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Chapter 78: 7/10: Down With The Sickness
This update covers content from Part 66 of the original LP.
In case that title didn’t tip you off:
…Yeah. What will this portend for this latest update of Persona 5 Royal!? Stay tuned to find out! (I’ll just tell you now, it’s going to be a really short one)
Anon: movie adaptation time lol
Anon: Obviously. Let’s watch!
Anon: Phantom Thieves YAAAS!
Anon: I knew it!!!
Anon: A new hero is born!
Isn’t is so cool how they steal people’s hearts?
How do they make them repent?
I’m really curious… Who are they?
Early Morning
Music: Beneath the Mask (Instrumental Version)
I know this routine. Time for the manual labor!
Early Morning → Daytime
I’m busy with my washing, though! You’re just standing there!
Not true. I’m busy answering this important phone call.
Sojiroooooo! This printer you bought me isn’t cute!
…I don’t know what that means. Just hold on, I’ll be right over.
*hangs up* *sighs*
Lock up for me if I don’t come back.
It’s like 10 in the morning, dude! How long are you going to be gone!?
Just quit complaining. It’s urgent.
Knowing you and those weird phone calls you’re constantly getting you never talk about, it’s probably women troubles.
What? Oh, uh… yeah, sure.
One day, you will have to teach me your ways.
Not today, though.
(TV Reporter) This case is said to be a result of the Phantom Thieves’ actions, but what do you think?
(Pundit) We don’t know their methods, but I believe they are a menace that will threaten this law-abiding country. This dangerous group tampers with people’s hearts. It’s no different from brainwashing.
(TV Reporter) I see. You’re absolutely correct.
Didn’t the Phantom Thieves punish that Madarame fellow? What an awful man… The Phantom Thieves must be good, then.
(Elderly Male Customer) That may be true, but…
(to Maaku) Don’t you think so too, deary? The Phantom Thieves aren’t doing anything wrong, are they?
Of course not! There ain’t no law that says the Phantom Thieves can’t change hearts! I dare you to find that law anywhere!
I was talking more in the broader philosophical sense of “right” and “wrong,” beyond the domain of “lawful” or “unlawful”…
What? Oh, yeah, that too.
Oh my, look at the time. We should probably head home.
Ah, you’re right. Thanks for the drink.
Music: Disquiet
But to think the Phantom Thieves would honestly attempt an absurd idea like social reform…
I know, right? Like, grow up. When I criticize the establishment, I’m just *saying* shit, I’m not actually going to *do* anything about it. And everyone knows that and is fine with it, because I’m a politician! These irritating Phantom Thieves don’t seem to understand how the world works. Unfortunately, they’re winning the public over.
...You’re absolutely right. I’m not pleased about the general public’s support of them either. There’s also the danger of the Metaverse being exposed with their continued actions…
If nothing else, it’s going to draw attention to the work we’re having that Akechi brat perform for us. People are going to link the two eventually… Speaking of Akechi, did he tell you how he plans to respond?
…Actually, there is one countermeasure he brought in that seems usable. It involves having the Phantom Thieves destroy themselves without our direct intervention…
Oh, that plan? I don’t know why you would say it doesn’t involve our “direct intervention,” it involves calling out the Phantom Thieves under a false identity, baiting them, then framing them for several murders. But that one was my idea, actually.
…Ah, I thought as much. I had a feeling that it was too brutal for it to be his own idea.
You really think this plan is beyond him? I know he’s just a brat, but something about him freaks me out…
Still, to think you’d go through such elaborate detail to crush them… Their actions must be that much of an eyesore for you. I sympathize with what you’re going through.
It’s true, thank you for that… whatever your name is.
Well then, we’ll clean this up quickly and put it behind us. Yes. A grand undertaking like social reform is beyond a group such as the Phantom Thieves. Only a select few are worthy of changing the world. And who better than the future Prime Minister… sir?
Haha, yeah, cute, I get it. You can quit massaging my ego now. Actually, you know what? Never mind, keep doing it.
Daytime → Evening
Music: Break it Down (Elp Version)
Bull. Shit. I don’t hear any other sounds. Heh, I bet you’re at home, right?
Anyway, we’re right outside. We’re coming over for you-know-what!
What!? No! It’s Sunday! This is my Tora Time!
Music: Alright
No, we’re here to study for finals, idiot!
