Return.

Riquet: “I believe I heard something about that too. About how Don Snow has sent all his men snooping around town in search of something recently.”

Shylock: “Murr did say to me once that drinking it is good for one’s health, but… Alas, I doubt it has the same efficacy that Ventisca is so desperate to find.”

Shylock: “I wonder what sort of exaggerated rumours Don Snow has been listening to lately.”

Riquet: “…Ah! Could it be, perhaps, that Kirsche Persche made such a strong impression on that man who came here before that he over-exaggerated its properties slightly, and the rumours from there all got out of hand?”

Akira & Shylock: “That man?”

Riquet: “You told me once that you served Kirsche Persche to someone from outside of our family, Shylock.”

Shylock: “Ah, yes. Only the once, to a man who had drifted into our hideout by chance just as the sun was starting to set.”

Shylock: “His face was terribly pale, and he told me that he was afraid of the coming night — that the night was what caused all his suffering. I simply couldn’t turn him away under the circumstances.”

Shylock: “I had hoped that being pleasantly intoxicated might help soothe his heart.”

…The feeling of being so afraid of the night that it overwhelmed you. I felt as though I could understand that, somehow.

If I hadn’t met Shylock when I did, I probably would’ve ended up feeling the same way — struck by the thought of being engulfed by night’s darkness.

For a moment, I tried to imagine myself in that position. Wandering aimlessly through a strange and unfamiliar town, all my memories gone…

Knowing nobody. Recognising nothing. Noticing that the sun is starting to set. Then, by chance, I see it — a lone bar with its lights still on…

Akira: (And Shylock is there, smiling as I stumble inside…)

Akira: “…Even I might start spreading rumours if something like that happened to me. Of course I’d want to tell people about this miraculous drink that soothed both my mind and my body.”

Shylock: “How pleasing to hear you say so. Let us assume such a thing is indeed the cause of all Ventisca’s fuss, shall we?”

With a soft laugh paired with a mischievous smile, Shylock placed two glasses down on the counter, filled with a liquid that looked like it had both flowers and the moon held captive within.

Shylock: “Here you are, Akira, Riquet. I’ve heated them both, and omitted any alcohol.”

Akira: “Wow… Thank you so much!”

I felt my gratitude flood out of me from the very depths of my heart.

I was sure the people who had been served Kirsche Persche by Shylock in the past must’ve felt the same way I did right now.

Shylock: “Do we all have a glass in hand, everybody?”

Riquet: “Yes!”

Akira: “We’re all ready!”

Shylock: “Well then. In order to celebrate the bonds we have with each other, and to celebrate our fortuitous meeting with Akira, let us all say in unison…”

Everyone: “Cheers!”

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Man With a Cigar: “What a damn good casino…! Cards, roulette, and slots — plus the tables and dealers were top class, too.”

Man With a Cigar: “Good interior design, good customers. The Panthera Family casino is certainly livin’ up to its reputation…”

Heathcliff: “I’m glad to hear you’ve been enjoying yourself.”

Heathcliff: “But that’s not all Panthera has to offer in terms of entertainment.”

Man With a Cigar: “…Whaddya mean?”

Heathcliff: “All I’ve shown you so far has been the veneer we show to the rest of the world. But if you were to slip behind the scenes, you’d find even more dangerous and exciting places where you could drown yourself in desire as much as you pleased.”

Heathcliff: “Money, entertainment, alcohol… And anything else you might want that shouldn’t be said aloud.”

Heathcliff: “So long as you agree to cooperate with me, all the pleasures we offer here in town will be yours to savour.”

Man With a Cigar: “Oho…”

Man With a Cigar: “Lemme ask you something, then. What’s in it for you?”

Heathcliff: “…I have only one question I need you to answer.”

Heathcliff: “One of my men was almost murdered last night. He survived the attack, however, and claims it was a member of your family that ambushed him.”

Heathcliff: “So I’m asking you now: why attack one of my men?”

