Casino (before battle)
The vibe inside the bus wasn't all that lively.
I could hear Rodya's occasional quips and a raucous Heathcliff starting pointless quarrels with someone - probably Don Quixote or Sinclair...
... as well as Ryōshū demanding a light for her cigarette, having run out of lighter fluid.
Normally, Gregor would've been the Sinner I'd rely on to bring about some much-needed levity amid such gripes and disorder…
……
But now, he was one of the quietest.
He was just staring out through the window, seemingly lost in deep thought.
……
One thing was for sure, though:
If anyone were to blame for trashing the mood on the bus, it'd be Vergilius.
The journey to retrieve the Golden Bough was an awfully arduous one,
putting us on the brink of death (and some past that) more than several times, not to mention the occasional crises that almost had us getting kicked out of the company.
Yet Vergilius refused to put himself in our shoes.
Given everything going on, it's hardly surprising that the bus is thick with the Sinners' bottled-up frustration.
In the end, Ishmael, who'd had enough of it, finally decided to speak up.
The least you can do is let us know where our next destination is, you know?
Oh, sorry about that.
I was wondering whether briefing the mission to you fools would be worth the effort.
Ouch, that hurts. Don't you know kids who fall behind need extra care?
Then I can't help but plead for you to not embarrass me this time.
I sure don't want to look like a teacher taking a bunch of grade-schoolers out for a picnic.
I have high hopes for you in particular, Rodion. You might just make a good guide for this tour.
Huh? Sure, I know I'm pretty exceptional, but I'm not sure what I can do to guide the team in a place I've never been to.
Not to worry. You'll definitely more than feel at home in our next destination.
The Nest of hedonism, a place where you can either hit the jackpot or rock bottom, with very little in between:
J Corp.
……
Great, even Rodya's clammed up now.
Well, I suppose it wouldn't be so bad to hit it big while we're at it.
Oi, someone wake me up when we're there.
Unfortunately, the bus will not be dropping you off at the branch entrance this time, dear passenger.
Charon, park the bus.
……
… ? Charon?
What's "park"?
It means stop.
Stops are red. Red tastes bad to Charon.
Muttering under her breath, Charon hit the brakes without warning, sending most of the Sinners flying face-first into the seats ahead while the rest were thrown to the ground.
And I was not an exception.
A cacophony of complaints and shouts erupted,
and while I couldn't clearly catch what the Sinners were yelling...
... I'd wager a good half of them were profanities, so perhaps it was for the best that I couldn't make them out.
Aren't we bursting with energy today? Good. Now get off.
Hmm... but it looks like we've still got quite a distance to cover... Ah! Are you going to call a taxi for us?
... Miss Faust will give you the full rundown, but be aware that this mission is going to be quite different from the last one, Dante.
This is because you are to retrieve the Golden Bough...
... from the underground floor of a casino.
Do you mean to tell us that it's somewhere among the brightly lit buildings lined up at the center of that street?
Correct. It's one of the buildings there.
The Lobotomy Branch Facility we infiltrated last time was one that had been neglected for quite a while.
So you mean that… that was the exception?
See, it's times like this that remind me this team is not exactly short on critical thinkers… which only makes me wonder how your last mission ended up such a disastrous failure.
……
The Golden Bough is a potent energy source, holding the essence of many technological marvels.
With energy that powerful, people and money are sure to follow - laying the groundwork for an entire civilization before you know it.
Ergo, it's likely that our future destinations will have been occupied by other factions and organizations as well.
... Which, in turn, indicates that we should be prepared to also visit a wide variety of venues in addition to this casino.
It also means that your first mission was the easy one. Makes it all the more baffling how you turned a guaranteed success into a defeat.
<... Is he always this petty and vindictive?>
... Ahem.
Beats me~ We've only had a bit more time with him than you have.
What'd he say again? Something like, "Welcome to Limbus Company. I'm your guide, Vergilius" and all that…
Hah! Pretty good impression, wasn't it?
Gotta admit, he definitely has that bossy, overbearing tone. Nearly made me want to quit on the spot.
<I get the feeling the rest of you had the same thought, more or less.>
Nonsense! 'Twas a day to go down in history! To be summoned into service by the Red Gaze himself! Truly, there is no honor greater than a Color addressing your―
Huh, I guess he does have a fan among us after all.
*chuckle* Looks like it.
Rodya and Gregor started snickering to themselves, their mood noticeably improving.
I'm hearing far too much unnecessary chatter. Don't give me a reason to add a third rule on this bus.
Come on, that's just plain petty. Employees need some space to vent about their boss, y'know?
Next time, do it out of the earshot of your petty boss.
I'm more fragile than I look, you see.
Right, time to get up and move. I sure hope to see you return with a Golden Bough in your hands this time.
And if we bugger it twice?
Who knows? Charon might suddenly forget which button opens the door to let you in.
Button, red. Yucky color.
... He's a complete psycho, this bloke...
U.I.T.G.A.A.N.
And that means?
Shorthand for "Useless idiotic travelers go and abscond, now."
Heathcliff shot Ryōshū a glare as though he was ready to unload a barrage of insults at her... before deflating with a long, loud sigh.
He backed down in a way that wasn't quite like his usual self, seemingly accepting the fact that caving her skull in with that bat of his wouldn't accomplish anything.