	So, was your family…
Sinclair	Yeah, my father was the owner of a fledgling prosthetics company too.
Sinclair	Is that why…
Ishmael	No.
Ishmael	The way I see it, attributing it to a high-flown cause of any kind is giving them too much credit.
Ishmael	They’re… just lunatics, consumed by madness and violence.
Ishmael asserted to him.
After a while of staring at the “Christmas” trees decorated with his neighbors, Sinclair turned to me.
Sinclair	Manager, I have a question if it’s alright with you.
Dante	<What is it?>
Sinclair	Well… How does it feel?
Dante	<Feel?>
Sinclair	Yeah.
Sinclair	I mean, how does it feel to have a prosthetic replacement for your head?
I was a little taken aback since I’ve never had anyone ask that kind of question before.
The issue is that there’s no way to know how I might have felt before I got a clock for a head.
Dante	<Uhm… That’s…>
Sinclair	Oh! It’s—um… I’m not trying to argue with you or anything.
Sinclair	…T-That was probably rude of me. I apologize.
Dante	<No need, it’s alright.>
The other Sinners were a billion times ruder to me with their daily interactions, anyway.
Dante	<I’m afraid I can’t answer that… I don’t remember a single thing about my life before this clock.>
Sinclair	I see…
Sinclair	I’ve always wondered what it feels like when there’s something sitting where your head should be…
Sinclair	My family said it’s no different from wearing a hat or a watch…
Sinclair	But I just couldn’t picture it well no matter how I approached it.
Sinclair	And now, I’m the only survivor thanks to that.
Dante	<I’m sure the procedure seemed terrifying at such a young age. You don’t have to feel guilty about that.>
Sinclair	That’s not it…
Sinclair	It’s nothing like that…
Sinclair	I’m afraid I’m not as innocent as you might think, Dante…
Sinclair quietly hung his head.
I racked my brains for an appropriate reply, but no suitable words of comfort came up.
Only the unpleasant sounds of sparks and flames filled the street.

Episode: 15
Location: Calw - Town Square
Prosthetic bodies pile up like a landfill in a corner of the town.
I could see that some of them were still conscious, letting out pained moans.
The Inquisitors paid no heed; they strenuously jammed nails through each of their victims’ chests, over and over, executing their “pure” intent.
An Inquisitor	I’ve surely pierced their heart, yet still a pulse remains in their body.
Fellow Inquisitor	It must be patched with steel. Even the core of their humanity has been tainted by heresy.
An Inquisitor	How filthy. A disgrace to flesh and bone.
The Inquisitor began carefully pouring a bottle of liquid over the prosthetic person in what looked like a solemn ritual.
Judging from the pungent smell, it was most certainly oil.
Fellow Inquisitor	Imbibe the oil of humanity, ye heretical soma.
Fellow Inquisitor	Those who cannot return to the earth, find solace in scattering to smoke.
A lit match was then thrown on the pile, letting rise a huge flame.
With the sounds of sparks flying about, the air is soon filled with an acrid smell.
It’s not quite like the smell of burning flesh.
The spreading fire finally brings the crackling glimmer in those prosthetic bodies to permanent darkness.
Ishmael	If this hellscape is their idea of purification, I’d rather stay unclean.
Meursault	Nagel und Hammer has always been devoted to scrutinizing the idea of humanity.
Meursault	Some criticized prosthetic use, as they believed that pain is a necessary component of the human experience. However, it never escalated to the extent of direct action that we are witnessing now.
Gregor	I’ve been meaning to ask… How do you know so much about N Corp?
Meursault	…I was once employed by N Corp.
Gregor	Wha…? You used to work with those people?
Meursault	I have never worked with those specific individuals, but in terms of affiliation, you can say that I did.
Come to think of it, this might be the first time I’ve heard Meursault actively talk about himself.
He would rarely recount anything related to him. Perhaps he felt it wasn’t necessary to speak at all.
Gregor	Why didn’t you tell us that earlier? You carry one of those freaky weapons then?
Meursault	Am I obligated to elaborate?
Heathcliff	The hell… Why don’t you explain what makes you different from those nutters, then?
Heathcliff	Listen, mate… As much as I like to call our daft manager clockface, I don’t think they deserve by any means to be on the stake or chopping block.
Heathcliff	Those buggers talk big about purifying and all that, but all I see are a bunch of loonies who just needed an excuse to kill, eh?
Heathcliff	Speak up, then. Are you like those screwloose bucketheads?
Meursault	There was a time when I thought about such things.
Meursault	Though I did not come to a conclusion.
Heathcliff	I want that damn conclusion now! Are you gonna up and butcher all the townsfolk if your manager just says so?
Meursault	Must I give an answer? That does not aid us in handling our work.
Meursault	An employee must follow their employer’s orders. The terms Vergilius presented state as much.
Meursault	If the manager orders me to do such a thing, I will do it. I may provide my input if I am told that it is necessary, but I do not have a habit of rambling my thoughts unprompted.
Heathcliff	…Pardon? Are you ‘round the twist? Do you got a chunk of metal for your brains like the folks here?
Meursault	I am 16% proteins, 60% water, 7% minerals, and so forth; I am clearly different in terms of composition.
Meursault	Moreover, unnecessary heavy metals do not comprise any portion of my body.
Meursault	That is another difference.
Heathcliff’s face contorted with frustration.
Meursault was already an enigma, and he only felt ever more distant after this conversation.
Hong Lu	Now that you mention it, there’s something I’ve been wondering.
Hong Lu	I’ve been thinking on whether Manager Dante should be seen as a “human”.
Outis	What do you mean?
Hong Lu	What if… when dear Dante is speaking… it’s actually the clock and not the person we know as “Dante” behind those words?
Heathcliff	Eh? You trying to tell me we were being led by an actual clock?
Ishmael	Good grief… You’re reaching uncharted depths of idiocy with your theories. I can’t even be bothered to refute them.
Hong Lu	Don’t misunderstand, I do like our Dante with their clock-headedness.
Rodion	Honestly, same. Why don’t you just give up finding your old head and stick with that one?
Rodion	I know it’s prob not gonna be the case, but what if Dante’s real head turned out to be super evil or something?
Gregor	Well, there’s only one of us who’d know about our manager bud’s past…
Gregor’s eyes naturally fell on Faust.
Faust	…That’s confidential information. Its access is restricted to the highest security level.
Dante	<…And I get the feeling I won’t be able to read it for myself.>
It’s only natural.
I have no idea who or what I originally was, so I had nothing at my disposal to refute Hong Lu’s lighthearted accusation.
Maybe he’s right, and I really am just a clock.
Even if I ask Faust, there’s no telling if she’ll give me a real answer, and I wouldn’t be able to discern the truth in such a thing either.
There’s even a slim chance that the real ‘Dante’ is hidden away somewhere, and that I’m some advanced imitation trained to believe I have free will.
In any case, sitting here and ruminating won’t get me anywhere.
Dante	<Who knows, maybe I’ll mount this thing on the wall when I find my real head.>
Ishmael sent me a chastising glare for even suggesting something like that, but she had no choice other than to shrug.
Well, it is true.

Episode: 16
Location: Calw - Town Square
Ishmael	Okay, what should we do now? If we move quietly, we might be able to pass by the other Inquisitors unnoticed.
Sinclair	Dante… I… I’d like to apologize in advance.
Sinclair	As you know… I’m not as experienced with fighting like the others…
Sinclair	Our foes might jab me in the heart over and over for that…
Sinclair	Will you… bear that for me?
Sinclair was trembling so badly that it’d be pitiful for anyone to witness.
I could tell he was desperately trying to suppress his fear.
It wouldn’t be the first time Sinclair has died. Whenever he bit the dust, I made sure to bring him back.
But today, he’s newly asking for my understanding. He looked determined to confront them directly even if it means he’ll die again and again.
A feeling quite unlike the fright a usual battle evokes…
Maybe he’s holding the kind of fear that comes with a certain courage.
In that case…
Dante	<Are you scared, Sinclair?>
Sinclair	…!
Sinclair suddenly turned around and gave me a startled look.
Dante	<Hmm? Did I say something weird?>
Sinclair	No, it’s just… I was reminded of a friend who asked me the same question.
Sinclair opened his mouth after a brief pause. His voice cracked.
Sinclair	…I agree with what Heathcliff said.
Sinclair	Prosthetic head or not, you would’ve been the same person regardless, Dante.
Sinclair	I guess the same could be said for my family.
Dante	<Thanks, Sinclair.>
Sinclair	…Hoo.
Sinclair	It’s nothing. I can’t have you be too thankful when I’m about to make you suffer by throwing my life away. Haha.
Just as I realized that I forgot to ask what he said in response to the same question his friend had…
Sinclair had already charged into the fray.