Man With a Cigar: “…”

Heathcliff: “I would be dishonouring the Panthera Family name if I were to keep my mouth shut and do nothing at the news that one of my precious underlings has been harmed.”

Heathcliff: “If an all-out war is what you’re looking for, it’d be simple for me to respond in kind… But of course, if that is the case, there’d be no going easy on you.”

Heathcliff: “So I wanted to at least offer you mercy first. You can tell me your side of the story, and I’ll decide from there whether blood needs to be spilled or not.”

Man With a Cigar: “W-Wait— Y’have it all wrong…!”

Heathcliff: “I do, do I?”

Man With a Cigar: “We’re not tryin’ to start anything with you guys, I swear! But we ain’t got a choice…”

Man With a Cigar: “Yeah, this is all his fault… That guy in the black top hat, carryin’ around those freaky puppets…”

Man With a Cigar: “That bastard, sayin’ the dead can be brought back to life…”

Heathcliff: “Brought back to life…? What are you talking about—?”

Man With a Cigar: “Shit, no… No, no, no, the night— the night is coming…!”

Man With a Cigar: “He said… If only we could drink Kirsche Persche, then… This shit wouldn’t be happenin’ to us…!”

Man With a Cigar: “Ngh… Aaahhhhhh!!”

Heathcliff: “His eyes are glowing red…!”

Man With a Cigar: “Die!”

Heathcliff: “Gh…!”

Arthur: “Heathcliff!”

Heathcliff: “…”

Man With a Cigar: “Ngh…”

Heathcliff: “…Phew. I’m glad I had that taser installed in my cane.”

Arthur: “Sorry. I should’ve known something like this might happen and kept closer to you.”

Heathcliff: “Don’t apologise. I’m the one who asked to be given the space to do business one-on-one.”

Heathcliff: “…Still, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell Shino.”

Heathcliff: “I’m sure he’d be furious if he knew I was doing this while he's out on patrol.”

Arthur: “Haha, that’s true. So, what should we do with this guy?”

Heathcliff: “I don’t want to have to deal with him waking up and going on another rampage later. Restrict him and put him somewhere he can’t bother anyone.”

Heathcliff: “…Haah. It’s pretty exhausting, always having to act like this so none of the other families underestimate me…”

Heathcliff: “Still, no time for a break yet. I need to look over the report Oz wrote for me regarding Ventisca.”

Heathcliff: (It’s obvious there was something wrong with that man just now… Is he one of the thugs that have supposedly been going on rampages lately?)

Heathcliff: (Based on what he was saying, it sounded like he knew what Kirsche Persche might be.)

Heathcliff: (‘If only we could drink it’… Like it’s some sort of beverage, or maybe a drug. I think I’ll start sending people out to interview the local bars and some back-alley doctors.)

Heathcliff: (Still, what bothered me most about what he said was…)

Heathcliff: “…The dead can be brought back to life…”

Heathcliff: (Mysterious thugs, whatever Kirsche Persche might be… And now people are supposedly being revived from death.)

Heathcliff: (Is it possible there’s some sort of connection between these things…?)

Heathcliff: “If that’s the case, then isn’t it possible that the real reason for Ventisca’s search is…”

Man With a Sophisticated Voice: “Forgive the interruption, Signor Heathcliff.”

Heathcliff: “…Hm? Ah, it’s just you, Rustica. What is it?”

Man With a Sophisticated Voice: “I’ve come to inform you of an unusual guest.”

Man With a Sophisticated Voice: “Don Snow of the Ventisca family is here.”

Heathcliff: “What…? Alright, send him through at once.”

Snow: “I knew you’d be agreeable, dear Heathcliff.”

Heathcliff: “…Don Snow.”

Snow: “Did you say that man’s name is Rustica? His conversational skills are capable of turning even the most frightening of lions into a mere housecat. ‘Twas a struggle for even a man such as myself to avoid being defanged.”

