Vertin: Alright, it looks like her condition has stabilized.
Vertin: This episode might have been triggered by a scare, but the bigger issue seems to be that this radiotherapy machine suddenly lost power.
Vertin: In any case, she needs to rest for now, and we need to ensure that the radiotherapy device doesn't malfunction again.
Ms. Moissan: That's good to hear. It seems we arrived just in the nick of time.
Twins Sleep: This really scared Lisa! This really scared Louise!
Eagle: None of us had ever seen her have an episode like that before. We were really at a loss.
APPLe: Unfortunately, this APPLe cannot produce apple juice. So, what can we do to help her regain her health?
Vertin: We'll just have to wait for now.
APPLe: Hmm, perhaps Ms. Sotheby will have some good ideas? Please excuse this APPLe's excess of concern.
Sotheby: ...
APPLe: Ms. Sotheby?
Sotheby is leaning on the bed, her face so close to Cristallo's that her breath is making her hair flutter on her forehead.
Sotheby: Are you sure she'll wake up if we just wait?
Her voice sounds cautious.
Vertin: That's how it worked the last few times.
Sotheby: But she sounds like a trapped two-horned beast.
Vertin: You're right. She looks uneasy.
Sotheby: Hmm, maybe conventional medicine isn't ideal for her. I think she needs something specific to her condition.
Eagle: But we don't even know what her illness is.
Vertin: It's a congenital condition. There's no other case like it in the world.
APPLe: Not exactly cancer, but something similar to that type of illness—of course, this is just this APPLe's assessment.
Sotheby: It's the Kuchibunbun disease.
Her decisive words fall like a coin to the ground.
Vertin: ...?
Sotheby: The Kuchibunbun disease, it's obvious.
Sotheby: She needs an injection of pain-relieving dew twice a day and should take three toad egg calcium tablets. The red one will have to be cut in half and eaten in two doses.
Sotheby: Hair loss, peeling skin on fingers—they're clear signs of the Kuchibunbun disease.
Vertin: ...
Ms. Moissan: ...
APPLe: ...
After a brief, awkward silence, they decide to ignore this unheard-of term.
Eagle: Right. We really don't know what her illness is. Maybe, we just don't know her that well.
Twins Sleep: Lisa doesn't understand! Louise doesn't understand!
A hint of confusion flickers in Sotheby's eyes.
Sotheby: Huh?
A cautious yet crucial inquiry.
Eagle: No, that's not what I mean! I don't mean we don't play with her often. I mean ...
Eagle: You see, we do like each other! But ...
Twins Sleep: We're afraid of breaking the glass! Afraid of breaking the glass!
Eagle: Right. We're afraid of bumping into her or knocking her over—like, well, like now.
Twins Sleep: Danger! Danger!
Eagle: The Scout Manual says we mustn't harm our teammates, whether intentionally or unintentionally. We must protect our teammates as much as possible, including from accidents.
Vertin: Indeed. We tend to arrange fewer field missions for her.
Ms. Moissan: We've also installed a number of safety features in her room to stop her from falling or having sudden episodes.
Vertin: Yes, we've been doing our best to ensure her health and safety. After all, her body's not quite like that of an ordinary person.
Sotheby: ...
It's not a difficult concept to understand; fragile things must be well protected. People have always set such rules.
No matter how simple the logic, for a child who is persistent to the point of stubbornness, it isn't so easy to grasp.
It warrants a long and thoughtful contemplation in her own way.
Sotheby: Oh, I see. That's why she says she wants to go outside and wants to eat snacks with everyone.
Sotheby: She wants to eat those delicious butternut candies, cinnamon sweets, and the cheese sauce that makes you joyfully ticklish.
Sotheby looks at Cristallo lying on the bed.
Cristallo: So—you don't really have many friends, do you?
Sotheby: So—you don't really have many friends, do you?
The Lady's Code of Conduct: Revised Edition
Chapter 4: Conversational Etiquette
1. One must always be judicious in speech, avoid harsh or extreme words, and conceal any overly strong emotions.
Sotheby: Friends. You will have good friends.
Sotheby: Ms. Cristallo, you WILL wake up, and you WILL eat the most delicious snacks in the world, and you WILL have the most friends of anyone there ever was!
Sotheby takes a deep breath.
Sotheby: Ms. Vertin!
Vertin: ...?
Sotheby: Sotheby wishes to apply for an expedition outside the suitcase! The purpose of it is, um, to gather ingredients for the cure for the Kuchibunbun disease!
Sotheby: I know the recipe for it! I need the tongue of a wild dale cow, a hoof from an extremely dangerous four-legged beast, one not-at-all-spicy Jamaican pepper, and an ever-flying, never-dying Immortal Flower!
Sotheby: They're all easy to find! But, sadly, I don't have any of them here.