Episode: 17
Location: The Old Sinclair Estate
Sinclair’s home was the largest mansion in the neighborhood, standing at the innermost part of town.
One could see from a distance that a huge flame was engulfing the estate.
I took a moment to try and imagine what this town could have looked like during its peaceful times.
To bring to mind the times when the trees we saw near the town still had lush, verdant leaves.
How Sinclair would’ve been during those times.
Or when everyone around him had died.
I couldn’t paint a clear picture of either happiness or despair.
Nonetheless, I only hope that Sinclair can brace himself for the misfortune he’ll soon have to face.
Ishmael	This is… awful, to say the least…
A courtyard that could have once been a vast, flourishing garden was now full of nails erected tall.
A variety of prosthetic bodies were pierced by those towering nails.
And the house was enveloped in ferocious flame, ready to consume everything around it.
While everyone’s attention was drawn to the prostheses…
Sinclair’s eyes drifted to a corner of the yard.
Sinclair	The graves, they’re… dug up…?
Following his gaze, I could see three graves that were violated.
Sinclair’s expression alone was enough for me and all the other Sinners to guess who they were for.
Yi Sang	…To execute the dead—this is nothing short of a devil’s work.
Father, mother, and sister.
The family he mentioned… That’s where they should be resting.
Outis	Halt… One Uniform, straight ahead.
Sinclair	That whistling…
???	Kehehe. I mean, it’s just too funny when you think about it.
Someone walked out of the burning household.
Her laugh was simply sinister in every way imaginable.
Kromer	Why put so much effort into burying bodies that can’t even rot… Am I right?
Sinclair	Kromer…
Kromer	I’m sure you’ll find ‘em around somewhere if you look hard enough. I do remember nailing those three.
Kromer	Be a good boy, and I might just tell you where they are…
Kromer	Well, Sinclair? You’ve grown a spine, coming all the way here.
Kromer	Enough of one to look at a few dead bodies too, right?
Sinclair	Why… Just… Why all this…?
Sinclair couldn’t even speak properly.
Outis	Where did our Before Team get off to? They’ve got to turn up at this point…
Kromer	Ah~ Sinclair’s got some buddies!
Kromer	Looking for the other filthy ratlets that snuck in here?
Kromer	Okay, okay. Watch closely. I’ll turn on the lights, so open your eyes wide!
Kromer	Tadaa!
Effie	Krgh, khaag…
Gregor	Effie…?
Effie was barely breathing. His limbs had been cut away, and deformed prosthetics were crudely lodged in their place.
Sinclair	Effie!!!
He was too mutilated to even speak a single word.
Faust	……
Faust	In his current state, it will take around two days for him to completely die.
Faust	And the pole piercing through him will only amplify his suffering.
Dante	<Then…>
Outis	Manager, I happen to know of a method to end a life with as little pain as possible.
Outis	It’s one that saw many uses, in fact…
Outis	May I ask you to give me the order?
I looked to both Gregor and Ishmael.
They gazed back at me, and… as if in acknowledgement, dropped their heads low and bit their lips.
I understood what that meant.
Outis	…Rest in peace.
The collar of Outis’s clothes brushed against the wind.
Then silence.
And—it’s then broken by Kromer’s roaring laughter.
Kromer	Pfh… Pwahahahaha!!
Sinclair	Ah.
At the same time, I could hear something else break.
Kromer	Really, it’s hilarious to watch you all care for each other when you’ll all meet the same fate anyway!
Kromer	Brings you back, doesn’t it, Sinclair?
Kromer	Your face back then was real priceless.
Sinclair	Kromer.
Sinclair	You have to die.
Sinclair	Yeah, I think that’s the right way.
Sinclair	You’ll die by my—!
He was interrupted by the sound of a nail dragging across the floor.
Outis	…It’s Guido.
We thought we had felled him with our best, but not a scratch was on his body now. It was as if all his injuries healed in that short time.
Seeing him walk towards us in perfect condition fatigued the Sinners…
Rendered speechless, all they can muster from their hearts is a deep groan of contempt.
Kromer	Guido, why couldn’t you take out the others?
Guido	Forgive my ineptitude, O One Who Grips. My incompetence allowed them to escape.
Kromer	You have to stay alert. You never know what’s hidden under those cursed steel craniums.
Guido	I shall keep your word at heart, O One Who Grips.
Kromer	Since the reunion is over, I’ll be heading back.
Kromer turns around to walk into the burning mansion.
Sinclair	Kromer!!!
Sinclair	Get back here! I’ll… I swear, you—! I’ll grab you with my hand and—
Kromer	Nope, Sinclair.
Kromer	It’s always been the other way around…
A long smirk dances across Kromer’s entire face; it’s hard to tell if it’s the violent blaze or Kromer’s vice that is consuming the other.
And then…
Kromer	I am the one who grips.

Episode: 18
Location: The Old Sinclair Estate
Sinclair	Rrraaaaaaah!!!
Heathcliff	Hey, wait…!
Sinclair leapt forth to chase Kromer before anyone could stop him.
However, he’s blocked by the remaining N Corp. Inquisitors.
In response, he swings his weapon with a tremendous force I never thought he could exert, crushing the head of the one who grabbed him.
The Inquisitor collapses to the ground before even a gasp could escape their mouth.
Sinclair would normally keep to the back of our group; this was the first time I saw him charge in unprompted like that.
Heathcliff	…What the—? The hell have you been dawdling in the back for if you could do that?
Guido	I remember with clarity that I had ended your lives.
Guido	I undoubtedly witnessed torn brain tissue spill through the cracks in your skulls.
Guido	And yet, here you heretics are, before me on your feet.
Gregor	You’re not the one to complain about miraculous recoveries…
Guido examines me closely with his piercing glare.
He then slowly nods as if his observation gave him the knowledge he needed.
Guido	You there, the one possessing the head of a heretic.
Guido	You must be the false shepherd enticing this herd into blasphemy.
He proceeds to nudge his chin at the nailed corpses in the courtyard.
Guido	They committed the grave sin of entering the site of hallowed rites with their unclean bodies.
Guido	Thus, they have been punished with the same penalty as heretics receive.
Guido	They have also been subjected to the humiliation of bodily mechanical intrusions being installed against their will.
Guido	But you are different.
Guido	The sin of worshipping a heretic is less severe than indulging in heresy oneself.
Guido	Therefore, as long as you are willing to repent and cleanse your minds of sin…
Guido	We, the Hammer, are willing to demonstrate forgiveness.
Guido	So I implore you, ye pitiable foolish sinners, led astray by temptation.
Guido	Shake off the allure of that false miracle, and kneel before me.
The confrontation came to a standstill. No one seemed willing to speak first.
Dante	<So you’ve all been under my spell or something all along? Who’d’ve thought that.>
I tried cracking a joke to lighten the mood a little, but no one laughed.
Ishmael	Dante… That man… He just insulted you. He doesn’t even see you as a human being.
Dante	<I mean, you guys call me clockface all the time too…>
Ishmael	That’s not the same at all! Besides, I’ve never used that nickname…
Ishmael grunted.
Heathcliff	So you think throwing some fancy words around will be enough to persuade us, eh…
Heathcliff	Listen up, Faceplate: You’re the one who needs a little shaking off. Seems to me your human brain’s just as defective.
Guido	……
Guido	You were given ample opportunity.
Guido	You are no different from those we hung and nailed after all.
Guido	I am a Hammer.
Guido	I am a tool for the One Who Grips, tasked with the great mission of piercing the false flesh of heretics.
Guido	I shall bind thee to a nail, and lay thee down furthest from soil.
Guido	For he who shan’t repent…
Heathcliff	Oi, when are you gonna finish your stupidly long taunt?
Guido	…is not granted rest beneath the earth.

