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Chapter 33: 5/19: Commissions Are Open
This update contains content from Part 32 of the original LP.
Anon: not even worth a laugh
Early Morning
Music: Beneath the Mask (Instrumental Version)
This scene with Yusuke approaching us is new, but not really worth the banner.
Anyhow, what’s with this sudden change in attitude? I was contacted by Takamaki-san last night. She’s accepted the nude modeling proposition. That’s nice, of course… but I hope you aren’t conspiring anything.
Do not make a mockery of art. Don’t judge us by your worldly standards. I’ll call the police if you try anything. Remember that.
Early Morning → Morning
Music: So Boring
I’ve gone to see his work before, but wow… They are truly incredible! I saw some of his interviews, too. He really is a charming fellow. It’s rare to see a gentleman artist like him, in a field known for having a lot of eccentric types. By the way, you seem far removed from the arts, Hamiru-kun.
You don’t know me!
Which famous ukiyo-e artist of the Edo period is said to have moved residence over 100 times?
Uhhhhhhhh
Correct. It seems you know a thing or two after all. Hokusai had a habit of moving, but he also changed his name quite a lot—at least thirty times throughout his life. His sole interest was his art, so he stayed in poverty, wore tattered clothes, and lived in squalor.
Maaku gains Knowledge +1.
Actually, Madarame’s house was quite modest, too. All master artists, past and present, always put their art above their fame.
He steals his students’ work, and makes them suffer! He’s no master—he’s just an abusive old con man! We’re gonna get him, no matter what.
Morning → After School
Music: Beneath the Mask -Rain (Instrumental Version)
Me and Maaku are banned from goin’ there, so all we can do is wait here…
Actually, no. While we’re inside, you two will have to enter the Palace and wait for the security to deactivate when Madarame sees the door, then look for a control room to turn it off for good.
All right, we’re on it.
Music: Wicked Plan
So you are, on some level, aware that this is fucked up…
I’m sorry it was so sudden.
Oh, it’s not a problem. But as I told you yesterday, Sensei will be returning in about twenty or thirty minutes. So um… I’m sorry if that causes some anxiety on your part.
That’s why I’m here today, dammit.
What was that?
Oh no, it was nothing!
By the way… Have you gained some weight?
Music: Everyday Days
I still fucking love the clown honk that plays when it cuts to this shot.
You think so? I weigh the same as always… Maybe I’m bloated today?
So, then… can you, um… get ready here?
Uh… sure. Just… turn around, okay?
A-All right.
Clothes continually land on the ground next to Yusuke.
Phew, that was tight…
Tight…? No, I’m doing this for art!
Say… your sensei’s coming back soon, right? Couldn’t we do this somewhere a little more private? Like, a room with a lock?
A lock? But the only room like that is… Sensei’s…
Then why not there?
I can’t intrude… Besides, I don’t have the key…
He says he doesn’t have the key.
It’s OK. That’s why I’m here. I’ll just use this hairpin…
Takamaki-san, are you about—
D-Don’t you think it’s cold today?
I suppose so?
(to Morgana) You’re still visible, idiot! Go pick the lock!
(to Yusuke) C’mon… let’s go find a better room to do this in…
Music: Disquiet
She was saying she was gonna “seduce him with her acting,” but that seems unlikely…
Last week she tried to use that shit on me. It almost worked, but to be fair, I’m very stupid.
And isn’t Madarame gonna be home soon? There’s no sign at all this place will open… Even if Mona manages to open that door, how’s he gonna get Madarame to see it? Especially for long enough to get us inside… No matter how you look at it, this seems impossible!
Well, now I’m worried too. Great job, Skull.
Music: Tension
Ann has now stripped down to presumably her final layer beneath even her school clothes. Was she wearing these shorts under her tights?
So this is the door…
You’re still not done!?
It’s hard to do this… with cat paws!
Oh, ummm… Sooo, what is this room?
It’s a storage area for old paintings.
Storage…
Wait, then why is it locked? And I thought you said it was “Sensei’s room”…
Yes. It’s Sensei’s art storage room.
Then where does he sleep?
Sensei does not require sleep. He merely leaves every night to gain divine inspiration.
……
I see you’re doubtful of my claims, but I assure you it’s true. I overheard him the other day talking on the phone about going to “bump uglies”—clearly referring to some attempt to purge all which is not beautiful from his mind. He has the most eccentric codes for these things…
Hey, Kitagawa-kun… Why don’t we… do it in here? I won’t be embarrassed if we go somewhere nobody can find us…
Only Sensei can go in there.
