An Unexpected Journey (before battle)

A dark, silent night. All are sound asleep.

Thus we assemble...

This better be worth the trouble...

It shall be worth every trouble, of course! Now, come hither...

We quietly and sneakily followed Don Quixote, taking care to not make a noise.

<Are we really crossing this line...?>

Bloody hell, lass! Don't you know what happened the last time I crossed it?

Alas, it will be different this time! All we must do is... follow the corridor immediately to the right of this delineation and open the door here...

<So these're the symbols she was talking about.>

Past the door, through the window, the symbols Don Quixote mentioned shimmered. Symbols that seemed to indicate a sack, a wrapped present, and what appeared to represent... fancy clothes.

<So... they're the Red Sack and the Reindeer-Man's symbols?>

Precisely!

Right. I suppose you're the expert with these things. I'm going in!

<Huh? H-hold on!>

Before I even had the chance to stop him, Heathcliff barged into the door...

And we found ourselves almost getting dragged in by his sheer fervor.

Oho...

We found ourselves in a rather sizable room.

This place was decorated with numerous Christmas-themed ornaments. Warm, cozy lighting reflected off the wooden flooring, and a maze of conveyor belts were installed all over the place. This place is...

<... a factory?>

Quite!

And what are those things? Those little children-like...

Ahm! Ahm!

Hark!!! 'Tis I, Don Quixote!!!

What the hell is she doing?!

The little figures Heathcliff indicated didn't exactly look like children. They all froze for a moment before turning around in our direction.

... They weren't humans, that's for sure.

Give me but a moment. I have already parlayed with these fellows!

<What happened to the 'sneakiest of peeks'?!!>

... Oi, Clockhead. Something's coming this way.

A small(but larger than others around it) figure scurried over and stood before us.

Ahh~ Lady Don Quixote! You finally grace us with your presence once again-ome!!!

And just as you did before... poof!! Appearing from the most unexpected places again-ome!!

<Who's this, Don Quixote?>

Hm! The one who shall grant us the wonderful gifts indeed!

He rubbed his hands(or what I assumed to be hands) together, looked up at us, and started.

Pleased to make your acquaintance-ome! You must be Lady Don Quixote's friend-omes!

My g'name is Dodoru. A gnome who works at this gift factory-ome. And why, of course, I make gifts here-ome.

<A gnome...?>

Indeed, a gnome!

... Was that supposed to be obvious?

What are gnomes, anyway...?

<So they're not humans, right...?>

Yes! These fellows are not humans, they're gnomes!

Yes, g'of course. Not... human-omes. Hoom hoom.

Didn't think non-humans were allowed in the City...

<... They're not Abnormalities or Distortions, either. They're something else.>

The C-City... I knew it...

Welllll, why does it matter if they are not humans! What truly matters is the heart with which they commit themselves to work, that is!

G'of course, of course~ You are absolutely right, m'lady-ome!

<Didn't that Dodoru gnome say something weird about the City just now?>

So that wasn't just me, huh?

WELL-OME!

This 'Dodoru' cut in on our conversation.

Do the friends of Lady Don Quixote wish for any present-omes?

Say, we have fancy clothes and powerful weapon-omes! Or delicious cookie-omes.

Fancy... clothes? So you really have 'em?

Looks like we've got a winner-ome!

Well, well. Then please, this way...

The gnome said something about introducing us to the reception hall and led us to a certain room in his scurrying gait.

<This...>

<... seems more like a storage space than a reception hall.>

Oho! Behold, there is a warm fireplace and a table in this cozy place. What more could thee possibly ask for?!!!

And we have some delicious refreshments ready for you as well-ome.

Please wait a moment, and I'll be right back with the gifts you want-ome.

The gnome bowed, opened the door, and scuttled out of the room.

<Are reception halls usually this... barren?>

I've never been in one before, so I had no idea if this was what they were supposed to look like. I had to ask.

Especially because it was starting to get pretty obvious, even with my rather limited experience, that there was something off about this whole situation.

I have once heard the rumor that this kind of decor has been catching on in recent years!

Yeah. I've heard that too. Apparently it's popular for some blokes to just deliberately leave their stuff lying around in some half-finished-looking buildings.

<Is that what this is...? Hm.>

Still thy heart, Manager Esquire! I shall personally be responsible for this expedition and claim ourselves shiny gifts!

Hm... If push comes to shove, I could nab some of these... I saw them packing some shiny, expensive-lookin' stuff over there.

No thievery this time, Heathcliff! Has the incident with the hair coupons already left thy mind?!

Ah, blimey... Tsk, fine.

Heathcliff was as foul-mouthed as always, but it was evident from his relaxing expression that his anxiety was starting to ease.

Maybe the fact that we're here, about to find what we're looking for... was a comforting thought.

<Heathcliff, is it that important that you dress well for this... occasion?>

... Huh? Oh, yeah...

A rather delicate but gently smoldering hearth. Calm, silent air. A perfect atmosphere to bring up uncomfortable subjects for some honest heart-to-heart.

<Or is someone waiting for you there... Someone who you'd like to dress up for?>

Well... I suppose you're not completely wrong...

Oho, oho! A secret, is it?!