Episode: 19
Location: The Old Sinclair Estate
The ground shook as Guido finally fell.
I couldn’t help but wonder if we really did him in, yet we were too exhausted to bother and take his helmet off to check his breathing.
Sinclair was repeatedly jabbing his spear into a dead Inquisitor.
The corpse was mangled beyond recognition, its blood and organs spilling all over the floor.
Rodion	Sinclair… Calm down.
He didn’t seem to care about anything other than the body he was set out to destroy.
Occasional pants of rage and tearful gasps were all that came out of his mouth.
Sinclair	I’ll… kill… them all…
I knew stopping him was the right thing to do, but no one dared to step in.
It was evident that he was too blinded by ire to listen to us.
Don Quixote	I know a way most simple to bring him back to senses!
At that, Don Quixote suddenly jumped Sinclair and pinned him to the ground.
And then…
She started laying into his face.
One fist thrown after the other.
Rodion	Oh, um… Shouldn’t we do something?
Ryoshu	Leave ‘em be. A couple calves tussling isn’t worth intervening.
A cloud of dust rose from her ruthless beating…
After a while, Don Quixote cut her onslaught.
Don Quixote	Pray tell, how dost thou feel now?
Sinclair	Hng, khh…
Don Quixote	Pardon my rash action. Oft I would find myself overcome by fervor, rampaging much the same as a riderless horse.
Don Quixote	At such moments, mine old friends helped me to come to myself—by beating me senseless.
Don Quixote	‘Twas, at times, the only remedy to the fever that had overtaken me.
Ishmael	Aha, so in that sense, Vergilius must be a good friend of yours too, right?
Rodion	Pfheh…
Don Quixote	Well— I…!
Sinclair	Hic… Huhk…
Tears plinked down from Sinclair’s bruised eyes.
Sinclair	I’ll get her for this…
Sinclair	I’ll go to my home… and skewer that bitch… I’ll skewer her with a stake…! And then—
The rest of his sentence was overrun with pained sobbing.
After a while of sniffling, Sinclair finally seemed to calm down as he put a hand to his face and started muttering.
Sinclair	I… lost everything overnight…
Sinclair	Back then… they didn’t parade their ‘Nagel und Hammer’ name around. You didn’t see large groups like that in the open.
Sinclair	But, at some point…
Sinclair	People calling themselves “Hammers” started showing up in town, one by one, and…
Sinclair	Eagh, hic…
Rodion	It’s okay, kiddo. No need to push yourself…
Rodya gently pat him on the back.
Sinclair	I still think that sometimes…
Sinclair	This is all just a bad dream and I’m having trouble waking up…
Sinclair	It always comes… Every morning, before I open my eyes…
Sinclair	Maybe this time… I’ll wake up and see my familiar ceiling… Just maybe.
After he said that, he broke into tears.
It only made sense to wait for him to settle down.

Episode: 20
Location: Basement Area
We entered the charred mansion, and Sinclair led us to the basement.
When he opened the door…
Location: Underground Passage
A long underpass leading to an unknown destination was revealed to us.
Dante	<To think there’d be a tunnel down here…>
Sinclair	So… if my guess is right, then this passage should lead to the branch facility.
Heathcliff	Why’re you keeping this shifty shaft in your basement?
Sinclair	It wasn’t here before.
Heathcliff	What? Then how’d you know we oughta go to the basement?
Sinclair	It’s like how magnetic fields draw a compass needle northward… I was brought here by intuition.
Faust	……
Sinclair	…Isn’t that what it is?
Sinclair	You’re bringing us along to use as sensors for the Boughs.
Sinclair quietly looked at Faust.
Instead of answering him, she strode past him and stood before the door.
Faust	Judging from the material, this tunnel seems to have been made relatively recently.
Faust	It was likely dug by N Corp’s expeditionary forces when they had occupied the town.
Faust	It won’t be a short trip. Given that this passage was excavated for their use, we will assuredly run into foes on the way.
Faust	…We should move once we are ready.
Dante	<……>
Faust	Don’t give me that look, Dante.
Faust	…I am simply not in the position to comment on it.

Episode: 21
Location: District 11 - LC Branch Interior
The branch facility we entered was not as well-preserved as the one we had visited in District 4.
It seems N Corp’s Inquisitors have been using this place as their base for a while; various torture devices and bits of flesh and machinery like those we saw in town came into my sight.
Tortured Prosthesis	Please stop… It hurts… It hurts so much…!
Scourging Inquisitor	Hah. This one speaks of suffering.
Interrogative Inquisitor	It must be a false cry. Pay it no mind.
Tortured Prosthesis	No… The pain… It’s real, I swear…
Scourging Inquisitor	Did it not hurt to attach these impurities to your flesh? Did your conscience not scream as you rejected your humanity?
Interrogative Inquisitor	Enough. This one is too far gone to repent.
Interrogative Inquisitor	Does the absence of tears not say enough? This one is only pretending to confess.
Tortured Prosthesis	No, wait! I can… I can shed tears! So I beg you, please…
Scourging Inquisitor	We can afford to verify, can we not?
Interrogative Inquisitor	…Hm. Indeed, for a genuine effusion of sorrow suggests humanity.
Tortured Prosthesis	Thank you… Thank you so much…
Interrogative Inquisitor	Now, we shall lift your eye.
Scourging Inquisitor	Their heretical depravity knows no bounds; they’ve gone so far as to make vile devices that mimic tear glands. We must see with our own true eyes that this isn’t the case.
Scourging Inquisitor	We will let you go if we can confirm that your eye socket is indeed of flesh and blood.
Tortured Prosthesis	Wha… No—stop!!!
Rodion	…Huzzah!
Scourging Inquisitor	Gah… Ngh…
Interrogative Inquisitor	…You heretics truly are like pests.
Interrogative Inquisitor	Never alone, with a habit of constantly obstructing our great task; you are kindred creatures indeed.
Rodya shrugged when I looked back.
Rodion	What? I wanted to take charge for once.

Episode: 22
Location: District 11 - LC Branch Interior
???	Well I’ll be… You’ve all… gotten better at fighting, haven’t you…?
A faint voice calls to us from the corner.
Gregor	Saude…?
Saude was resting against the wall, exhausted.
She was covered in bites and gnawings left by the Peccatula.
Ishmael	Are you alright? Can you get up easily?
Saude could barely talk, let alone stand on her feet; she slowly began to speak, each word filled with pain.
Saude	Effie… How is he…?
Saude	Alive, yeah? You… must’ve met outside…
Everyone is hesitant to answer Saude’s desperate question.
How could any of us inform her of the morbid state Effie was in and how we had to put him out of his misery?
Hong Lu	…Yes, he’s doing fine now.
Hong Lu answered quietly.
No Sinner came forward to elaborate.
Outis	That’s enough chatter.
Outis	It seems more of those oddities are crawling our way.
A swarm of Peccatula approached us.
It was as though our guilt about lying to her had gained physical form.