Pleeease…? I wanna be alone with you. Somewhere like, quiet. You know, where we won’t get interrupted.
This acting is so terrible I am temporarily no longer infatuated with this girl.
Come on, Kitagawa-kun…
We can’t! And even if we could, it’s locked anyway…
I’m just too embarrassed… I guess if we can’t, I’ll just leave…
What do I do…?
S-Sensei!?
Music: High Pressure
Yusuke?
What are you doing there!?
Wha—!?
Hm?
…It’s off!
Music: A Woman
They seriously did it!
Huh. I had already written this plan off.
Let’s go!
Music: High Pressure
Look at that JoJo-posing motherfucker. I hate his guts. Let’s take him down.
This fight isn’t very challenging. I mean, it better not be, we only have half the party, including none of our healers. But yeah, it’s just a normal Shadow that they repurposed into a miniboss. The most unusual thing about it is that Ryuji forgets to use Ann’s codename in the preamble.
Adverse Resolve, if you forgot (you did), increases Ryuji’s critical rate while the party is surrounded. It’s trash!
It’d be a pain in the ass if we got spotted again. Anyways, let’s turn off that security system!
Are these the lights?
Music: Desire
Isn’t this… “Sayuri”? Why are there so many of them?
I have no idea…
Get out!
Sensei, what is the meaning of this?
I suppose I can’t keep quiet now that you’ve seen this…
I, uh… I’m in debt! I’ve been producing copies of “Sayuri” and selling them to try to get out of it…! Yeah, that’s it!
But why?
Ever since the real Sayuri was stolen by a student of mine who resented my strict teaching style, my artist’s block has left me creatively paralyzed… That’s why I needed all that help from you and the other students. Yes… that clears up everything, doesn’t it? It’s all coming together!
……
Knowing I couldn’t keep taking my students’ ideas, I attempted to recreate the “Sayuri” to recapture my passion. But all I made were replicas. Eventually someone came to buy them, despite knowing they were fakes. And as my profile grew and expectations rose, I needed the money more and more to further your talents… It’s all my fault for getting into debt… Please, forgive me Yusuke!
Sensei…
That makes no fucking sense. How did you even make copies without the original?
I, uh… found a photo in an artbook?
You’re telling me art collectors bought copies of a picture of the original? Really?
I guess I’m just that good! Shut up, kid!
This… This is the real “Sayuri”! But you just said a moment ago that it was stolen!
No I didn’t! That’s a fake! I never met her!
I can tell it’s real! Why are you lying, Sensei?
I bought a counterfeit!
These aren’t even good lies.
Please just tell us the truth…
You too…? *pulls out phone* I’ve reported you both to my private security company!
What!?
I set it up to deal with this annoying journalist who kept snooping around and reeked of booze, but it’s come in more useful than I expected.
Please, wait! Let’s talk about this…!
You can talk all you want to the police… That includes you, Yusuke!
What am I being arrested for? I live here!
Oh, *now* you understand how trespassing works…
Lady Ann, let’s run!
There’s no point! They’ll be here within two minutes!
Music: High Pressure
Music: A Woman
Ngh…
Respect for Yusuke’s fucking knees here, holy shit.
Gah…
Owwww! Yusuke’s head is so hard!
I thought I was gonna die! …Hey, will you let go already!? *shove*
Music: Disquiet
Calm down, Kitagawa-kun! It’s me!
…Takamaki-san? That means you two are…
The guys you’re blackmailing, yeah. Sup?
I don’t recall ever seeing this cat costume before though… What is this place?
We’re inside Madarame’s heart.
Inside… Sensei’s heart? I’m sorry, Takamaki-san… but are you sure you’re feeling OK?
She ain’t lyin’. This is what that bastard truly feels. He’s nothin’ but a greed-filled money-grubber.
Enough of this rubbish!
Kitagawa-kun! I know this is hard to believe, but surely you’ve noticed that something was wrong with Madarame… This is how he sees the world. This is who he really is.
This repulsive world…? Just who are all of you!?
I guess you could say… we’re a group that changes the hearts of rotten crooks.
If everything you say is true, then the Sensei I know doesn’t exist…
You gotta snap out of it.
Still… he has kept me safe these past ten years. My gratitude for that won’t just disappear.
You’re gonna forgive him!? At this rate you’ll…!
