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Chapter 52: 6/12: Sketchy Man Wants Protein (New)
This update covers content from Part 48 of the original LP.
Daytime
At a university… some words I can’t read! (The context suggests it’s visiting day for high school students or something like that)
Music: Disquiet
May I talk to you for a moment?
Let me guess… it’s about the Phantom Thieves, correct?
Ding ding ding! Correct! Am I that obvious?
You were on live national television talking about this two days ago.
Well, it’s no problem. I was just wondering if you could help me a bit. Are there any similarities between Kamoshida’s and Madarame’s… incidents? The Phantom Thieves need to be caught, after all. For the sake of their victims. Yeah, their victims. Let’s go with that.
How would I know anything about Madarame’s case? Anyway, it seems like you do believe in them after all.
Yes, as illogical as it may seem… I have a *very* good reason for believing in them.
…… …Are you doing this because my sister told you to?
No, I would be doing this anyway. Just a… coincidence, that.
Why do I get the feeling that you’re enjoying this?
Which, chasing the Phantom Thieves, or fucking with you?
……
Ah, real-life phantom thieves, writing calling cards and stealing hearts… As the “Charismatic Detective,” they’re naturally my rivals.
That’s not even your nickname! No one calls you that! And besides, you’re the arbiter of good and evil here?
Evil!? *nervous laugh* No evil people around here! Just me, a good guy!
……
Oh, wait, I see what you’re saying.
Compared to people who manipulate others’ hearts as they see fit, I believe I’m on the side of justice.
Besides, I’m just doing what I’m best at for the sake of the world. Can’t you say the same?
I—
…Oh, I see. You’re just a pushover, then. The kind of good-girl who’ll roll over when commanded. What a pity.
I don’t—
Struck a nerve, have I? Oh, don’t feel so bad. It was fun, talking with you just now. For me, at least.
See you later. Give Sae-san my regards.
Man, the script for this scene originally was some hot fucking nonsense, and part of my workflow this time had to be re-interpreting it in a way that actually kind of makes some sense even through the jokes. Hopefully I succeeded even just a little.
Music: Break it Down (Elp Version)
It’s such a delight to enjoy coffee of this quality.
You could stay until you find a place, you know. I can’t promise it’d be comfortable here though.
Thank you, but I’ll be returning to the dorms. After last night, I realized that I need to learn about people to advance as an artist. Also, it turns out I might be allergic to Morgana.
I see. Good on you for realizing that yourself.
Might I come back sometime to enjoy the coffee?
My door’s always open.
Maaku’s been through a lot too, from what I’ve heard… Are you related to him?
…Uh, not quite. We’re not family, no. Barely acquaintances.
I may be overstepping my bounds, but why did you decide to take him in?
My reason…? How about… he reminds me of a me long past. If you buy that, anyway.
Is that really all it was?
Doesn’t take much to help someone when you feel like you already understand them. Sympathy’s funny like that. By the way, your instru—sorry, former instructor… I’m sure he felt something for you. It wasn’t just about stealing your work. Sorry if I’m overstepping here.
To be honest… I’m having a hard time trying to truly hate him. Maybe you’re right… But I should probably get going.
People would only question its authenticity if I kept it around. This is better for it.
Adding a hint of color to an otherwise ordinary day… I’m sure my mother would’ve done the same.
…I see. I’ll hold onto it for you then.
Thank you for the coffee.
Music: Beneath the Mask (Instrumental Version)
I require sustenance.
You’re not even going to ask where Yusuke is? Not that I know, anyway… Maybe he’s downstairs?
What of it, old man? …Wait, shit, I’m wasting my day off!
That kid ended up going back to his dorms.
What, did you scare him off? Thanks. I was gonna have to rent a Halloween costume and haunt this place, you saved me a load of trouble there.
It’s unfortunately probably not worth much, before you get any ideas.
Why would I sell it!? It’s beautiful.
And this painting is amazing. Not only is the mother stunning, but the expression on her face… The regulars will probably freak out when they see it in here.
I can see it now: “Why do you have a weird counterfeit of that disgraced artist’s stolen work?”
Still… I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere. It’s a bit different from how I remember it, though… Well… If you’re up for the day, go on and get dressed. I opened shop hours ago, so go take the cat out somewhere.