Episode: 23
Location: District 11 - LC Branch Interior
I heard that familiar yet ominous sound of a nail being dragged across the floor from not too far away.
Outis	…Manager. If I may be forward, I would suggest soon including steps in your combat protocol to confirm that our foes are dead.
The thought of his return makes what hair I have stand on end.
Guido	Ye Heretics… must be exterminated.
Dante	<How long have you been…>
Guido approaches at a slower gait than before, but his gaze is firmly fixed on me.
Guido	And… the rest… shall be purified.
I needed to rewind the clock.
Most of the Sinners were either dead or gravely injured.
There was no way an effectively non-combatant manager and someone barely holding on to her life could take him.
Saude	Please stop…
Just then, Saude pulled out a gun.
She pointed the barrel at me.
Saude	I need you… to keep still…
Saude	The moment you try to turn that clock, my gun… will blow off your head…
Dante	<Saude…?>
Saude	Don’t look at me… like that… I can’t hear you. But, I can tell you this.
Saude	They promised… to let Effie go… if I helped to get rid of you…
Guido	I let too much time pass.
Guido comes to me and grabs me by the neck.
Dante	<Kahk, ghhng…>
Then, he grips my head tightly with his other hand as if to crush it.
Dante	<Nngh…>
Creaks, cracks, and rattles ring inside my head.
His fingers being inches away from shattering my head terrifies me.
Is this it? Is this how I die?
Could this… have turned out differently if I was a better manager?
I remember Heathcliff menacingly asking if there was a way to open up my head so he could see what’s inside.
Tough luck, Heathcliff.
You’ll be missing out on a good show…
I heard a sound.
It was the sound of something breaking.
Fortunately for me…
Guido	Ngh…
It didn’t come from my head.
Sinclair	Huff, hoogh… Hahk.
Guido staggers.
A nail was lodged in his back, and Sinclair was gasping for air behind him.
He was nearly unconscious, lying still until moments ago—it’s a miracle that he managed to get up and do this.
I could escape Guido’s grasp thanks to him…
But Guido stood firm despite Sinclair’s desperate attack; he collected his breath and slowly turned around.
Guido	…I see.
Guido	You, too, are a filthy heretic…
Sinclair	You’re… all insane… out of your minds…
Guido	The One Who Grips had once said…
Guido	That you could have become the One as well.
Guido	What a shame…
Guido	You grip with the wrong direction.
Dante	<Sinclair… run away… I can’t… help you…>
Sinclair	No… I’m not running anymore.
Saude	…I like that answer, Sinclair.
Gunfire filled my ears.
But the bullet struck Guido’s head.
Guido	……
Guido	You, who bring ruination upon yourselves…
Guido	The Hammer shall continue to pursue you…
With those words…
Guido fell to the floor, motionless.
And in that hush…
I heard her handgun drop to the floor.
Dante	<…Saude.>
Saude	Effie, he’s… he’s dead, isn’t he?
Saude	You’re all terrible liars. At least try to make it somewhat believable.
Gregor	…C’mon Saude, let’s get out of here. You’ll be okay… Just gotta stop the bleeding, and… get you patched up.
Ishmael	Right. I’ll get a tourniquet…
Saude	Don’t be stupid. I can hardly lift a finger.
Saude	Besides, those Inquisitors will keep on coming, won’t they? You guys need to keep moving down.
Saude	I’ll hold them off here. You should go.
Sinclair	You can’t—You can’t do that…
Ishmael	You said yourself that you can hardly lift a finger. I can’t let you watch our backs when you’re in such a mess… Please?
Saude	You know… in moments like this… you’re supposed to just nod at me and be on your way.
Saude	Why do you care so much about the one who volunteered to stay behind?
Sinclair	You can’t… You can’t just…
Saude	Aw… You’re making this pretty awkward, you know that? Here I thought I could have a cool farewell.
Saude	Faust, please take these absolute dorks out of here.
Faust	I’ll make sure to give Vergilius your regards.
Saude	No need.
Saude	…Just tell him to come visit and say hello someday. You know what I mean?
Faust	……
Faust	Of course.
We headed for the next area, leaving Saude to die.
We all stayed silent for a long while.

Episode: 24
Location: District 11 - LC Branch Interior
Heathcliff	…You hear beasts crawling around somewhere?
There certainly is the sound of something moving along the floor.
???	Nnh… Ghhhgn…
Gregor	Are those Abnormalities?
Ishmael	Take a closer look—they aren’t Abnormalities. See that emblem…
Ishmael whispered softly to us.
Upon closer inspection, I could spot the emblems she mentioned. They were the ones worn by the Inquisitors.
Faust	E.G.O Corrosion has wrested them.
Gregor	You mean that nauseating state…?
Ishmael	I think it happened to me in battle once when I was on the verge of a breakdown… It was like I was being devoured.
Faust	Although it’s not quite like consumption in the conventional sense… I do suppose that it is a serviceable analogy, seeing as it eats away at your essence.
Faust	…And in observation, unlike the last floor, this place does not seem to be exclusively for torturing prosthesis users.
Faust	It would be fair to say that its purpose is to induce Corrosion unto oneself.
Corroded Inquisitor	Urg… Ghh… Arrh…
Staring at those beings stumbling about…
It evoked complex feelings that made me sigh.
Is my artificial head really worth raging over, so much so that they would transform themselves into something far more hideous than having a clock for a head?
Choosing to lose themselves, being possessed…
What about when they claim the Golden Bough after going to these lengths…?
Will it even be used for their benefit?
Then, it occurred to me.
Am I really so different from those unsightly zealots…
…when I’m searching for the Golden Boughs without even knowing what they’ll be used for?

