Part 25: 'Creepy mask dude'?

-The Enforcers-



Feh...What a waste of time...



Really, now. Such a lack of elegance in your fighting styles! I'd hoped for better.
Well, if I must...let me show you a proper example of elegance.
FLAMME!



Th-The torches!



Auuugh...!
Nngh!
The f...He did...somethin' to our shadows...!
Apologies, my guests, but I must ask that you remain still from this point forward. You seemed surprised when Dalmore's 'treasure' did this. However...For we Enforcers, such abilities are trivial. Even without such crutches.
N-No...
Dammit...Didn't expect this...!





Screee!
Sieg!
Ah, there you are, courageous little white knight. Your chivalrous bravery is admirable, but I must ask you to remain still for a while.



Heh heh...How does it feel, I wonder?
...Do not think that this will break me.
Even if you bind my body, you shall never enslave my heart. So long as I am myself, you will never take me.
Yes, YES! Those EYES! Those eyes that shine with such beautiful pride, which say 'I will never break!' That shine is what I desire! Ah, you are everything I hoped for...
Hey, cut the crap, okay?!



'Creepy mask dude'? Really. To not understand the beauty of this mask...You have a very dim understanding of refinement, pet. I ask you, be silent.
Heh heh...
Hmm?



You've simply made a very crude mistake. I'm afraid I couldn't help but give an innocent chuckle.
Oh? This should be amusing, in the way watching a pig wallow in mud is captivating. And what, exactly, is my mistake, 'bard'?
I certainly wouldn't deny Klaudia's beauty--not even for a moment. Her beauty, however, extends far beyond the estimation your frail, tasteless aesthetic provides.
You may approach her again when you have learned the first thing about beauty, jester of the 'Grandmaster.'
What?! Your words are bold in the face of death, Erebonian! But what gives vagabond musician scum such as yourself any right to insult my sense of beauty?! Choose your next words carefully, for they will determine your fate!
Hm. Then I shall phrase them as a question.
What IS beauty?
Tut, tut. You disappoint. I expected more than such foolishness. Beauty is pride! A distant light gleaming far above mortal cares! Indeed, can any other answer even be allowed? I think not.
Really. I can't even laugh at such an answer...
True beauty, Bleublanc of Ouroboros...is love!
...What?
Beauty only EXISTS because people are brave enough to love! And without love, without the bonds of affection and camaraderie that bind us together...beauty is naught but a hollow illusion!
The prideful and the humble...both shine as a diamond in love!
Bah! How childish!
LOVE is the hollow illusion, you cloddish jongleur! Beauty is an absolute! Its existence does not depend on transient human emotions! Yes, just as the flower that blooms on the highest mountain, unseen by man, remains beautiful in anonymity!
...Hm.
Uh...
I've never been forced to listen to a more brain-rottingly stupid conversation in my life...
I, uh, um, I'm not quite sure what to say to all this...
...Never would I have expected to find a proper rival in the ways of beauty among such ruin. Musician, give me your name.
Olivier Lenheim. A wandering bard and hunter of love, roaming to and fro in search of its perfect manifestation.
Olivier Lenheim...Hm. I shall remember that name.
Girl's Voice: Aaaah! Heeey, I finally found you guys!



D-Dorothy?!
Oh, no! DOROTHY! RUN AWAY! PLEASE!
Huh?
Heeey! A masked man in white clothes! You're the ghost, aren'tcha?! You are!
What, ah, well...





Ah!
I can move again!
Well, hey. The flash bulb wiped our shadows!
Told you so.
Ah, what an astounding girl! Photography and perfectly-timed heroism, all in one package!
Heehee! Leave it to meee! ♪ Even though I dunno what I, uh, did...
Hm. Hmhm...HAAAAhahahaha!





The Gospel!
Ah, it has been an age since I have been entertained so! You have my thanks, my guests.
You son of...What're you gonna do now?!
I am going to end our revelry for tonight. Forgive me if I seem an ungracious host. It appears, however, that I must take stock of my assumptions about you. I can see now why the Black Fang takes such an interest in you.
The Black Fang...!
You...You mean Joshua!
We are old acquaintances, in a sense. The reason you came to my attention at all was because I noticed that shock of black hair and those amber eyes with you. Though his memories have returned to the stage of his mind. I do wonder where he's rehearsing...



The hell was...?!




-Silence-



I-I still can't believe it...
Wowee! It's like a magic trick!
Haha! Most impressive! I suppose it behooves me to take him as my rival.
Okay, we are SO beyond worrying about rivals, here! He may look like some pervo ballroom freak, but that power of his is NOT normal!
Yeah...
Ouroboros...Wasn't just that Lorence punk, then. They're all way stronger than I thought...