Apologies for leaving so quietly, but your rest seemed peaceful.
>Yusuke, I sleep on a thin mattress resting on milk crates. I would have welcomed you waking me up.
After a great deal of inner struggle, I have decided to return to the dormitories. Furthermore, I’ve entrusted the “Sayuri” to your protector, Sojiro. That painting should no longer exist in reality… but it it truly what my mother painted. I am simply satisfied that we were able to obtain it. And it was all because of you guys. I cannot thank you enough. PS, I still believe porridge is the best way to end a hot pot.
There’s some burglars or something using the Phantom Thief name and targeting restaurants?
I saw that post too! And another about someone’s brother getting violent after getting caught up with some weird people in Shibuya. Think they could be related?
>That seems like a rather large leap in logic, but eh. Probably.
How should we investigate this? Perhaps we could use Leblanc as a honeypot.
NO.
Oh, right. I left the “Sayuri” there.
In addition to the other eighty reasons that’s a bad idea…
We might just have to wait for some more information…
More Thieves’ Den stuff. We’ll check that out eventually. Emphasis on “eventually.”
This just shows that many fail to truly understand what is art. Did you see past Madarame’s lies?
Not a Phantom Thief! No sir!
Haha, there’s no need to feel discouraged. We learn and grow through experiences like these. That said, there is no depth to Madarame’s work. It is cheap and base, like instant coffee. Don’t fret if these concepts are difficult to grasp. Art is deep and complex… like this coffee.
Since the year started, scam victims have been on the rise, mainly in the Tokyo metro area. A massive mafia group is rumored to be behind these scam incidents, but…
A mafia group? Huh. I wonder who they might be.
Music: Tokyo Daylight
(Sad Old Man) Oh, my wife’s been feeling depressed ever since she saw the interview with Madarame.
Ah, she’s been his fan for a long time, right? Who would’ve guessed they were all forgeries?
I guess there’s all sorts of things in this world that we’re better off not knowing…
(DJ) How about our listeners? Did you see the interview? We literally saw someone break down in tears. It’s terrible, but I couldn’t help laughing.
What a disgrace. Maybe I’m an old man, but I’d still never want to get humiliated like that.
(Gentle-Looking Mother) Yeah, and he was caught by the police. I thought he was a good person, but…
Well, it’s good that he feels sorry for it, then! Right, Kotaro?
(Lazy Dog) Woof! Woof!
Let’s head down to Kichijoji. There’s a suspicious alcove down there I want to check out.
In that alcove, which has been consistently empty since we first found it, there is currently an incredibly suspicious man trying to talk to us.
I am a chapman collecting rare goods for personal reasons.
Listen, mister, I don’t know all these fancy book-words you been usin’.
…It’s just an old word for “trader.” You know what that is, don’t you? A trader must constantly fulfill his client’s needs, regardless of an item being sold out or worth a premium. But a lone man can only do so much. I’ve been rackin’ my brain over how I’m gonna purchase this item… Then ya came along, man, and I just knew I could talk to ya! Whaddya say? Will ya help a fella collect goods?
What’s in it for me, man?
I’ll have rewards ready for ya, my man. If ya get me what I ask for, we’ll trade. Sound fair? Just buy the item when you can, and bring it to me any time. Unfortunately, consumer demand is always in a constant state of flux. So sometimes an item ya bring to me may no longer be needed. Sorry, man, that’s just how it is.
You know, he looks and talks funny, but depending on the item, this might not be a bad deal. Why don’t you accept the job? It sounds easy enough—you just have to buy him stuff.
Then we have a deal. From now on, please call me Sakai.
Of course, as phantom thieves, we have to be careful about procuring the item and appraising it, all right? I don’t think this guy has any ill intentions, but he’s still a bit suspicious. I don’t want us to get in trouble.
Oh, one thing I need you to remember: I don’t want any trouble. Wouldn’t want to burden the clients. That means no stealin’! Ya gotta buy the item through legitimate channels, all right, my man?
I… think this is saying “don’t give me anything you got from a Shadow negotiation,” but I don’t think he’ll ever ask for anything you can get that way so it’s moot.
Now then, let’s discuss our first deal.
