The Final Problem (after battle)

…….

"If only I had 10 more minutes...! No, a minute, a few more seconds, even...!"

"I could've changed so much more if only I had the time...!"

... Or so I thought, once upon a time.

S...o...

What... did you do...? Did you... even try to change... anything...?

Believe it or not...

I am the creator of every change you see around you.

…….

I know, I know. I know what the burning question is. "What changes?!", right? Because, at the end of the day, this place became no different from the other horrible, horrible Nests. There's so much pain here... just like any other place in the City.

So... listen up, and listen close. Because there's only one way to truly be free from suffering.

Stopping time.

<Stop time...?>

Our Assistant's expression turned bitter. He did not elaborate.

Well, it's not like he could understand me. And the Sinners were too busy keeping their eyes on the Time Ripper to relay my question.

Like always, the LCA's special operations unit arrived and discussed a few things with the employee...

Labeled the Time Ripper, a Distortion, with a complicated classification code...

... and that's how the Case of Timekilling Time closed.

But...

My, I am so happy that you finally caught the perpetrator-uh~

Aha, behold-ah! My portrait is finally complete-uh~ Isn't it so wonderful-ah?

So slow, everyone-uh! Let's stop being lazy and get to work, yes-ah? Chop chop-uh~

What our Assistant said much earlier... was right. T Corp. did not change, not even a little.

Why did you... volunteer to be the bait for the Ripper, Hong Lu?

I-I'll be honest. I was scared as hell. The moment I began thinking about how my own time could just... get ripped away from me, I...

I... just wanted to understand.

Because, to me, the world was full of things I couldn't understand.

In truth, I still understand so little of it. Why do people hang on so desperately to something like time? Something so... ephemeral?

... Yeah?

But... I know one thing.

You understood the culprit, Rodya. It wasn't just fear that held you back.

While there was fear, a different side of you felt like you could understand him. That's what stayed your hand.

How... how do you know that?

Watching you, Rodya, reminded me why I did not resist when my siblings tried to kill me for the first time.

I wasn't just scared.

I felt as though I could... understand them.

When fear grows so extreme that it circles back to its origin...

That moment is so precious and so... beautiful.

All right, lads and lasses. Gather 'roud!

Hooh... Oooohhhh....!

We'll be runnin' a special feature on the people who played the biggest role in solvin' the 'Case of Timekilling Time'. And for that, we'd like to get a little group photo. Would that be alright with you ace detectives?

Wh-what an auspicious day this is!

…….

<What's up with the long face, Rodya? Everything okay?>

Ha ha... I don't know if I even deserve to be in the picture.

I didn't really get anything done out there, did I?

But Rodya, we eventually captured the culprit, didn't we~? It was possible only because we all worked together!

<I'd say everyone did a great job out there. Rodya, Hong Lu, Ryōshū, all three of you... good work.>

You mean Hong Lu and Ryōshū. I just cowered as soon as I came face-to-face with the culprit... I was ridiculous.

Well, it is said that all great detectives are flanked by great assistants.

Hah, that's funny. Is that what this 'Lady Agatha' said?

No, I said it. Just now.

…….

I'm the only one who's allowed to make that L.F.

Smile, detective.

Ha... Ha ha...

Right, can we huddle a little close together?

... What right did I have to stop those struggling to change things, no matter how small...

... when I haven't done anything?

It seemed that I was the only one who heard her whispering.

Right, then! One... two...

Hold, Hoooold!

Click!

Chief Executive Director, it's time.

Ah, Mai. Thank you for letting me borrow your clothes. I made sure to not get even a speck of dust on it, so don't you worry about having to run it through a washer.

<Chief Executive Director...? When did he...>

It's been so long since I had a day this exciting. Thanks, participation trophy.

I just like to experience how it's like outside the company building from time to time, you know?

<Shouldn't he be thanking us for solving the case, not... you know...?>

Mm~ Let's see. Considering your rather competent command of the battlefield, and that special ability of yours, maybe you could even snag the 'exceptional' awar - Hm... actually, no. Perhaps you'd receive the 'distinctive' award instead since you can't explain the mechanism of your own powers. Your clock does seem quite special, but the time that flows through you doesn't seem very different from the concept of time I'm used to.

Well, I don't have any prize money to hand out, but... allow me to impart a little tip instead. Remember. Using the power of time comes with a cost. Always. It's something that's been a thorn in my side as well.

Oh, and another thing I should thank you for.

My dream began to flow once again.

On the day I ventured out to the edge and wished upon a star, I thought my dream to have ceased there, never to flow again.

I would have wished for something completely different had I had the chance to wish again, but... I believed my only chance spent.

A star... I don't understand why, but a mere mention of it suddenly brought back the memories of that star I saw when I made the pact with the Sinners.

I used to think that the star could never be linked again, that I could never turn back time. Vile men like myself know when their dreams come to an end. When there is no path left for the dream to go.

