Branch K-02, part 12 (after battle)
D… Demian…
You've changed your own fate, Sinclair.
Right now, you're neither a coward nor a hero. But you've still yet to let go of your fears completely.
I've said it before, haven't I? "When you fear someone…"
"That's because… you gave them the power to have control over you…"
That's right. And I… don't want anyone else to domineer over you.
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.
The world is about to head for a new birth. And, only a few individuals can get there.
Sinclair, you're one of them.
Sinclair fainted before he could answer…
Demian slowly made his way over to me.
Kromer… attempted to become a god, like those which people of the past were said to believe in. Sinclair almost became her stepping stone.
In the end, though, one has to break an egg on their own.
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.
Irregardless of the fact that Christmas is still a while away…
It's ironic that they resorted to creating false imagery, something they loathed so deeply. Don't you think so?
<What are you talking about? Who are you?>
A pleasure to meet you, Dante.
So, you're the adult who will condition Sinclair at the moment.
As for who I am…
And for what I was talking about; you'll see in due time.
<…?!>
When Sinclair takes flight with unshakable faith in the power of the heart…
Right. When he becomes one with beautiful stars…
…That is when I'll return.
Take good care of Sinclair until then, Dante.
<You… You can hear me?>
I can hear all sorts of chirps and trills, Dante. It's only natural that I hear your voice.
As always…
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.
……
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…
<It might have been your fault, Sinclair.>
<But that's okay, really… It's one small mistake - one anyone could make.>
<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.
<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.
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.
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.
Such curious cuisine. What is the intention of skewering chicken meat with a stick?
I may be familiar with this kind of dish… a kkochi of the dak variety.
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.
Charon, isn't Christmas still a long ways off?
Don't put a damper on Charon's fun, Bug Guy.
If Charon feels like it's Christmas, then that's that.
Bu - C'mon, I called you by your name for once!
Well, why don'tcha settle the score by giving her a "bus girlie" then~ Y'know, tit-for-tat and all that?
Grrr…
……
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.
<If we're going through a long tunnel…>
<Then what we do is wait for the morning to arrive, right?>
……
Ahahaha! What was that about, Dante? Drop the goofy poetry and have a kebab! C'mon! Say aah~
Our manager has no mouth.
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.
Golly… Don't you ever get tired of licking their boot so clean, Outis?
Oi! …Got more of this scran? It's peak.
Heyo, BG. Gimme a light.
…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.
May I… have thine attention, Red - I mean, Sir Vergilius.
What.
I do believe I have acted with sufficient caution as you so hath warned…
Thusly… if I may, would you allow me to lay claim upon a skewer?
…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.