Hey, wasn’t that kid nearby begging his dad for one of tho—oh, I see what’s happening here.
As it turns out, I already have the item we need (because I’ve played this game before so I paid attention to the begging kid and knew we would need it)! Let’s turn it in!
So you’re ready to trade, yes? Yes!?
Yes, yes! A wise decision, indeed.
Why does this guy talk like a fucking Namazu? If you understood that reference, you’re a good person.
And here you go… Your Decorative Whip.
Ah, so this is whey protein made from pig’s milk… No additives, artificial coloring, or preservatives! Safe for even kids to drink!
What the fuck?
I knew you would be able to deliver. I’ll be counting on you again!
And the kid and his dad are not currently outside the eyeglasses shop. It’s definitely him, then.
Sakai’s requests can generally be taken care of by paying close attention to the sources of limited-time or rare items from sources like Foodie Girl in Maaku’s classroom or the television at Leblanc. We’ve picked up an item or two for future use here already, like the Yakisoba Pan at Shujin. Sorry Hijiyama, this one is for this weird dad.
We’ll equip that new whip onto Ann because it’s almost twice as powerful as her current weapon.
Aojiru time. Maaku gains Proficiency +1.
Music: Butterfly Kiss
But I’m not an optometrist… Oh, is it because I have an eye test chart on the wall…?
Takemi time.
In that case, my little guinea pig, there’s something I want to test out today…
Death Rank 5: Part 34
Music: Alright (Elp Version)
If you’re feeling okay, you can go home now.
...What? Again? That’s, well… that ship’s already sailed, so...
Remember that girl you oh-so-gallantly volunteered me to take care of last time? Oyamada’s patient? Well… her dad won’t leave me alone now. He keeps bringing her here even after I referred them to another hospital.
I don’t really see the problem. It kinda seems like you could use the business.
It’s a pain. I even told them about that infamous medical error of mine, but they don’t seem to care…
Is it really so bad having people trust you?
Yes, because they really shouldn’t. Newsflash, these medical trials you’re participating in aren’t above-board.
Shocker. What happened, anyway?
The medical error was well documented. Everyone in my field knows about it. I led the development of a new drug for an incurable illness called “Crawford-Ende’s disease.” Although I wasn’t the one who administered the medicine, it was the cause of the error. With Crawford-Ende’s, certain cells indiscriminately attack other cells throughout the body. When it reaches the muscles, the patient slowly begins to die… There hasn’t been much progress made on it—partly because there haven’t been many cases of it. I worked with a pharmaceutical company that had reached the final stage of production, but… One day, I was suddenly removed from my position. That Chief of Staff Oyamada, my superior at the time, took over the entire operation.
And lemme guess, he fucked it up?
Music: Alleycat
I don’t know if he did it for glory or just money, but he rushed completion to use it on a patient named Miwa. When it was administered, there was an adverse reaction, and she went into critical condition. Oyamada panicked and blamed me. Miwa-chan and her family have resented me ever since. I couldn’t change that no matter what I said.
Sorry, what part of that is supposed to be your fault? You kept talking like you had this grave secret and then it turns out it’s got almost nothing to do with you. It’s a little contrived, if I’m being honest. But, uh, sorry that happened anyway.
Well, that doesn’t matter… The development of the medicine was suspended, so I had no reason to stay at that hospital. At least now I can keep working as a general practitioner, on my own terms… with my guinea pig.
Oh fuck, that’s me!
Haven’t you realized? That’s the medicine I’ve been testing on you. It’s in the final stage. It searches for the offensive cells and destroys them. It’s… probably harmless for people without Crawford-Ende’s. Probably.
If it doesn’t do anything to me, how do you even know if it works? Is this just to make sure I don’t immediately explode or something when I drink it?
Eyes on the prize, my guinea pig. You’ve made it this far, so I’ll increase my selection just for you.
It feels like my bond with Takemi is growing even deeper…
So, we’ve finally unlocked the SP Adhesive 3 catalog. I mentioned it in passing earlier, but… we’re not going to be buying them! Skill accessories are just categorically better, and I really appreciate that instead of removing or nerfing the SP regen accessories in Royal they just gave you so many better options that they’re just obsolete.
Looks like I’ll be renting that Halloween costume after all…
…Oh, sorry, that’s all I wanted to talk to you about. You can go home now.
