Uncertainty (before battle)
Some time later...
... Can somebody explain what just happened? In a way that makes sense?
I knew that the Sinners would all be shocked and confused.
After all, when they, including Faust and Don Quixote, all came back to life after I rewound the clock...
... all that remained was the destroyed door to the freight car and the disgusting, obliterated remains of what was once Cassetti.
Most had lost their consciousness from the mental stress of the prolonged battle against the Bloodfiend.
Therefore, whatever measure it was that the Manager has taken, it was appropriate.
Tsk, I guess so...
<Well... Good work, everyone...>
However.
The definition of "most" excludes three individuals. Thus, it would be most appropriate to direct any questions to them.
<Wait...>
Hm?!
Who are those three?
Faust.
…….
The Manager.
<Uh...>
And Don Quixote, who is still unconscious.
Huh, really? Them?
<Wow, you were spot on... ha ha... When did you even have the time to notice that? Oh boy...>
I have identified the three conscious individuals by analyzing their walking cadence and voices, moments before my loss of consciousness.
Right, so what's goin' on with the lass? Why's she still out cold?
She appears to be in a state of deep slumber. As she is not in any risk of death, she will be waking up soon.
... I remember everything, of course. Don Quixote's sudden... transformation. How she practically erased the Bloodfiend and his Kindred from the world without even moving a finger.
But I also remember Faust's last words.
And please, do note that the other Sinners must never hear a word of what is about to happ -
…….
Don Quixote was unconscious, and Faust was answering every question with silence; it was only natural that everyone would turn to me for some answers.
<That's... uh... Y'know...>
Wait, that reminds me...
Where's the... keycard?
<Last I remember, it was in Cassetti's hands...>
... Who's in a far more presentable state than he was in before.
Wait, so what about the keycard he was holding, though...?
<…….>
It has been half liquefied. The remains have melded with his finger bones; it appears to have become one with the middle phalanges.
Uh... wait... oh...
Oh no. Everyone, calm down. Calm down! I SAID CALM DOWN!!!
Haah... I... really should've packed more cigarettes, huh...
Uh... How 'bout we force one of these doors open?
The master keycard is not an absolutely necessary element to resolving this situation.
Wha-h-how?
It will require approximately 5 hours to formulate an explanation that will allow the Sinners to fully comprehend the exact "how" of this methodology. Therefore, it will be delivered to you in a digestible, summarized format.
... Well, that was short-lived. She's actin' all smug again.
We can utilize the Backdoor of Mephistopheles.
The steely confidence in her declaration was more than enough to win us all over.
So we headed to the corridor past the Backdoor, Don Quixote slung over one of our shoulders...
... and arrived at our destination.
…….
I can't... not ask what happened after seeing the state you are all in.
Sandy pitter sandy patter.
Grains of sand and seashell-like things fell with every step the Sinners took.
Ask... someone after me...
To explicate, it can - kugghhh... grains of sand roll about in my throat with every word... spoken...
Some time ago...
Faust explained the gist of this plan as we made our way to the Backdoor.
To put it simply, we will spend the time at a space disconnected from the train.
The train should be arriving at its destination in approximately 10 seconds, going by the A Corp. time scale. All we must do is to remain somewhere in our original dimension for that duration.
And with that, Faust came to a sudden stop in the middle of one of the corridors.
Wait, wait... Are you seriously gonna just open that door? With this many doors in here... are ya sure that it's the right one?
Yes. This is the correct door. Its safety is guaranteed.
Uh... lass, at least tell us what's past that door.
I... did not bother verifying that particular information myself.
It is necessary for future endeavors that I gain the experience... of encountering something completely unexpected.
What? Oi, wait -
Faust did not wait for Heathcliff to finish his sentence before jerking the door wide open.
Now, please enter through this door.
With Faust's stern command, we quickly walked into a building that looked like a derelict, abandoned hospital of sorts...
I think we walked into the middle of a sandstorm...
H-huh? Aren't we indoors? How the heck is this even happening?
Aah! I-I can't open my eyes!
Ptooey, I got sand in my mou... Wait, no way. Is this a sandstorm? But aren't we inside a building?!
5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
The Sinners blurted out a series of colorful complaints, trying to cover themselves in the blasting sandstorm...
But Faust continued to count in that same, indifferent rhythm before dragging us out of there just as urgently as she had ushered us in.
So...
... We managed to return safe and sound to the interiors of the WARP train as it arrived at the P Corp. Platforms.