Episode: 25
Location: Unending Hill of Corpses
I see endless mounds of dead bodies.
The Inquisitors were raising their arms in unison as if to worship something.
And there Kromer stood at the highest peak.
She held out her hands in a prayerlike gesture toward the Golden Bough atop an altar.
Faust	The fathoms of the ego are already open. I see someone has resonated with the Bough before us.
Gregor	The hell are they up to? What’re they raising their hands for?
Faust	…Prayer.
Faust	Once upon a time… people used to believe in gods, or so I heard.
Ishmael	…What is this sound?
Heathcliff	This feels awfully familiar… Somehow annoyingly tingly… and unpleasant…
Gregor	…It’s a school bell. Our boy hated school that much, eh.
The playful conversation seemed to lighten the mood of the Sinners.
Save for one.
The one who should have been the owner of the fathoms still showed unease.
Sinclair	N-No… I don’t want to show my memories, they, they’re…
Unfortunately, his plea held no power over the realm.
Kromer	Alright, everyone! Listen up!
An Inquisitor	The One Who Grips so declares.
Fellow Inquisitor	The One Who Grips so declares.
Kromer	Not only are those heretics disturbing our sacred rite, they are now after the offering that is rightfully ours to consecrate!
An Inquisitor	Disgraceful and defiled are they.
Fellow Inquisitor	Disgraceful and defiled are they.
Kromer	Go forth and die! Do not fear your end!
Kromer	As long as the offering of gold is with us, you shall be brought back to life again and again!
An Inquisitor	We shall fear not, for the One Who Grips is with us.
Fellow Inquisitor	We shall fear not, for the One Who Grips is with us.
Kromer	And… Sinclair.
Kromer	Hurry over. You belong in my hands.
An Inquisitor	No greater joy exists than to be wielded by the One Who Grips.
Fellow Inquisitor	No greater joy exists than to be wielded by the One Who Grips.
Sinclair	I—I…
Kromer	Sinclair.
Kromer	Did you bring the coin?
Location: Rowdy Classroom
Sinclair	…The breaks between classes are always lively since everyone gathers around to talk.
Sinclair	The adults would often watch us from afar and take this as a heartwarming sight.
Sinclair	But there’s something they don’t realize.
Sinclair	When you take a closer look, these merry interactions are brimming with envy, vainglory, pride, and guile.
Sinclair	Children are crafty creatures.
Reminisced Classmate	I heard Rahul from the next class over’s getting surgery on both arms by his father. Gonna be with some new tech that’s never been shown before. How cool is that?
Reminisced Schoolmate	You know this actor on all the magazine covers? Did I ever mention they’re getting an eye transplant at my mom’s clinic? The waitlist was so long, they personally begged to be moved up.
Sinclair	I grow more anxious with each boastful story my classmates tell.
Sinclair	What can I share? Their expecting eyes pointed at me felt like they could turn into scoffing leers at any moment.
Sinclair	T-This is a secret, but…
Sinclair	I swallowed nervously.
Sinclair	Maybe they weren’t asking me for a story after all.
Sinclair	But I had to keep their curious eyes on me.
Sinclair	I knew for sure that I’d become an outcast the moment they looked away.
Sinclair	My dad… signed a contract with P Corp. They saw the technology he was working on and agreed to give their full support.
Sinclair	My goodness, just what was I thinking when I spilled that?
Sinclair	Out of the fear that I’d be isolated from my peers, I carelessly spelled my own ruin.
Sinclair	Maybe I was compelled by some childish urge, or an inherent desire to be recognized by the other students.
Sinclair	“Now Emil, this is a confidential agreement for our business. You mustn’t tell another soul.” His insistent reminder echoed in my head—I could see his face.
Reminisced Classmate	Whoa… Is that for real, Sinclair?
Reminisced Schoolmate	P Corp? Like that Wing?! Wow… I’m jealous.
Sinclair	I became the center of conversation in a split second. I can feel the stimulated eyes of the other kids in class drawn to me.
Sinclair	Superiority was pretty damn sweet.
Sinclair	I guess I was driven by a depraved craving for attention.
Reminisced Classmate	Oh right, Sinclair! Your procedure’s soon, isn’t it? Y’know, the prosthetics.
Sinclair	Y—Yeah, of course. They told me I’ll get the… newest model.
Sinclair	If they paid just a bit of attention to my face…
Sinclair	They’d have noticed the reluctance in my expression.
Sinclair	Fortunately, no one ever pointed it out.
Sinclair	A massive wave of guilt eventually washed over me after our break was over and I was finally left alone.
Sinclair	I was supposed to keep that a secret… What if Father finds out?
Sinclair	Ah…
Sinclair	Blood was leaking from my fingertip.
Sinclair	The bad habit of biting my nails whenever I felt anxious ended up hurting me.
Sinclair	I tried clipping them as short as I could to work on breaking it…
Sinclair	But I never considered that I might bite into my skin instead.
Sinclair	Watching blood droplets fall on the desk, I thought of something.
Sinclair	Once I graduate, I’ll get a prosthetic replacement…
Sinclair	And then I’ll never get hurt or see my blood ever again.
Sinclair	But… Is that really…
Kromer	You’re… bleeding.
Sinclair	Someone casts a shadow over my desk with a whimsical whistle.
Sinclair	She was a classmate I rarely talked to, so I could barely remember her name.
Sinclair	Flustered, I stuttered out my response awkwardly.
Sinclair	Wuh… What… was that?
Kromer	Listen, what you said earlier… Is it legit?
Sinclair	Um, y-yeah… It’s legit.
Kromer	I see. Your father must be a real big deal, isn’t he?
Sinclair	Yeah, uhm… I guess.
Sinclair	Her unexpected flattery has me embarrassed.
Sinclair	As if my father’s greatness were somehow my own.
Kromer	Though… Why did you make that face?
Sinclair	H—Huh?
Kromer	You know… You were thinking it to yourself.
Sinclair	Then she lowers her head and whispers for only me to hear.
Kromer	That it’s filthy.
Sinclair	My eyes widen.
Sinclair	Not just because I was surprised by how she knew what I was thinking…
Sinclair	But the fact that a total stranger like her had been able to figure out exactly what I’d been hiding.
Sinclair	H-How did you know?
Sinclair	I could’ve gotten away with it if I’d just denied her accusations, but tactlessly, I asked her that with a dumbfounded look on my face.
Kromer	Pffh… Because… I agree with you on that.
Sinclair	You… You agree?
Kromer	You can see a lot from those who are on the same wavelength as you.
Kromer	Nice to meet you. I’m Kromer.
Sinclair	Ever since then…
Sinclair	Kromer and I became friends who’d talk often.

Episode: 26
Sinclair	As a household rule, my family used to have breakfast at the same table every morning.
Sinclair	It was a pleasant time when our whole family would share stories and encouraging words.
Sinclair	I liked those mornings, that rule was ever so kind and gentle to my heart.
Sinclair	A natural and unchanging world that belonged to me. My world.
Sinclair	That world began to feel alienating one day…
Sinclair	The day when my sister sat at that table after her prosthetic transformation was complete.
Sinclair	My world had begun to change when my father’s head was replaced with an unfamiliar contraption of steel, circuits, and wires.
Sinclair	Our family breakfast no longer provided warmth and connection. It became an occasion of detachment where I talked less and less.
Sinclair	Ah… I had started to feel an inherent abhorrence for prostheses.
Sinclair	“That’s filthy…”
Sinclair	My heart couldn’t accept the idea of replacing one’s flesh and bones with something else, let alone the need for it.
Sinclair	Why do we use prosthetic bodies?
Sinclair	I carefully asked for an explanation, and the reply was simple.
Sinclair	The human body, in its unmodified state, is too “old-fashioned”.
Sinclair	It needs to be sustained with food, revitalized with sleep lest it should fail from fatigue, and injuries take a long time to heal.
Sinclair	All this makes the human body incredibly inefficient.
Sinclair	He concluded that prostheses will grow more commonplace as time goes on, and ultimately become a regular part of our daily lives.
Sinclair	I thought to myself:
Sinclair	“Why don’t I just fall behind the times then if that’s what the mainstream will be?”
Sinclair	…Though that wasn’t an argument rooted in logic.
Location: Classroom
Kromer	Yo, Sinclair… You don’t actually wanna take the replacement procedure, do you?
Sinclair	I nodded without a word.
Kromer	But your parents sure wouldn’t like it if you confessed that.
Kromer	Isn’t it frustrating that there’s nothing you can do about it?
Sinclair	I nod again.
Kromer	What if I helped you out? You could live a free life with no worries about any of that junk.
Sinclair	B-But, how?
Kromer	That, you’ll find out next time.
Kromer	In exchange…
Kromer	In return for helping you with your problem, you’ll help me deal with a grudge of my own too.

Episode: 27
Location: Classroom
Sinclair	One day, a new transfer student named Demian was placed in the class next to mine.
Sinclair	He was surrounded by a crowd every time I saw him.
Sinclair	But I got the sensation that he didn’t feel attached to anyone around him.
Sinclair	To me, he seemed as if he were almost floating in the air; he was aloof like that.
Sinclair	Likewise, he didn’t seem too interested in me, either.
Sinclair	That’s how it was at first, at least.
Sinclair	It happened during a boring engineering class.
Sinclair	My eyes kept drifting away from the board, and before I knew it, they were looking out the window instead.
Sinclair	Through that window, I saw him taking a walk.
Sinclair	Like usual, he was surrounded by his fellow students, wearing a faint smile.
Sinclair	Even his expression felt different from the kind someone his age should make; that smile carried a mature yet solitary aura.
Sinclair	Basking in the sunlight, he stroked his hair.
Sinclair	Huh?
Sinclair	I thought I caught a glimpse of some weird red thing on his forehead.
Sinclair	Was I mistaken? Maybe it was the blinding sunlight reflecting off his skin.
Sinclair	And then…
Sinclair	I had the feeling I made eye contact with him.
Demian	……
Sinclair	Some students were still chatting outside.
Sinclair	As soon as I felt his gaze, I quickly averted my eyes and looked down at my desk.
Sinclair	Ever since that strange incident, Demian started to talk to me in a friendly manner.
Sinclair	Oddly enough, on the days when Demian approached me, Kromer didn’t come to greet me.
Sinclair	Nevertheless, whenever she had a chance to, she’d come and make sure that I remembered our promise.
Location: Classroom
Demian	I often have this dream, Sinclair.
Demian	In it, I climb an endlessly long ladder. Then everything down below comes into view. The Nest, the Backstreets, the Outskirts, all of it.
Demian	And when I look beneath my feet, all the lights are out in the City, as if the end of all things had come.
Demian	Fallen into silent death, empty of any motion.
Demian	Indeed, it’s the state of death itself.
Sinclair	Demian, have you been to the Outskirts?
Sinclair	I whispered to him, frightened.
Sinclair	He was talking about a forbidden place where no one could or should go.
Demian	Sinclair, the world as people want to define it can’t be divided into places of where you should and shouldn’t go.
Demian	Do you think love and freedom can be found within the confines of this Nest? Compared to here, life is much richer in the Outskirts.
Demian	There’s something I’ve been pondering for a long time, and I thought that maybe that’s where I could find the answer.
Sinclair	Whenever I spoke with Demian, I could feel my soul mature a little.
Sinclair	But I never mentioned my fears about the upcoming prosthetic procedure or my peculiar relationship with Kromer.
Sinclair	Even though he wanted to know more about me, I was hesitant to share my secrets.
Sinclair	I was too ashamed to bear my deeply hidden fears before him.
Sinclair	And finally…
Sinclair	The promised day had come.
Kromer	Yo, Sinclair, can you show me your basement?
Sinclair	Her words struck me out of nowhere, yet they were as light as a feather.
Sinclair	She asked me that as though it were something as simple as picking up an eraser, and I almost caught myself agreeing to it.
Sinclair	W-Why our basement, exactly?
Kromer	If the rumor I just so happened to hear is right, your house is connected to a scandalous place. There’s something I’ve got to check.
Sinclair	But my parents…
Sinclair	“…won’t like it.” I couldn’t even bring myself to finish this humiliating sentence.
Kromer	If you let me check it out, Sinclair…
Kromer	I swear I’ll keep that promise with you, cross my heart.
Kromer	Just sneak me the basement key and I can navigate just fine…
Sinclair	Unable to detect the faint, familiar feeling hidden in her words, I slowly nodded…
Sinclair	Thus, the world of evil began there, right in the middle of our house.