Snow: “Of course, such is to be expected of the Panthera Family, so rich with both wealth and history. You’ve accrued some fascinating chess pieces in this little game of ours.”

Heathcliff: “Haha… You honour me with your praise.”

Heathcliff: (Even despite how young he is, this is the fearsome leader of the Ventisca Family… It’s said that his power is so immense, he’ll eat anyone alive if they show even the slightest sign of weakness.)

Heathcliff: (Still… I can’t back down either.)

Heathcliff: “Allow me to properly welcome you to Panthera, Don Snow.”

Heathcliff: “My name is Heathcliff Blanchett, and it is my honour to serve you tonight. How may I help you?”

Snow: “Ohohoho, I appreciate your candour. Let us cut to the chase then, shall we?”

Snow: “…Heathcliff. ‘Tis true that you’ve been investigating into Kirsche Persche as well, correct?”

Heathcliff: “You caught wind of that quickly. I won’t deny it.”

Heathcliff: “Your men have been seen searching the streets rather ardently as of late, not only in your own territory but ours as well. That’s not something my family is capable of ignoring.”

Heathcliff: “…Though I imagine it was intentional on your part, wasn’t it?”

Heathcliff: “In order to provoke other organisations in town into investigating Kirsche Persche and where it came from, as well as who made it.”

Snow: “…Hmm. I suppose if you’ve figured that much out on your own, I needn’t bother with the useless preamble.”

Snow: “Would you like to conduct some business, Heathcliff?”

Snow: “Report anything useful you find out about Kirsche Persche directly to me.”

Snow: “I shall pay you your compensation in advance.”

Heathcliff: “This is…”

Snow: “I presumed using money ‘twould be useless in negotiations with Panthera. So instead I have purchased you these rare herbs, sourced through our very own distribution network.”

Snow: “They come in red, yellow, blue, green, purple… And many others besides, all with a variety of different effects on the psyche.”

Snow: “Though I insist there’s nothing abnormally dubious about them outside of that. Cooking, smoking — they can be used however you please.”

Heathcliff: (I don’t need a lecture. I already know this is an incredibly rare product, known as the Shangri-La herb.)

Heathcliff: (How much money did he spend in order to prepare such a large quantity of the stuff…? He acts like he doesn’t care, but if this is the card he’s playing then he clearly must be desperate.)

Snow: “Well? Your response?”

Heathcliff: “…I’d like a moment to think about it, if you don’t mind.”

Heathcliff: “May I ask just one question before I give you my answer?”

Snow: “Hrm. If you must.”

Heathcliff: “…Why do you want to find Kirsche Persche so badly?”

Heathcliff: “I can only assume that your desperation is being driven by some sort of greater goal.”

Heathcliff: “For example… Perhaps there’s someone you want to bring back from the dead.”

Snow: “…Ohohoho! What a terribly fantastical delusion, if I do say so myself.”

Snow: “‘Tis impossible for the dead to return from their graves. Such is the way of the world.”

Heathcliff: “Haha… You’d think so, wouldn’t you? Forgive me my impertinence.”

Heathcliff: “Even so, this is Vollmond. The place where a meteor from the moon is said to have fallen.”

Heathcliff: “In the world beyond our town, people often say that the Lunaset flowers might contain some sort of power that has yet to be discovered.”

Heathcliff: “Keeping that in mind, it’s not impossible for miracles to happen here… Wouldn’t you agree? That’s the sort of fantastical delusion I’m describing right now.”

Snow: “I suggest you start writing novels with that impressive imagination of yours. In the off-chance you ever get published, I shall be certain to buy myself a copy.”

Heathcliff: “I appreciate that. …How about I tell you the title I’m workshopping, just so you know what you’re looking for?”

Heathcliff: “‘A Pure-Hearted Boss Struggles to Bring His Twin Brother Back to Life After Being Separated by Death’... What do you think?”

Snow: “…”

Snow: “…How much do you know?”