Don Quixote excitedly and loudly dragged her chair up close to Heathcliff.

I... have to go back as... a successful man. As someone of great worth.

So that they'll know that I've changed. That I'm no longer 'that witless brigand' Heathcliff...

That's why I have to dress posh when I return. To appear like... a man of quality.

Hooh... Hath someone stoked the fire of envy in thy stomach?

<... Is this about revenge? Like Ishmael?>

Revenge...

Heathcliff leaned back in his chair. It creaked as he rocked gently back and forth.

There was a look of deep introspection on his face. Which was, if my memory serves me right, a first.

Well, I suppose you could call it revenge. But... what I really want to do, is...

... make her regret. Yeah. That's what this is.

I'll show them. I'll trample over those bastards who thought I wasn't worth shite.

... So that she'll regret not choosing me. So that she will feel that regret down to the deepest reaches of her heart.

I'll prove to Cathy that there was no better man for her than I.

Cathy.

Heathcliff's eyes tremble a little as he speaks her name.

He's mentioned that name before.

His eyes trembled then, too.

<This Cathy... must be someone pretty important to you.>

Of course. Bloody important.

<So... what happened between the two of you? Between you and Cathy?>

Catherine, to be exact. And I call her Cathy.

It's a long and complicated story.

Aha! Allow mine intuition to speak for thee! This 'Cathy' must be thy lover, is she not?!

<W-wait, is that what she is to you?!>

Huh?! N-no! I-it's nothing like that...!

O-okay. Maybe a little... bit... Hm.

He's stuttering like Sinclair on a bad day.

While his disposition was as brusque as always, I could clearly see that he couldn't stop himself from smiling from a mere mention of her name. And that gave me more than enough answers.

Every Sinner had a reason for joining Limbus Company, so...

... maybe Heathcliff joined Limbus Company for this 'Cathy' person.

<Makes me wonder what kind of a person she might be, though. Someone that special, that precious to Heathcliff...>

Don't be so overdramatic. That ain't me.

<Now, I do this not out of my obligations as the Manager. But I'm starting to think that I want to help you out. So that you could be the best man you can be for her.>

Indeed! We! Shall all! Be!

People of quali -

Ka-thunk.

I heard a door open in that very moment.

It wasn't the reception hall door. That one was made of wood, and wouldn't make the sound that I just heard.

This sound came from over there, away from us, from a dark corner of the room.

Then, we heard sounds of metal scraping against wood. It was accompanied by a howling blizzard.

<So those were sleigh marks, huh...>

The huge sleigh made its way across the wooden floor, on the marks that were already on the floorboards. It was flanked by several gnomes.

The sleigh was red, and the sacks on it were either black or red.

But they were all...

... littered with flesh and blood.

Dodoru! We've got your next batch of ingredients right 'ere-ome!

Phew... my back-ome...

C'mon, friend-ome~ Just think about the looks on our friends' faces when they open their present-omes! All is g'worth it, of course. Well g'worth it.

Hear-ome, hear-ome!

The gaggle of gnomes, who were walking in our direction as they chattered and gossiped, froze in place upon noticing us.

Quit lollygaggin'-ome!

Quit chit-chatting and help us out-ome! We've got a lot to process-ome... Besides, we've brought some live ones this time-ome!

I think I saw some sacks on the sleigh move.

No, they were thrashing. Like... something was trying to escape...

<... Is that...?>

Grab your weapon, girl...

What is the matter with thee? These fellows are but hardworking -

H-hello?! Is there someone out there? Please, help! Get me out of here!!!

Ome!!! What a joyous day-ome! This one's fresh-ome!

N-no...

But they... they're human-omes!

Did manager Dodoru bring 'em in-ome...? How'd he manage to bring in humans so fresh-ome?

So... all along... thy factory has been...

Oh boy…!

I could hear a familiar voice coming from the other door in the room as Don Quixote stood there flabbergasted.

Dodoru's done a blunder-ome... That sleigh wasn't supposed to be coming here-ome!

Don'tcha worry-ome. Just a little game between us gnomes!

<That's your excuse...?>

Master Dodoru.

Dodoru's listening-ome.

Tell me the contents of those sacks.

R-raw material for presents, of course-ome!! Besides, Lady Don Quixote-ome? Dodoru's prepared those fancy clothes for you and your friends to wear-ome! Why don't we head right out to wear -

What! Raw! Materials! Are they?!

Ome!!! Dodoru's tired of lie-omes! Human-omes! Humans! Like you!

You lot! What'd I say about using this storage space-ome?! I told you this one was off limit-omes!

What, are ya gonna deliver nothing but disappointment to our neighbor-omes?! Even now, they await gifts from our factory-ome!

Oh... my bad-ome...

Unnggh-ome…! And I already told the factory director to look forward to this batch-ome!

<Haah...>

What was I thinking?

This was absolutely not worth it.

I know what you're thinking, Clockhead...

So quit sighin' and start strategizin'. We've got to get out of here, yeah?

... Yeah. Sitting here and feeling sorry for myself won't do anything. It never did.

<... Got it.>

Grab your tool-omes! Fresh, locally produced materials coming up-ome!!!

Right then! Let's crack on, you little shitbags!