N-Ngh…
Are you okay?
I’m trying to be rational about this, but my emotions are overwhelming me…
Sorry, but the security level has skyrocketed! We need to get out of here ASAP!
Can you stand? I’ll give you a piggyback ride.
…I’ll be fine.
Music: A Woman
Let’s avoid fighting with Yusuke along.
Music: Regret
A vain museum such as this…?
Ooh, that gives me an idea for the calling card! Vanity’s close enough to a sin, right?
Do you recognize it? We were thinking these might be his past pupils or something…
But… why are there paintings of them here?
Technically, those aren’t actually paintings. They’re the pupils themselves.
Madarame saw ‘em as objects, so that’s what they are in here… Oh, and uh… we found yours too.
……
We’ll talk more later. For now, let’s get out of here.
Music: Desire
*maniacal laughter*
Who is it!? What the—
Talk about bullshit clothes! First a king, now some kinda shogun!?
Huh? Sensei? Is that you? That attire…
Disgusting.
I mean, it’s not the most fashionable, sure, but that still seems a little uncalled for, Panther.
This… This is all one big lie, isn’t it?
My usual ragged attire is nothing but an act. Besides, a famous person living in that shack? I have another home… under a mistress’s name, of course.
And your students just… didn’t notice that you didn’t actually live with them? This raises further questions!
If the “Sayuri” was stolen, why was it in the storage room? And if you had the real one, why make copies!? If it’s really you, Sensei… please tell me!
Foolish child. You still don’t see? The painting being stolen was just a false rumor I spread! It was all a perfectly calculated staging!
What do you mean!?
Let me see… How does this sound? “I found the real painting, but it can’t go public… You can have it for a special price, though…” Haha! How’s that for preferential treatment!? Art snobs’ll eat it up, and pay good cash at that!
Anyone who falls for that nonsense probably deserves to be swindled, honestly.
No…
The value of art is purely illusion. What’s the matter with providing that illusion to eager customers? Though I doubt a brat like you would ever come up with such a brilliant scheme!
You keep goin’ on and on about money this, money that… No wonder you ended up with this disgusting museum!
You’re supposed to be an artist, right!? Aren’t you ashamed of plagiarizing other peoples’ work!?
Art is nothing but a tool… A tool to gain money and fame! You helped me greatly as well, Yusuke…
God… Pisses me off… That’s your teacher.
But what about the people who believe in you? Who think you’re a master artist!?
…I’ll tell you this alone, Yusuke. If you wish to succeed in this world, I’d advise you don’t rise against me. Do you believe anyone could find success with my objection holding them down? Hahahahaha!
To think I was under the care of this wretched man…!
You thought I took you in out of the goodness in my heart? Plucking talented, yet troubled artists allows me to find promising pupils and take their ideas… After all, it’s much easier to steal the futures of children who can’t fight back.
I can’t believe this…
Livestock are killed for their hide and meat! This is no different, you fool! …But I tire of this little chat. It’s time that I—
You are unforgivable.
Hm?
It doesn’t matter who you are… I won’t forgive you!
So, you repay my keeping you around for all these years with ingratitude? You damn brat! Men! Dispose of these thieves!
Heh… Well, that’s a load off, I suppose…
Huh? Kitagawa-kun!?
*chuckle* I’d denied it for so long, but the truth was right in front of my eyes…
We don’t have time for you to lose it, dude!
Everyone shut up! Surely we’re all familiar enough with these by now to know where this is going!
It’s the tranquil fury at the heart of the storm…
Ohhh… I getcha. Wonder what his’ll be?
Ooh, this should be good. I haven’t gotten to see someone else’s before!
I’m kind of in the middle of something, if you don’t mind… *Ahem*…
I wanted to believe it wasn’t true… I had clouded my vision for so long…
Music: Awakening
Video: Yusuke’s Awakening
I am thou, thou art I…
Music: Will Power
The price for your insolence will be death!
The prospects of your pupils…
Yusuke’s raring to go. And he should be, because we’re going to get a lot more use out of him in Royal than in the original, due to some of the tweaked gameplay systems. Well, those and one addition in particular that we’ll get to in, oh… fifty hours? Optimistically?
Line changes!!!!
During Shadow Madarame’s monologue, the line “The worth of art is purely subjective… Thus, this is a legitimate business transaction!” is now “The value of art is purely illusion. What’s the matter with providing that illusion to eager customers?” Marginally more natural, I’ll accept it.