The Hierarch of Hongyuan (before battle)

Let flourish from my back the pinions of flight,

To chase the parting blossoms, their wilting voyage a sky-high plight.

Ah, where at the edge of heaven does it lie, this flower-mound?

I bury you today, for you have passed on

But when will I be buried when I am gone?

I bury the petals, under people's mocking laughter

But who shall be burying me then, in the thereafter?

No one will cry at my burial-mound.

For, as morning springs die and blossoms wilt

They all float away and turn to silt.

Alrighty, boys and gals! Grab your cups, on my mark~

Ahem, long may Xichun reign, the Family Hierarch!

Long may she reign!

Once all the guests had taken their seats, the banquet hall became packed, crowded, and chaotic.

... Except for where we were sitting.

... L-long may she reign!

C'mon, guys~ Really? No one joined in on that cheer? We gotta celebrate the occasion! Stuff ourselves with gourmet food, play games, get wasted... How else are we gonna recharge for the next mission?

Yet... I have...

Ugh~ Oh, right. I wonder if Saude's written something to congratulate us?

Heya, hey! Did anyone send us a letter or something?

...? We haven't even received any notes, let alone a letter...

Tsk, rude. We're the team that came in second, ya know~?

Rodya grumbled. I wasn't sure whether it was this poor servant or the oddly silent Saude she was calling rude.

Baoyu... are you hurt? Any scratches?

No, I am unhurt.

I was so anxious throughout the Evaluation... Just what errant fancy has taken hold of you to risk yourself in such a dangerous ordeal...?

So... how did you get to the banquet hall?

Aha! Thou wishest to hear our tale, then? Forsooth, were I to bestow a title upon this adventure, I would call it IN WHICH LIMBUS COMPANY CLAIMETH A MOST GLORIOUS HONOR OF ATTAINING THE RANKING OF THE RUNNER-UP IN A CONTEST OF MIGHT AND WIT! Now, worry thee not, for this tale shan't consume overmuch of thy time. To recount a few highlights of this adventure~

One might call attention to the merciless march of walls closing in! Verily, some might even recall the interminable onslaught of rival candidates! Yet these triflings have all failed to smite us down, for... we! Are!

... It seems that she has misunderstood my... question. My intent was to ask by which means of travel you have come here.

Aha. We took a palanquin, mother.

... I see. Then I suppose you are yet to have visited the revered Xianren?

Shouldn't you... pay your visits to them first... don't you... think?

They must be so anxiously waiting for you, to hear about you.

Yes, I'll visit them soon.

Though I don't believe they're exactly waiting to hear about me.

So... you've come back safely.

Daiyu~! You're okay!

Yes, I've gotten much better.

As luck would have it, the injury was not so severe as to require using the Life Insurance.

So… what are the circumstances that led to you sitting here?

Aha! If thou wishest to hear the tale in which - Ah, uh...

Ahem... we were carried... by a palanquin.

... Come again?

Don Quixote, I think she's actually asking us how we managed to come in second place.

... Aha, verily!?

Yes, that was indeed my question. Please tell me what has transpired during the game, if you wouldn't mind.

Then...?

Yeah, yeah. Feel free to get the ball rolling.

Muahaha, eheh... Then I shall do as thou askest! Ere embarking upon this tale, one must first explore...

... how we were made to convene in the fated chamber along with Jia Qiu! ...And Jia Huan, that discourteous cur. Thereafter -

... the dialogues complete, Jia Qiu, all of a sudden...

... departeth the chamber, taking his entire retinue alongside him! A most puzzling decision, wouldst thou not say?!

Oi! Quit screamin' every bloody sentence in my ear!

Ahem... thus... uhm... at the climactic finale...

... we were the only ones left in that room.

Alone with over one-hundred coins that Jia Qiu had left behind...

... as he and Jia Huan both suddenly elected to forfeit from the game.

W-well... what now?

At this strange turn of events, we all stood around aghast and dumbfounded.

Even Ishmael was stuttering, just as confounded and lost as anyone else was about what happened.

So... claiming these coins is going to shoot us up to the top of the leaderboard, right...?

B-but why...? Why'd he dump all these coins on us?

Lass, you know this is the fifth time you've asked that exact same question, yeah?