As the train was still getting cleaned up, that is...
... and with our bodies completely covered in sand.
Sob... I thought we'd never make it...
W-woah, are you guys okay? How did these passengers...?
We were so happy to be done with this whole ordeal, that even the W Corp. Cleanup Agents in the middle of a cleanup mission looked downright hospitable.
We are employees of Limbus Company who boarded the WARP train at the behest of your employer.
Ohh... So you guys are the people that our Captain told us about. They really let you guys keep your memories, huh...?
Oh, that reminds me! One of the employees must be sleeping inside that hibernation pod over there~
Oh, that... Huh, I've never seen it in action before. Thanks, lemme go check.
We walked over to the hidden compartment behind the chair that the Cleanup Agent crawled into.
Inside it was...
Huh...? There isn't anyone in here.
Hm? Maybe we're looking at the wrong pod?
This is the correct spot. Then the disappearance of the individual who has entered this pod would indicate...
I guess these folks aren't all there in the head either... Uh, maybe you guys are just mistaken?
<I doubt that...>
Yes, we must have suffered from a momentary, collective hallucination caused by fatigue. Very well, then. We will see ourselves out.
Faust cut the conversation short before the other Sinners began asking too many questions.
Now that I became intimately familiar with the meaning of that gesture, I followed her outside without another word.
Mm...? Arriv... have we arrived?
Rise and shine, lass. Had a nice kip, did you?
... I see. I will hear the details of the incident on the bus once we're traveling again.
Understood. Any and all relevant reports will be sent to W Corp. via LCCA, and...
Vergilius was already there when we arrived, discussing the events aboard the train with Faust. He looked oddly apprehensive.
... I will now leave with Charon to go watch as they unfasten Mephistopheles from the train.
The minute hand on the Manager's head seems to be desperately signaling me that they have a lot of burning questions to ask you. Allow me to give you two some space.
…….
I was finally able to ask Faust once Vergilius left.
<Why... did you do that?>
... Faust's body was, quite literally, blasted to pieces from the sheer explosive pressure that filled the room the moment Don Quixote's shoes came off.
It was as though she knew that it was going to happen.
Because it was the preferable course of action to letting the same explosive demise occur to your body instead.
<Haah...>
I do find it regrettable that you were made to turn the clock despite my knowledge of the high likelihood of my death upon that occurrence.
<No, I'm not... blaming you for that.>
<I just want to know how long you've known. That...>
<Don Quixote is...>
... That is something I have been aware of since the LCB was first established. The same could be said of Vergilius.
<... Of course.>
However, it was by the will of the LCA's superiors that this knowledge remained withheld from the Manager until the appropriate moment.
<And that appropriate moment was... back there?>
... According to my private judgment, yes.
Well, as my connection to all communications, including one to Faust, had been severed. I was not in a position to receive the headquarters' authorization for that action.
<Right...>
…….
Though the full truth may remain obscured still...
... we are once again, returned.
Returned... That was a layered word.
We've "returned" to one of the WARP platforms in our own dimension. We've "returned" to our daily lives of speculating about what's next in our path. And...
The usual Faust, reconnected to "Faust," has returned.
... Yes.
Faust's quietly affirms Yi Sang's rather nebulous question.
Please, do not take this query with any greater import than a mere jest. However...
... Do you suppose I shall see her again?
…….
She shot a puzzled look at Yi Sang.
In a way, it was quite the...
... pleasant encounter, was it not?
Yi Sang mused ambiguously before leaving us.
<Phew...>
The incident at the WARP train was such a chaotic mess that it felt shorter than it really was, but it was also an opportunity to learn so much.
But...
It was too soon to start wracking our brains about what kind of nonsense trial we were about to face in P Corp., so I decided to enjoy this momentary peace.
How... cough... do we find ourselves at P Corp.? Cough... wherefore is my throat so parched?
Haah... I'm too tired... to explain...
Chiquita... ya missed out big time on one craaazy adventure.
HUHHHH?!
Ah, that vibrated the last few grains of the sand out of my ears.
The Sinners look at Don Quixote's bewildered awakening, grinning.
There's no way to know what we'll be facing here at District 16, where P Corp. was located, but...
We got this, right?
The same faith I saw in the Faust who believes in uncertainty rises within me, too.
I looked up to Faust, only to see that Faust was looking at me as well.
She nodded at me with her usual, barely noticeable smile, and I gave her a light nod back in return.
... Time to go find ourselves another Golden Bough.