Episode: 28
Sinclair	After stealing the key without my parents noticing, I took Kromer to the basement of my estate as I had promised.
Sinclair	From there, she led me to a dirty air vent.
Sinclair	Crawling in the unlit vent for a while, a dank, grimy odor and the sounds of small critters scuttling about assaulted my senses.
Sinclair	My clothes were stained with filth, my throat was parched, and I was overcome with the desire to go back.
Sinclair	That’s when I noticed that the smell my nose picked up had just changed from the stench so far.
Kromer	Can you feel it?
Sinclair	Kromer whispered to me.
Kromer	There’s something up ahead…!
Sinclair	This might have been the last chance I had to turn back.
Sinclair	It might have been better to dissuade her with all kinds of sweet placations to leave and come back later.
Sinclair	Even if I knew that empty flattery wouldn’t work on her.
Sinclair	But before I could try, a vile curiosity came over me.
Sinclair	I was entering a world where villains belonged for the first time.
Sinclair	And for some reason…
Sinclair	I gave up turning back.
Sinclair	All while knowing in my heart that I was squandering my last chance.
Sinclair	Oh, the loathsome sight I had to witness; it was something I couldn’t think to behold twice.
Sinclair	Could “monstrosity” be an apt description for what I saw?
Sinclair	It seemed too sentient for that, yet it also seemed decidedly wrong to say that it was even remotely human.
Sinclair	Huk… Guhgh…
Sinclair	Shuddering in fear, I started to regret stepping into this world.
Sinclair	Sinclair, you idiot, look at yourself. Hoping by some miracle to get another chance right after you’ve wasted it.
Sinclair	Along with my regret, I had the feeling that I’d never forget what I saw that day until the moment I die.
Sinclair	K—Kro…mer… I… I’ve gotta go back…
Sinclair	On the other hand, Kromer was enraptured.
Sinclair	She was mesmerized by the scene, watching intently as though she had made a discovery of a lifetime.
Kromer	……
Sinclair	Leaving Kromer all enamored to herself, I crawled backward for the exit.
Sinclair	Why is my basement connected to such a horrid place?
Sinclair	How did Kromer know this?
Sinclair	Why isn’t she scared, either?
Sinclair	I could almost hear Kromer’s spine-chilling whistles with the wind blowing from behind.
Sinclair	The very next day, Kromer came to school as if nothing had happened.
Kromer	Sinclair, thank you so much more for showing me precious things.
Kromer	Take these as my thanks.
Sinclair	She handed two mysterious coins to me.
Kromer	Always keep them at your side. Got it?
Sinclair	All I could do was nod.
Sinclair	Since then, the things I saw in that vent constantly haunted my mind.
Sinclair	And I began to consciously avoid Kromer.
Sinclair	I could picture myself involuntarily trembling in terror just by looking at her.
Sinclair	But there was something I needed to take back from her.
Sinclair	The basement key.
Sinclair	My parents could find out at any moment. One minute of sorting the keys is all it would take.
Sinclair	For the first time, I betrayed my parents living in a world of warmth…
Sinclair	I was afraid that my deviation from their world would end up becoming an irrefutable fact.
Sinclair	Kromer… Won’t you give it back now?
Kromer	Give back what?
Sinclair	The… basement key…
Kromer	…Pft.
Sinclair	I mustered the courage to ask one day.
Sinclair	Kromer burst into laughter, as though she didn’t expect this from me. Intimidated, I slowly stepped back.
Kromer	Pwahahaha!!! Oh, and here I was wondering what you were struggling so hard to say…
Kromer	Fine, you can have it, Sinclair. We don’t need the key anymore.
Kromer	And besides…
Kromer	Your grudge will most certainly bear fruit, Sinclair. You didn’t want to get your procedure, right?
Kromer	You remember our promise? You fulfilled my grudge, so it’s only fair that I pay you back.
Sinclair	I was too absorbed in the relief of getting my key back to realize what Kromer was really talking about, and I curse my ignorance for it.
Sinclair	About what Kromer’s “we” really meant.
Sinclair	About why she said it’s not needed any more, and how she was going to fulfill my grudge…
Sinclair	I didn’t think to question a single thing, and for that…
Sinclair	I regret my inaction; I curse my foolishness.

Episode: 29
Demian	So you ended up giving Kromer the key.
Sinclair	How do you know that?
Sinclair	Demian had this ability to get a grip on things I’d never mentioned to him.
Sinclair	When I asked him about it, he just said it's “something you learn by carefully observing others”, and didn’t elaborate further.
Demian	Sinclair, a series of much more painful events may await you in the future.
Demian	But you mustn’t give up.
Demian	That pain will foster your growth into a beautiful being.
Sinclair	No matter how complicated and perplexing those statements seemed, Demian’s mystic charm made them all sound convincing.
Sinclair	Listening to his speech gave me the hope that I could really grow. I was hopeful that I could become a worthy being.
Sinclair	Yeah… But I don’t really get it though, Demian.
Demian	It’s up to you to find out. Make sure to tell me your answer when you do.
Sinclair	His voice was soft, and his eyes imparted pleasantness, but I still felt compelled to do as he said.
Sinclair	His eyes must have held some kind of power.
Sinclair	Disarming those who make eye contact with him, sapping them of mental strength.
Sinclair	But…
Sinclair	If that’s the case, why didn’t he warn me?
Sinclair	It’s something I still ask myself to this day.