Hm... I don't have a clue, either. Brother Jia Qiu really is hard to read...

I see that your expression has grown a touch brighter, Hong Lu.

... Has it?

Mm. Perhaps something has been unshackled from within.

I just didn't think I'd ever say anything like that.

... is kindness.

To be kind is to care about one another, to embrace those who suffer.

It is to cry alongside a grieving friend. It is to join in laughter when they are elated with joy.

It needs the warmth of kindness and gentleness.

…….

Your words...

... flow like a vast, winding river that wishes to bring all of existence into its gentle embrace.

I thought...

I thought I'd already let all of it flow past me a long, long time ago.

Hong Lu's expression had changed, just as Yi Sang observed. There was a degree of surprise shown toward something new, but... it was also the smile of someone whose burden had suddenly been lifted.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that we'd find ourselves enough coins to come in second place, let alone first.

... Hey, that reminds me.

At that moment, I'm pretty sure we were all thinking of the same person.

Wait, there's someone out there who's still trying her damnedest to become the Family Hierarch.

And she still hasn't given up.

Gyah...! Huff, huff... Holy crap, I almost got pancaked...

Are you alright, my lady?

... The heck are you guys doing here?

<Hi, we've been looking for you.>

What... what? Somebody translate, please?

Why's everyone giving me that funny look?!

Some time later...

You're... just giving me all these coins?

Totes~ We're cool now, right? No hard feelings?

Xichun and Wei couldn't appear more serious if they tried, despite Rodya's chummy attempts at breaking the ice.

…….

What… what the hell is this? Is this your way of showing pity? What kind of -

Here's what I think happened, Xichun.

Brother Qiu isn't trying to seat me as the next Hierarch by giving me all these coins.

I believe he gave them to me because he's anticipating that I'd put them to good use.

So no, this isn't pity.

I just feel like they'd find more use in your hands than in mine.

…….

Don't... don't you dare presume this'll suddenly make us even.

You... owe me much, much more than this, brother. You owe me time.

... My lady expresses her nigh-unutterably fathomless gratitude.

Normally, Xichun would get irritated whenever Wei butted in, but she appeared to have grown calmer. Much calmer.

…….

Instead of lashing out with her usual exasperation, she only stared at the tall pile of coins with a quiet but conflicted look.

Funny.

Now that I'm looking at these piles of coins, it feels like…

It feels like I'm looking at all the rooms of Daguanyuan. I used to hate that sight so much as a kid…

... but I eventually grew out of that feeling. Stopped minding that scenery.

I guess that's when... I guess that's when I decided to leave Daguanyuan, too.

The Family Hierarch, huh...

Can I... can I really be a good Hierarch to Hongyuan?

Yes, you can.

...There you go again. For once, think before you speak.

Time to get up, Xichun.

The Family Hierarch Evaluation will end soon.

… What are you doing, Heathcliff?

Givin' that camera the finger. What are they gonna do, disqualify me? Game's over, you twits.

Alas! With eyes shut, with my mind's focus sharply upon that image, the vision cometh to me! Oh, there cometh the roaring applause...!

There was no audience, no applause, nor dramatic stage lights to celebrate our success, but...

... we still managed to neatly and comfortably secure both first and second place nonetheless.

Which means that we managed to successfully complete our objective here at the Family Hierarch war.

... Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.

Gregor, who took the reins of Don Quixote's epic retelling after she left mid-explanation to share her adventurous tales with the servants, finished the story.

... I see. So it was Jia Qiu...

I'm still having some trouble understanding the choice he made. Why'd he just give it all away?

Perhaps the part of Jia Qiu's past we witnessed...

... and the life he lived beyond the hedges of Daguanyuan, of which we do not know...

... have created this schism of understanding between us. The same kind of separation responsible for my misunderstanding.

I initially thought he was just some dangerous guy with a lot of hatred in him, but...

... there's definitely something else going on under the surface. It doesn't seem like he's here only to take revenge against Daguanyuan, either...

But... I doubt he never considered vengeance. I'm sure he's killed those who took his family away from him again and again in his head.

Maybe... maybe he still hasn't let go of it completely.

It must take a lot of effort to keep all of that simmering resentment under the surface.

Sinclair muttered in a placid, yet almost imperceptibly trembling voice.