*sigh* Why am I here too?
What, you too good to study with us?
I fear there’s no way to say this without causing offense, so I’ll just be direct: I’m afraid that studying with you all would be… actively counterproductive.
Yeah, fair, we’re dumb.
I’m not even in the same grade as you, and Yusuke even attends a different school. I can’t imagine this will be all that productive a study session.
Just help, please.
*sigh* I couldn’t ask the last time I was here… But what is this place? The storekeeper doesn’t seem to be around...
Wait, have you… been here before?
Uhh… Nope!
Hmm… Well, I live here.
Huh!?
He’s got complicated circumstances… We can tell her about it, right? Actually, tell her yourself.
The rest of us are pretty much the same. Not quite as bad as him though, obviously. We all became Phantom Thieves because there’s stuff we just couldn’t put up with. But on that note: what about you, Makoto? Is there someone you can’t forgive? Whose heart do you wanna change?
…Let’s just get to studying.
Ooh, a secret!
Studying blooooooows… What’s on TV?
(In the original version of this scene, Ryuji complains that he’ll never use English in the future. I just think that’s funny because there’s an untranslatable moment in the scene where the group arrives in Hawaii where he badly speaks English).
(TV Reporter) This case is said to be the result of the Phantom Thieves’ actions, but in actuality, is this true?
(on TV) Considering that a calling card was left, there’s no room for doubt. It’s not like you could just *fake* one of those, right? But the real question is the Phantom Thieves’ method. If they really did meddle with a suspect’s heart, the confession may well be fabricated.
Has there been any evidence of that?
Um… no, but… we can’t forget that while the Phantom Thieves may be exposing real injustices in society, doing so by extralegal means is a dangerous way to think.
Isn’t that the opposite of what you just said?
In conclusion, the Phantom Thieves are a land of contrasts and no different from the criminals they target. Thank you.
Music: Break it Down
Man, eff that guy. We’re not the bad ones here!
Just ignore him. People are starting to understand that we’re doing the right thing.
It might be time to start thinkin’ about a new target, too! The wind’s blowin’ in our direction! We can’t lose to anything right now!
Okay, that’s enough of a study brea—
Oh! We never settled on a celebration for after exams! There’s a fireworks festival coming up soon, isn’t there?
Sounds great! Let’s do it!
Fine. But study first, okay?
(recording) There’s a fireworks festival coming up soon, isn’t there?
Sounds great! Let’s do it!
Fine. But study first, okay?
Hehehe… ……
Music: Beneath the Mask
I’ll kill him. I’ll kill him. I’ll kill him. …That’s all it says. Rumor has it she’s talking about her boyfriend.
>Sounds dangerous. And not in a hot way.
Yeah, it seems like she’ll do something real bad someday, right? And, it gets even worse. As it turns out, she’s a Shujin student. You know a girl named Yumeko Mogami? She’s always up near the classrooms on the second floor… Please, you have to do something before things get worse!
Heheh! This is a good opportunity for us! Kaneshiro’s change of heart has probably opened up some deeper parts of Mementos. Let’s make some time and talk about it at the hideout
Yeah, all right, you fuckin’ creep.
Uhhh… No trouble, no sir!
Loud and clear.
Yeah, I could tell.
Noted.
Just before his arrest, “calling cards” with the suspect’s name were posted all over the area. Pictures of these were spread on the internet. Some claim these are proof that the “Phantom Thieves” exist.
Putting calling cards up all over town was really effective. Getting famous might keep us pretty busy.
Music: Break it Down (Elp Version)
You still got time to read. Let’s go a little further.
Ah, these stories are way too spooky for me. Don’t talk to me about any of them, okay?
3spooky5me
Although… you do seem a lot more dependable now that you’ve read them.
Maaku gains Guts +3.
Anon: C’mon, show us your faces!
Anon: What’s Akechi-kun saying?
Anon: so it wasn’t a joke omg lol
Anon: YES!!! fan club plz
Anon: think they got chicks?
Anon: Shibuya’s fucked
Are they just choosing bad people to steal hearts from?
Maybe someone’s asking them to do it.
Oh yeah, don’t they have a forum or something?
What if you make a request on there and they actually follow through?
And that’s gonna do it for today, because I’m very sick at the moment and don’t have the energy to sit down and be funny!