Episode: 30
Sinclair	It was Christmas Eve, and the whole town was filled with jingles and joy.
Sinclair	Under the blessing of the holy night, I was planning to confess my sin to my family.
Sinclair	I wanted to tell them that I made the foolish mistake of stealing the basement key and that I’d go back to being a good son.
Sinclair	That the short time I spent away from the right path was agonizing. That I learned how peaceful and fulfilling the world I’d been living in truly was.
Sinclair	My family might be surprised at first, but I was sure they’d welcome me back into their paradise.
Sinclair	That was how it should’ve been.
Sinclair	However…
Sinclair	Huh…?
Sinclair	I was supposed to hear a robot dog greet me when I stood at the gate, but my home was covered in silence and darkness.
Sinclair	When I walked inside, I was confronted with a fallen paradise.
Sister	Sinclair… Run…
Father	Si… Sincl… S-S-Sisisi―
Sinclair	Someone smashes my father’s head.
Sinclair	It’s a disturbing individual wearing rusty silver armor.
???	How unsightly of these non-humans to still admire humanity and display false emotion.
Kromer	Let those impure things be, Guido. It’s their survival instincts kicking in.
Kromer	Or should I say… they’re scared of shutting down? Haha!
Sinclair	Pieces of metal, flesh, and blood fly into the air before hitting the floor.
Kromer	Sinclair! You’re here!!!
Sinclair	Ah… Ahh…
Sinclair	Kromer approaches, carrying a hammer stained with blood and flesh.
Kromer	Oh, this thing?
Kromer	Ever since I was little, I couldn’t stand being involved with filthy affronts to humanity like these.
Kromer	Because I’m a humanitarian who loves all things human!
Kromer	Now imagine how it feels to face the son of a pack of those affronts to humanity…
Kromer	Just what should I do with you, Sinclair? Hmm?
Sinclair	My legs have long given up.
Sinclair	My mouth couldn’t move. It was as if my whole body refused to cooperate.
Sinclair	I saw Kromer standing right before me. I couldn’t dare look up. Terror kicked in with the realization that she was so close to me, and my eyes shut themselves tight.
Sinclair	The thought that the same hammer that crushed my father, mother, and sister would now come for me was unbearable.
Sinclair	……
Sinclair	But nothing happened.
Sinclair	Confused, I carefully opened my eyes and lifted my head.
Sinclair	Kromer was watching me.
Sinclair	Making a perfect smile just like the one she’d made when she first came to my desk and told me her name.
Kromer	Well, you are my hero, Sinclair.
Sinclair	She then reaches into the pocket on my school shirt and takes out a coin.
Sinclair	It’s one of the two she handed me the other day.
Kromer	From now on… You’ll doubt everything, be anxious of everything… and live in ever-constant terror as your memories of me haunt you.
Sinclair	Nhh… Ungh…
Kromer	And, when the time comes… I will call for you.
Kromer	Hey! Someone take this kid to safety! Lay a finger on him and I’ll make you regret it.
Sinclair	Amidst the piercing noise, storms of heavy footsteps, and disorientation…
Sinclair	I lost consciousness.

Episode: 31
Location: Middle of an Alleyway
Sinclair	When I came to my senses, I found myself in an alleyway at midday, heated by the sun.
Sinclair	I stayed there on the ground, dazed and confused.
Sinclair	I could see a haze rise from the surface.
Demian	Sinclair. A crack has been made in your world.
Sinclair	I felt like I was starting to understand what the strange feeling I often got from Demian was.
Sinclair	I always found it weird how I never heard his footsteps.
Sinclair	Why does everything arrive in desolate silence as if it belongs to no world at all?
Sinclair	The loss of my family, the world of evil, all this despair…
Sinclair	And you, too.
Demian	Are you scared, Sinclair?
Sinclair	He spoke to me.
Sinclair	He had the eyes of a person who saw through everything, and the attitude of someone who predicted this series of events.
Sinclair	He didn’t even wait for me to reply, like he knew what I was going to say.
Demian	One day, you’ll break it altogether and soar.
Demian	And I… wish to see you completely bare.
Sinclair	He responded as if he already knew the answer I was hesitating on.
Sinclair	Although his words seemed to radiate warmth…
Sinclair	I felt a certain chill, like biting into the cold insides of a half-cooked turkey…
Sinclair	I couldn’t help but fall unconscious again.

Episode: 32
Location: Unending Hill of Corpses
Kromer	Well? Sinclair? Were you able to find an answer in your heart’s path?
Sinclair	…Kromer.
Kromer	Ahaha, don’t give me that look.
Kromer	It’s not even time yet…
Kromer	You’re making me want to kill you.
Kromer	Ahu… No, no. I should abstain… I can’t let immediate entertainment distract me from the more important things.
Faust	Sinclair, the only way to retrieve a Golden Bough that’s begun to resonate is…
Sinclair	I know.
Sinclair	Even if it weren’t for our mission…
Sinclair	I’d still tear that bitch to pieces… and drink up her remains.
Kromer	Pfh… Ahahaha!!
Kromer	Kuhuu… Oh, Sinclair…! When did you learn to act so tough? That’s not like you at all… What a riot… Pfft.
Kromer	Still… Well, I guess you’ve made some friends since then.
Kromer	You won’t run away this time, will you?
Location: Unending Hill of Corpses
The Sinners were fatigued and damaged, some already dead.
As opposed to us, Kromer still stands triumphantly. She reaches for the inside of Sinclair’s coat in what seems like a declaration of his fate.
Kromer	Now then, it’s time, Sinclair.
Kromer	I’ll be taking the second coin… your last chance.
Sinclair	Why are you… doing this to me…
Sinclair	Why… me…
Kromer	Sinclair, do you wanna know why I gave you back the basement key when you asked?
Kromer	Listen close. It’s not because I’d made my discovery or baked a copy of it.
Kromer	It’s because you were my key.
Kromer	You see, I happen to know of a way to take a peek at the futures that might come true.
Kromer	I saw one among them where you and I travel from Nest to Nest, slaughtering heretics together all around the City.
Kromer	Even though you were raised by heretics bearing revolting metal bodies…
Kromer	Part of you still felt disgusted by them. Funny, isn’t it?
Kromer	You would stab them in the head with your halberd!
Sinclair	D-Don’t you lie to me…
Kromer	While I smash their heads with a hammer!
Sinclair	Stop it…!
Kromer	Ahaha… In that world, you looked like the freest person in the universe, transcending everything.
Sinclair	No…
Sinclair	You’re lying!!!
Kromer	Whether I’m lying or not…
Kromer	Ufu.
Kromer suddenly cracked a wry laugh and stopped moving.
Dante	<The Golden Bough…!>
The Golden Bough on the altar resonated with her cackle, and began to glow brighter.
Then…
Kromer	Aah…! It’s begun… At last, my final grudge will be fulfilled!
A mass of flesh engulfs her lower half.
From the hideous organic growth, bundles of ambiguous appendages stretch outward in countless numbers.
As if desire and madness were made manifest…
Kromer	Come… Sinclair.
Kromer	Rip me up and chew me down.
Kromer	If you can, that is… Keheh.
Location: Unending Hill of Corpses
The fleshy hill exuded potent acid, melting Sinclair’s legs. All the other Sinners were being dissolved by the caustic secretion too.
He trips and hits the ground. No, perhaps I should say he was thrown off his feet.
In spite of that, he still crawls towards Kromer.
Kromer	Yes! That’s it! It hurts, doesn’t it? You’re filled with rage, aren’t you? Accept it all! Welcome it with open arms!
Kromer	And watch me! Watch my glorious body, closer to the purest form of humanity than ever before! This flesh here! The sheer, unmatched strength of purity!
Kromer	Ahh, Sinclair… Look at how human you are! You can become like me too!
Sinclair	I’ll… You’re…
Kromer	Sinclair, you were scared all along, weren’t you? You lost your family, and you had to ride a bus with these strangers, forced to do things you didn’t want.
Kromer	You knew in your heart that you didn’t belong there, right?
Kromer	Didn’t you want to run? Didn’t you want to quit it all? Am I wrong?
Sinclair	I swear, I…
Kromer	Join me, Sinclair! Don’t avoid this, embrace it! Complete my grudge!
The arm Sinclair was using to hold his weapon was growing limp by the second.
He nevertheless continues in Kromer’s direction.
Kromer	You must accept the pain! Only when we have transcended suffering itself can we be reborn!
Kromer	Bloat the flesh, spill the blood! Adding on the most human things each second!
Kromer	To the purest world where the impurities plaguing the city of all folks have been filtered out!
Sinclair	Mama… Papa… Sis…
Sinclair vacantly mutters, looking at the faces of his now dead fellow Sinners.
I couldn’t leave him like this.
Dante	<Sinclair! Listen to me!>
I’m embarrassed that it took me so long to take action, but it was better late than never.
Act like the manager I am.
Dante	<I know you think a lot! I know there’s a lot going on in your head that you can’t share with others!>
That’s how he was.
Worried that he might be a burden, he constantly put his mind through doubts and ruminations, most of which he never let on about.
He’s chewed up many a thought in the form of guilt.
Sinclair	My family died because of me…
Sinclair	I said stuff I really shouldn’t have…
Kromer	Exactly! It’s all your fault—so embrace it! That’s the way to become wholly reborn!
Kromer	Follow me… and rest in my grip!
Dante	<Don’t listen to her!>
Dante	<You have to see! Look at her! Observe her carefully!>
Alas, my voice didn’t seem to reach him.
Sinclair	Ah…
Sinclair’s weapon leaves his hand and lands on the ground.
His advance for Kromer has stopped.
Yep, looks like this is the end for us.
I can feel my body melting into the mound.
I knew I’d die trying to play the proper manager sooner or later.
But…
Dante	<Sinclair…>
I have to tell him more.
I have to tell him that Kromer’s spewing a heap of lies, threats, hypocrisy, and exaggeration.
Every nerve in my body is screaming that I shouldn’t give up on him.
I can feel the burning pain of my melting body…
Dante	<Look, look closely! Sinclair!>
Dante	<Not with your eyes, but with your heart!>
I screech at Sinclair.
Dante	<Only then… will you see what matters most.>
Demian	Only then… will you see what matters most.
In that moment…
Someone quietly appeared.
Demian	And when you can see the things that matter most…
Demian	You won’t have to stifle yourself with shallow threats or cheap tricks.
Demian	…Isn’t that right, Sinclair?
He moved with grace and airiness, as though he floated in the air.
He seemed lighter than anyone else, unbound by anything.
Contrary to his impression of freedom from all worldly longings, an oppressive air seemed to accompany every step he took.
And, with just a wave of his right arm…
Kromer’s upper body vanished in a clean cut.