Yeah, I've got no clue what's goin' on in that bloke's mind, but...

He didn't seem like the type to give up so easily.

I agree. We should continue to stay vigilant of his presence.

Well, anyhoo!

What really matters is that Xichun's gonna be the next Hierarch!

And not only that, we came in second in the contest! Mission accomplished, huh?

It appeared to me that Rodya was already in a post-mission mode as though the Golden Bough was already in our hands.

Ahem, so... I'm just saying, just in case you think we're already out of the woods...

We should... probably cool it with these early celebrations until we actually accomplished the mission...

Nah, no way... They wouldn't boldly lie to our faces like that, would they?

... I feel like I just jinxed it.

We were really down to the wire this time, to be fair.

And I'm not talking about just us - Xichun, too.

Hah. That's why they say it ain't over 'til it's over, lad.

Oi, I think this is a prime opportunity for you to head over to those pompous sods from earlier. Now's your chance to really take the piss out of 'em.

Fuhu, I don't think that's necessary.

Not every candidate we ran into during the Hierarch war was here.

And those who were present were either quietly glaring down at their tables or pulling their hair out and muttering to themselves.

Anyways~ Xichun! Congrats, you big shot Family Hierarch, you!

How's it feel to achieve your lifelong dream? Ooh, what's the first thing ya wanna do, hm?

I immediately clocked you as a special one when I saw you back at La Manchaland. We weren't half bad as partners, huh?

Let Wei not be excluded from this round of acknowledgements, as he has contributed much in the service of Miss Xichun as well. Your unwavering determination was most inspiring.

Yeah, right? Never give up, always see things through to the end!

Verily, verily!!! Thy sentiment rings most true! Thus share the tale of young Xichun and Limbus Company with the rest of the City shall I, so that every soul may one day learn of our adventure most stupendous! I shall personally see to it that every single Citizen hears of it!

Doesn't have to be every soul, you know...

Well... I can't help but feel a smidge of pride after all that we've been through together.

So... um, well... congrats.

Even Ishmael joined in to impart a sheepish 'congrats'.

But...

<Guys... uh... >

<Xichun's not here... >

…….

... it seemed that, in their excitement, they all failed to realize that Xichun herself was nowhere to be seen.

Ah, Xichun's left for the <ruby=Iron Threshold>Tiekan Temple</ruby>(鐵檻寺) to have her ascension to the Hierarchdom confirmed by the elders.

<I see, thanks... Also, would you mind telling us stuff like that sooner...?>

... Huh, hold on. I know that bloke...

Heathcliff rolled up his sleeves before striding full-speed toward someone.

Oi, you there. Got anythin' clever to say to our faces now, smartarse?

Yeah, smart... guy?

…….

Nice to meet you again, and kudos for getting what you came here for. Is that what you wanted to hear?

Heh, for all your boastin' about knowing who deserves how many coins and whatnot... look at us now. Guess who came first?

Well, my coins have circulated from hand to hand and landed in the hands of the one who truly deserved them.

Which clearly wasn't you guys, given that your team's just a runner-up.

You little -

Let me tell you something as my final token of appreciation.

Stormclouds are gathering. And it'll be making landfall soon enough.

... Huh? What's that supposed to mean?

Try to enjoy the party while you can. In no time, you'll find out what everyone's been hiding in their hands.

His concerning reply put a pause on our celebrations. We then slowly observed and took in our surroundings.

People were talking, negotiating in serious, hushed voices. Some were constantly and anxiously running their hands through their hair...

We also noticed some servants running to whisper certain messages to their masters, who in turn jumped to their feet before hurriedly leaving the banquet.

... Looks like we're the only group of people who are even remotely enjoying anything.

Sure, it's a banquet, but...

Xichun, our Hierarch girl, isn't even here... everyone's acting all shifty and suspicious...

This party sucks!

Rodya whined loudly...

... as she chewed on a shrimp with just as much gusto.

I… I must express my regrets for this state of affairs.

Daiyu apologized as though she somehow felt responsible for this.

Well, I... I do have some minor tricks of my own that could entertain you...

I learned a lot of things as a child, blade dance being one of them...

Ooh, for real? Let's see, let's see.

Hey, what the hell! We're here as guests, remember? Don't be a jerk...

Hey... Baoyu...