The Subject (before battle)

... Yep. Right on. Gotcha, Team Leader.

*sigh* And that's the initial report done. Good work, guys.

Tucking her radio back in, Ezra commended us in a relieved voice.

The Distortion has perished in the mission... Will that not cause trouble?

Um... Yeah, that kinda sucks, but it's not like ya guys could help it. Who would've thought that the Distortion would kill its own Inflection Point?

If we knew that in advance, we probably would've prepared something to stop it, but... *sigh*

Welp, that's for the LCD and Team Leader to investigate. All in all, this mission was still a success since we managed to eradicate that Distortion from N Corp., not to mention satisfying our client.

Also...

Ezra looked toward Aeng-du and Kim with a lighthearted shrug, clearly less concerned than she had been earlier.

... now I finally know why you've been disappearing on your own without letting us know. Glad you don't seem to have any more reason to, though, so it's all good.

Hey, that's the real "win" of this mission in my book.

Phew-ie! The point is, we did it! We did the thing, it's done! Gosh, I swear, I am never doing one of these without the Team Leader ever again. Seriously, I got this close to losing it more than a few times.

It seemed that the responsibility of looking after her LCD juniors had kept her stressed and high-strung throughout the mission.

I hadn't noticed it, but her brows had finally relaxed, bringing back the chipper Ezra I was more familiar with.

... Thus, I shall not abide by more of your indolence - you will now join us on missions and tasks as you are expected to. Is that understood, Mentor?

Aeng-du... Would you mind releasing the hems of my sleeve...? Oh, what I wouldn't give to lie down and pass out right about now...

The raw emotion in Kim's voice had likewise faded, and with Aeng-du's voice no longer as barbed as it had been in the fathoms, it seemed to me that the two were back to the more relaxed selves I knew.

Uh, can't exactly say "more relaxed" for Kim, though... 'Cause that's how he's always been, at least from what I've seen. In any case...

Fine. You are released.

Whew... You've given me a good - I mean, hard shake. I don't feel so good...

Say, Aeng-du, I'm afraid they may have gone overboard with upgrading your arm -

With your hem released, allow me to reiterate that...

S-stop...

... My heart finds peace as well as I watch them bicker.

<Is everyone doing okay?>

Yes, Executive Manager. Our forces have only suffered minor injuries that do not require you to go through the trouble of rewinding the clock.

Uh, hang on, mate. I've got a dislocated shoulder.

I can pop that right back into place for you. Allow me, I've taken care of similar injuries in the field -

Yeah, and guess what happened the last time I let you do that! You rotated my bloody arm the wrong way and turned the bones in my shoulder into little chips!!!

<... Don't sweat it, I can rewind that.>

By now, I've already grown used to the pain of rewinding the Sinner's injuries. A dislocated shoulder shouldn't be a big deal.

Uh, I have aught to ask thee; a clarification, if thou wilt.

<Yeah?>

Dost thou recall how, as we battled the N Corp.'s... uh, Pin... frame Team, the foes have taken photographs of us?

Uh-huh, and...?

They are those who were sent to identify and capture the one who hath violated a Taboo, forsooth?

As we stood in their path, 'tis no mystery why we had to come to blows. Yet I find this to be most perplexing: wherefore did they take so many photographs of us?

Hm, maybe they were taking photographs to report their locations?

Recording footage is Taboo in N Corp., meaning they can't install security cameras here. Their only option for keeping a consistent record when tracking down a case or a person is by photographs.

Hm hm hm~ Thine words hold water, yet... Hmmh... Most puzzling, most puzzling, forsooth...

For I recall with clarity that, from a certain point, they had begun photographing us with renewed obsession.

<... Oh! Hey, that sounds like a question for Meursault!>

Given how often I had to rely on the information Meursault had provided me in this mission, I think I've gotten enough practice on how to phrase my questions the right way and pull the answers I need from him.