-Seaport City of Ruan-



"Except for the part where you didn't actually accomplish any of your objectives. But still."
The 'Society of Ouroboros'...To be honest, I only half-believed Cassius when he told me about a secret society up to no good. But...
Well. Here's the reward for completing the investigation. Sure didn't expect it to turn out like this, though.

I'll have the results forwarded to Cass--er, Brigadier General Bright and the rest of the army immediately. I get the impression they're desperate for information, too.
Yeah, please do. If those chucklenuts can make something like that holo...whatever thing, Ouroboros is capable of more than we ever dreamed of. Not to mention whippin' out another 'Gospel' like it's a friggin' toy or something...
The real objective seems to have been performing experiments with that new Gospel. The fuss about the 'ghost' was little more than the whim of the man in charge, really.
Bleublanc the Phantom Thief...He called himself 'Enforcer No. X.'
If I had to hazard a guess, 'Enforcer' is probably a title for ranking agents in the society. I'd put money on the man we know as 'Lieutenant Lorence' being another one.
...
Um, Estelle...?
Yeah...I know.
The 'Black Fang'...That's what Joshua called himself, the night he...disappeared.
Joshua was also an 'Enforcer,' I bet...
I thought so...If he's just like that Phantom Fool, all those weirdly specialized skills he seemed to have make a lot more sense.
I'm guessing he was hiding what he was truly capable of the whole time he was with us.
Yeah...Maybe...
...Hey, Jean.
What is it?
That Phantom Thief guy said the society's plans had only just begun. I think they've got plots and stuff in motion all over Liberl...Have you heard anything from the other branches? Anything weird?
Hmmmmm...Nothing that stands out.
I bet you're right, though. They're starting to act in the shadows all over Liberl. Given that our little ghost fuss is over, it might be wise for you to head somewhere else.
Yeah, good thinking. Don't suppose any other branches need help in general?
I guess the Zeiss branch, sort of. Their standby, Gundolf, had to head to Grancel. It sounds like they're fairly undermanned at the moment.
Okay, then! We should head out there and help them. Will Ruan be all right, though?
The Bose branch is dispatching Sting to help us out in a few days. Melvin and I will be able to hold the fort until Sting gets here, I think.
Oh, and once you get to Zeiss, you may want to check in with Professor Russell. He might have an insight on the new Gospel you guys observed.
Yeah, that's a good idea. I totally wanna see Tita again, anyway, so I'll head over to his place right away.
Well, then. We should head for the airship port as soon as our preparations are complete.
Jean, if you would be so kind as to prepare four tickets for the Zeiss-bound flight.
Pardon...?
Where do you get off taking the lead and...
Hold on, FOUR?
Well, naturally. You and Agate...
...and then myself and Miss Kloe, here, of course.
WH-WH-WHAAAAT?!
I thought this might come up, but...you gonna come with us?
The search for Joshua is my mission as a hunter of love. Not to mention the matter of my new rival! That should be reason enough, I would think.
Okay, wait, leaving your total friggin' insanity aside for a second...Don't drag Kloe into this too, you jerk! She doesn't even wa--
No...Actually, I was...going to ask for the same thing.
Say what?
This malicious, mysterious 'society' is operating within the borders of Liberl, plotting who knows what. As...what I am, I cannot simply ignore what they are doing. I must act.
Besides...I want to help Joshua...and you, Estelle.
Aw, Kloe...But your classes...
This morning I sent a letter to Dean Collins, stating that I will be needing a break from lessons. My exam scores are excellent, anyway, and I have all the credits I need to move on at the end of the year already.
I talked to Jill and Hans about it, and they insisted I should go...
Wh-What the...?
Haha, dang. You don't do things halfway once you've made up your mind, huh, Pr--er, Kloe?
I-I'm sorry...I suppose I am shoving myself onto you, in a way.
I...can remain behind, if you'd prefer...
Haha! Oh, no, you don't!
If you really want to come, I'd love to have your help!
Agate, you don't mind, right?
Ah, why the hell not. Having her skills in orbal arts and that bird of hers around will help a lot, after all.
Th-Thank you...
Agate, Estelle...thank you. I'll give it my all, I swear.
Well, we're old friends, after all! We're the Red and Blue Knights, remember. Now let's combine our forces and find our lost princess!
Haha...That's right...
Yes! Lead on, Red Knight!
Ah, that would make me the lone, wandering prince from a nearby country, here to take back the dark-haired princess, even if by force...
You don't get to add roles!
Haha! Well, good to see that's sorted out.
In that case, though, we should classify you two as 'temporary assistants.' That way the guild can pay expenses for you.
Yes, please do.
Well! I shall assist you with all my heart. Let us be off!