Episode: 33
Location: Unending Hill of Corpses
Sinclair	D… Demian…
Demian	You’ve changed your own fate, Sinclair.
Demian	Right now, you’re neither a coward nor a hero. But you’ve still yet to let go of your fears completely.
Demian	I’ve said it before, haven’t I? “When you fear someone…”
Sinclair	“That’s because… you gave them the power to have control over you…”
Demian	That’s right. And I… don’t want anyone else to domineer over you.
Demian	Which is why I got rid of that Kromer.
The man referred to as Demian then started to walk. He took airy steps as though he were embarking on a light trip.
Demian	The world is about to head for a new birth. And, only a few individuals can get there.
Demian	Sinclair, you’re one of them.
Sinclair fainted before he could answer…
Demian slowly made his way over to me.
Demian	Kromer… attempted to become a god, like those which people of the past were said to believe in. Sinclair almost became her stepping stone.
Demian	In the end, though, one has to break an egg on their own.
Demian	Kromer put in quite a bit of effort, doing this and that to create a throwback to the time when Sinclair lost his first coin.
Demian	Irregardless of the fact that Christmas is still a while away…
Demian	It’s ironic that they resorted to creating false imagery, something they loathed so deeply. Don’t you think so?
Dante	<What are you talking about? Who are you?>
Demian	A pleasure to meet you, Dante.
Demian	So, you’re the adult who will condition Sinclair at the moment.
Demian	As for who I am…
Demian	And for what I was talking about; you’ll see in due time.
Dante	<…?!>
Demian	When Sinclair takes flight with unshakable faith in the power of the heart…
Demian	Right. When he becomes one with beautiful stars…
Demian	…That is when I’ll return.
Demian	Take good care of Sinclair until then, Dante.
Dante	<You… You can hear me?>
Demian	I can hear all sorts of chirps and trills, Dante. It’s only natural that I hear your voice.
Demian	As always…
Demian	What matters most is something you can’t see or hear.
The boy with a blue scarf vanished without notice…
After that, the mounds began to melt away.
They dissolve into mixtures of flesh and mud.
With them gone, a single Golden Bough appeared before me, spreading its warm light.
Sinclair’s world was gradually melting with the hills.
I excruciatingly drag what’s left of my upper body across the floor to reach Sinclair.
Sinclair	……
He was still breathing.
And so was I; I figured I should still be able to turn the clock.
Thus, that means I’m still their manager, and I should act like one.
Plus, as I learned in my dying moments…
I have to strive to become a more sensible manager.
With all that, I need to tell him…
Dante	<It might have been your fault, Sinclair.>
Dante	<But that’s okay, really… It’s one small mistake—one anyone could make.>
Dante	<Don’t beat yourself up so much about it.>
I pat him on the back with my half-melted right arm.
Sinclair doesn’t reply.
To be truthful, trying to identify someone to blame all this on would be a never-ending endeavor.
From each of us going and carrying our sins onto the bus.
To my loss of head and memory, accompanied by an involuntary appointment as the executive manager.
…At the root of all this, I might find no one but myself to blame.
Staying bound by that fact, though, will only keep us from taking our next steps.
???	…We found ‘em!
I can hear multiple footsteps approaching our horribly incapacitated team.
…Vergilius must’ve figured we’d get into a mess and called the After Team to scoop us off the ground.
???	This looks like the individual we seek. Do I inject it now?
???	The others can be revived as long as this one lives. Focus all resources on restoring their body.
Dante	<Hrk…?!>
I felt a jab in my shoulder, and then a strange sensation enveloped the parts of my body that had melted off.
???	We were provided three HP ampules. Do I use all three on them?
???	Keep an eye on the regeneration progress and use them at your discretion.
???	Lucky straphangers… They’re rolling in luxury thanks to having a Color on their team—one with a friend in K Corp at that, too…
???	…ction …firmed. Addi…
The voices around me start to fade.
Sinclair’s bawling lamentation dimly rings through the emptiness.
Our third mission marked its sober end in dismal defeat.
Location: Aboard Mephistopheles
Even though we recovered the Golden Bough, we lost.
On the other hand, the bus was more vibrant than usual, possibly out of everyone’s attempts to disregard the depressing outcome.
Vergilius	I bought enough chicken kebabs for all of you to have one, so if anyone didn’t get theirs, go and put your detective caps on by yourselves.
Hong Lu	Such curious cuisine. What is the intention of skewering chicken meat with a stick?
Yi Sang	I may be familiar with this kind of dish… a kkochi of the dak variety.
Charon	A sweet smell. The kind Mephi likes.
Stimulated, Charon revved the engine.
Charon was humming another familiar tune. I could recognize the song this time.
Gregor	Charon, isn’t Christmas still a long ways off?
Charon	Don’t put a damper on Charon’s fun, Bug Guy.
Charon	If Charon feels like it’s Christmas, then that’s that.
Gregor	Bu— C’mon, I called you by your name for once!
Rodion	Well, why don’tcha settle the score by giving her a “bus girlie” then~ Y’know, tit-for-tat and all that?
Gregor	Grrr…
Vergilius	……
Vergilius was watching the scene unfold, leaving his food to cool and hardly taking a bite even though he was the one who bought it all.
Perhaps he’s gone quiet because of Charon’s song.
It does come to mind that he said she was going through a tunnel.
And then…
I turned my gaze to Sinclair, who was awkwardly laughing amongst the other Sinners.
Dante	<If we’re going through a long tunnel…>
Dante	<Then what we do is wait for the morning to arrive, right?>
Vergilius	……
Rodion	Ahahaha! What was that about, Dante? Drop the goofy poetry and have a kebab! C’mon! Say aah~
Meursault	Our manager has no mouth.
Outis	The executive manager has no need for a mouth as they’re perfectly capable of commanding us without a word. Do keep that in mind.
Ishmael	Golly… Don’t you ever get tired of licking their boot so clean, Outis?
Heathcliff	Oi! …Got more of this scran? It’s peak.
Ryoshu	Heyo, BG. Gimme a light.
Gregor	…Thought I wouldn’t know what that’s short for?
I thought about giving a speech to the Sinners about how this fruitful yet unsuccessful mission changed my mindset…
But I soon shelved the idea.
I told Sinclair to not let a failure of the moment bind him, after all.
Instead, I’ve resolved to make up for this less than ideal outcome on our next mission.
Don Quixote	May I… have thine attention, Red— I mean, Sir Vergilius.
Vergilius	What.
Don Quixote	I do believe I have acted with sufficient caution as you so hath warned…
Don Quixote	Thusly… if I may, would you allow me to lay claim upon a skewer?
Vergilius	…Go right ahead.
As Don Quixote’s excited jubilation adds a layer of vigor to the already lively bus…
The message I couldn’t speak—but one I’m sure has been conveyed in one way or another—spreads between us.
…And so the morning came.
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