I couldn't get him to tell us his own judgments on matters, but since he seems to have a near-photographic memory of what he's seen...

<Meursault, do you remember how many pictures of us the N Corp. staff took?>

I do. 56 times.

That's a lot of pictures. You actually remember the exact number of times they shot us?

I do.

It's always so neat seeing his memory in action... So, didya get the chance to see which one of us got the most photographs taken?

I did.

Ooh! Who is it, who is it?! Fuhu... Is it me? I make for a fine model, if I do say so myself.

No, it wasn't you.

It was me.

<... Huh?>

<But why?>

.......

<I-I mean, uh... "What's the most statistically likely reason that it was you?">

It was at that moment that I heard the sound of pebbles crunching under boots approaching us, louder and louder.

W-what the heck?!

N Corp....

Oh, dangit. Are ya here because we beat up some of your guys?! L-listen here, we had to, because of the Distortion! See...?

It is as she says. The skirmish was an unfortunate consequence of combating the Distortion phenomenon.

Limbus Company provides a customer damage compensation program in case of such unforeseen events. Instead of engaging us in battle, please elect to contact the Emergency Response Team at our headquarters as your first...

Yes, we fully understand the circumstances surrounding the battle, and we intend to submit an expeditious request for damage compensation as you have recommended.

But we are here on different business, so if you would be so kind as to let us speak...

<Different business...?>

They are here to arrest me, Manager.

<Hold on, Meursault. Let's hear them ou - >

<Wait, what?>

Meursault did not resist. He walked past us and joined the group of N Corp. employees.

Please confirm that you are Meursault, formerly One Who Nails, and a former member of the Maintenance and Management Team at the Grand Magasin Sisyphe headquarters.

Confirmed.

By the decree of "The Giants," you have been expelled from N Corp., with imprisonment as the penalty for noncompliance. Pursuant to Article 12 of the Eviction Regulations, you have also been informed that remaining in N Corp.'s District for more than 6 hours may subject you to immediate arrest.

Please confirm that your memory pertaining to the above incident has not been expunged, and you are of sound mind to recall it in entirety.

Confirmed.

Very well. Then, in keeping with the regulations, I hereby notify you that you are now subject to arrest and transport. Place your hands behind your back, and please offer no resistance. I am required to inform you that resistance may incur further penalties.

Mm.

<W-wait...! Stop!>

What the hell is going on?!

Wait, forget all that!

<Did you know this would happen, Meursault?!>

Meursault, who stood calmly with his arms behind his back as the N Corp. employees handcuffed him, nodded placidly in my direction.

I did, Manager.

<Then why the heck didn't you warn - >

... It was less a question and more a reflex, but I didn't need to hear his reply to know why.

<Right... I never asked, did I?>

You did not.

<I'd say, "You should've warned us way earlier," but you'd just reply, "I will follow those instructions going forward," right?>

Yes, I would.

Subject now in custody. From this moment onward, you are considered a suspect and will be transported to N Corp. headquarters for your trial.

As for the rest of you... Would you be the organization the suspect is a part of?

Organize your arse, what in the bloody hell do you think you're...!

Heathcliff. You are about to antagonize N Corp., a Wing.

In the absence of a reasonably justifiable cause, such as a contract, engaging in battle with the City's corporate entities is strongly discouraged.

Yeah?! And we're just supposed to twiddle our thumbs while they drag him away?!

... This must be another piece of information they "neglected" to tell me.

Yet another development that was set in stone.

Despite her calm and collected explanation, I could tell that this was not a pleasant situation for Faust, either, as she was sending an uncomfortable glance at the N Corp.'s employees.

S-so where are ya taking him?

.......

A retrial will be scheduled for the execution of the exile's sentence.

They replied dispassionately as they took Meursault into custody.

We looked back at them, not knowing what to do or say.

The late afternoon sun pricked at us like a thousand hot needles.

Meursault, now in cuffs, gazed at us with an expression that would not have seemed out of place on any ordinary day.