I feel like cooperating in that shady clinical trial has increased my Guts…
Maaku gains Guts +1.
For that event, we chose options 1, 1, 2 (+3).
Music: Break it Down (Elp Version)
Also… sorry for the long talk today. I wasn’t planning on telling you all that.
But… it was also a good reminder. This is something I have to do, as the Plague.
If there are no issues with this latest sample, I think we’re right on the edge of finally finishing it…
I have to go. See you later.
Daytime → Evening
Music: Beneath the Mask
After what Akechi said, it’s pissing me off to just do nothing!
I don’t think we should just let him keep bad-mouthing us with no response… Especially if the police are mobilizing…
Let us meet at the hideout tomorrow and discuss things then.
If you got time, you wanna go right now? We could definitely use a break, but it’s also good research for our next target. I just can’t sit still.
We have another message from Ryuji. He apparently wants to go play darts. No thanks though, it’s Yoshida day.
Please know that you can direct your criticism and outrage at me! I, Toranosuke Yoshida, will someday find a way to address your concerns in Nagatacho…
How’s your schoolwork? I’m scheduled to give a speech today, but one thing about it will be different… I could use your help, as usual. Do you mind?
There will be cameras coming today, apparently.
Ooh, publicity!
I don’t feel good about that, but I couldn’t decline… Regardless, we will do as we have always done.
Sun Rank 5: Part 63
Music: What’s Going On?
That is the mindset we politicians must instill in our constituents!
Hm? Oh, the filming, right.
(Director) Okay, we should be able to get a lot of interesting footage. It IS No-Good Tora, after all.
Advocate an overly optimistic policy only to lure in voters during the election season… That’s how No-Good Tora thought and operated twenty years ago, making unachievable pledges.
Hm, this isn’t how I saw this going…
If you make a promise, you must keep it. If you make a mistake, you must atone for it. These are basic human principles that we have all learned from the youngest of ages…
Boring.
He’s making some pretty good points, don’t you think?
That’s why it’s all useless!
Yo, shut up! Tora’s trying to give a speech!
Huh?
Hey, don’t I know you…? Hmm…
Wait, that’s it! You’re the asshole who grabbed Kasumi! Mother*fucker*!
What’s this kid talking about?
*sweating* Heh, I dunno. Weird kid, right? Let’s just get outta here and never mention it again.
However, I’ve been distancing myself from that. Do you think I’ve regained my confidence?
What? Oh, yeah, totally. Sorry, Yoshida, but can I go early today? I need to go find that dude and break his camera-slash-face.
Music: Break it Down (Elp Version)
Even if I’ve become confident again, I must never forget my disgrace as No-Good Tora. I’d like to tell you a story.
Ah, man, my revenge…
I mentioned this before, but twenty years ago, I was lucky enough to become a Diet member. However, I wanted to be a politician for all the wrong reasons. I wanted to be in a position of power, and I was obsessed with the glamorous lifestyle. I thought only of being popular. I truly was “No-Good Tora”… Learn from me. Don’t let being a member of the Diet be your only goal in life. Voters are much more sensible than we give them credit for.
Not so sure about that one, chief.
Being ambitious and striving to advance in the political world will change your outlook on life.
Yoshida eagerly gave me advice… I feel like my bond with Yoshida is growing deeper...
You’re… Mr. Kuramoto’s grandson?
That’s correct. I’m his grandson, Benzo.
Does he know that you’re here speaking with me now?
I’ m aware that you and my grandfather are on bad terms, but that doesn’t concern me.
You know about him?
My grandfather was recently hospitalized, and you’ve become the topic of our conversations. I’d like to talk with you again sometime. I learned a lot from your speech today.
Matsushita…? Sorry, I have to take care of some business. Let’s wrap this up for today.
I feel like listening to Yoshida’s speech has served to increase my Charm…
Maaku gains Charm +2.
Good job.
Line Changes!!!!!!
When Sojiro and Yusuke are talking about why Sojiro took in Maaku, Sojiro’s line “Doesn’t take much when someone takes consideration on someone else.” is now “You know how it is. Sympathy makes you do stupid things sometimes.” The original line was pretty bad, so this is a marked improvement.