But I was wrong. There it was, something rewinding time right before my eyes in a way that I could not fathom. Well, it is my current hypothesis that you're not actually *rewinding* time, but a potential is a potential still.

And that Distortion that rips time... is another proof that I do not know all there is to know about time, not yet.

So my dream, once still as a lake, has become wild as a rushing river once again.

Your indifferent, unafraid attitude toward time? It also left me an impression.

I think day after day about how uncaring the nature of time is; that it will continue to drift on and on and on even after my death. And I think about how that's so, so...

... terrifying.

I'm afraid of death, yes. But I'm not interested in researching immortality. The flow of time is equivalent to constant change; those who dare tread upon the road of elusion from death and annihilation shall soon find themselves before another wall of what they had sought to flee from in the first place.

What must one do to stem the change when the nature of perpetual change itself is tied to an immutable thing like the flow of time? One must stop time itself, of course.

Yes, indeed. Therein lies the conundrum. Until time itself ceases to move, all change eventually becomes a great flow.

<I'm having trouble following your train of thought...>

Dante says that they are having trouble following your train of thought.

Hm? Oh, ahh, apologies! I must've been thinking out loud. You must understand how someone might forget who they're talking to when the listener has nothing to say in response but intermittent ticks and tocks. I suppose all that was probably too much for a manager of an upstart business to understand, yes?

Does this conclude the business of the ten billion Ahn Time Tax?

Mhm, you're all exempt. Can you imagine what would've happened if a case like this for you to solve didn't exist? Can you believe that you almost had to live the rest of your lives stretching a measly four hours over an entire day? Unbelievable. A little nap and you'd wake up two whole days later. Well, that is, if the four-hour daily minimum time policy even applied to you.

Yes, that is difficult to believe, but I understand. Then...

Oh, almost slipped my mind. Remember that purchase catalogue Limbus Company handed me? That 'Monolith' in there... really caught my eye. I'd like to purchase them. As many as you have in stock.

…….

Cheers, that's a sale made. It was really pricey, too. Who knows, maybe this will get you that commendation or whatever it is.

... Understood. Your intent to purchase will be relayed.

The Monolith...? What are you planning to do with -

It's a secret. Things yet to be realised must remain shrouded in hearts under this starless sky.

Let's go, Mai.

Yes, Director Herbert.

This company is growing increasingly bizarre, Miss Faust.

Not only are we providing Distortion management service, but also dipping our feet into the sales of artifacts like the Monolith?

…….

I don't believe that the Monoliths should be so easily bought or sold. I see them as something we must retrieve, not put up for sale.

You do understand the... ramifications of selling artifacts that could force a Distortion, I trust?

The world is aplenty with technology capable of maiming or slaughtering a fellow human.

Not all of those have started with intent to do harm. In fact, most of them have begun as an altruistic project for the betterment of mankind.

In other words... it depends.

Do you really believe this to be a matter that you can just brush aside with -

Vergilius.

…….

You know my place. Yours, as well.

You are aware that we are not provided the luxury of choice.

Haah.

We will both reach what each of us desire. That is a guarantee.

... Fine.

With that peculiar exchange between Faust and Vergilius, the bus sets off on another journey.

... Oooh~ You're framing it already?!

Ever since we returned to the bus, Rodya was busily moving between the Sinners, excitedly talking to them about whatever subject they were interested in.

Quite... quite...! Aha! Thus this achievement has been memorialized for all eternity to come!

Aha, do you intend to put it up for display?

In her hands was the article we were featured in. Don Quixote dedicated considerable time and effort to meticulously ironing out the creases, coating it with a thin film, and displaying it carefully in a frame.

We could barely tell it was her due to the blurring, but... she appeared so happy to be a part of the photograph.

Hm hm~ Much do I desire to hang it here for all to see, but this doth carry great meaning, indeed, as my very first accomplishment! Thus shall I place it in my chamber for safekeeping!

Boy, you're really stoked about a shaky picture of yourself, huh?

Aw, don't be a buzzkill, darling~ Chiquita's happy about it and that's what matters, right~?

It matters not, for this is a signifier of our achievements!

Yeah~ O-our... achievement! Ha ha...

Rodya was laughing and cheering along with her, as though nothing had happened...

<…….>

... but it's never been so clear that this cheeriness was all an act. And... I think that pained my heart.

Yet, I was powerless to do anything about it. The most I could do was to clear the air and hopefully divert their attention to something else.

<... Faust, can you ask Vergilius where we're headed next?>

Vergilius, Dante asks -

At least when we're talking about our next destination, the past seems to become a blur, even for a moment.

That was the intent behind my question.

Yes, yes. I've come to realize that it is about time the manager asked me for some information regarding our next destination.

Lucky. I was right - the subject of our next destination was enough to divert the Sinners' attention. They all fell silent in anticipation.

Our next destination...

Too bad I got more than I bargained for.

... is to a WARP train, Dante.

I didn't just clear the air... that statement alone caused a whole storm among the Sinners.