Sotheby: So, Sotheby hopes Ms. Vertin can approve her application!
Sotheby: May I please be allowed to venture outside the suitcase to find these materials? Then I can cure Ms. Cristallo!
Ms. Moissan: Outside the suitcase?
Ms. Moissan takes a deep breath.
Ms. Moissan: In the past, your materials were always procured by the manor's servants.
Ms. Moissan: They might not even exist.
Sotheby blinks.
Sotheby: Don't worry, Ms. Moissan. I'll find them.
Sotheby glances down at Typhon, who is tied around her waist.
Typhon smiles back at her.
Vertin: ...
Vertin: So be it.
Ms. Moissan: Timekeeper?!
APPLe: A sincere reminder. Timekeeper, even though we now have the Equilibrium Umbrella to deal with the "Storm," there are plenty of other dangers out there.
Vertin: True. But perhaps she isn't as oblivious to the outside world as we think.
Vertin: After all, she diagnosed Cristallo's "illness," didn't she? Something none of us could do.
APPLe: Nonsense!
APPLe: Oh, sorry. This APPLe was trying to convince himself, but unfortunately failed.
Eagle: The Kuchibunbun disease?
Vertin: Yes, the Kuchibunbun disease.
Eagle: But that's not even a recorded illness.
Vertin: Maybe not, but ...
Vertin seems reluctant to say more. She turns to Sotheby.
Vertin: Now, Sotheby.
Vertin: Go ahead. You have my permission to leave the suitcase so you can gather the materials you need.
Sotheby: Really? I can go?
Vertin: Yes.
Sotheby: Hooray!
Sotheby feels an unprecedented surge of energy.
Vertin: But for your safety, there are some things you must remember.
Vertin: I'm afraid we won't be able to assign more people to accompany you.
Vertin: So remember to keep your tracking device with you at all times.
Vertin: You have a six-hour time limit. When your six hours are over, whether you've gathered all the ingredients or not, you must return to the suitcase. At that time, Sonetto will pick you up based on the tracker's location, so don't worry about making your way back.
Vertin: Lastly, always, always carry the Equilibrium Umbrella. If there are any signs of the "Storm," contact us immediately and return to the suitcase.
Sotheby frowns as she listens, giving a serious nod from time to time. Even after Vertin finishes, she remains absorbed in the instructions, appearing somewhat dazed.
Sotheby: A brand-new solo adventure ...
Vertin: Yes, this time, it's just you.
Sotheby blinks and takes a deep breath.
Sotheby: I understand.
Sotheby: Sotheby is ready!!!
2. Maintain eye contact and a sincere smile when engaged in conversation, as a smile enhances one's influence.
Sotheby: I'm going to find some real corn to make real popcorn.
Hawker: Step right up! Come get your Easter goods! We've got 'em all—and at a fair price!
The street is thick with activity. The crowd is bustling between sellers carting their goods. A hawker, laden with leather bags, wine jugs, and colorful plastic hairpins and jewelry, is eagerly selling his lackluster wares.
Hawker: Hey! You! N-No don't just look and leave! Did you know that the world's first edible Easter Bunny was made by the Germans in the 16th century?
Hawker: We make bunnies out of chocolate now, but the original was all sugar! Oh! And did you also know that the bunny is actually the pet of the goddess "Eostre"?! Haha!
Hawker: And the goddess's pet is made of chocolate, ain't that something? Come on up and get one, kid. Hey, come on, it's chocolate! What kind of kid doesn't love chocolate!
Sotheby: Hey, I'm not a kid. And don't touch my head.
Hawker: Oh! My apologies, my lady! You're done up so nicely. I should've known that you're no ordinary girl!
The hawker sizes up Sotheby.
Hawker: Well, an elegant and beautiful lady such as yourself surely wouldn't want to leave Walkerland Avenue empty-handed!
Hawker: How 'bout an Easter Bunny, or maybe hot cross buns and Easter eggs with a custom design?
Sotheby: Thank you for your kind introduction, but I'm looking for something. Do you know where I can find an Immortal Flower?
Hawker: What? This some kind of joke? Haha.
Sotheby: An Immortal Flower! Don't tell me you don't know it. It's Artemis's little guardian, with branches bearing thousands of grain-like fruits.
Hawker: Well, I guess you'd find something like that in the forest.
The hawker's hands begin to move subtly.
Sotheby: You're right! Then, I suppose I should look in the forest. Could you point me in the direction of the nearest one? Or the countryside! The wilds! Do you know how to get there?
A pearl earring set with a ruby falls into his palm.
Hawker: Oh! The nearest way to the countryside, let me think.
A pearl necklace slips from her neck.
Hawker: The nearest countryside area, that would be Greydog Hill. You can take a cab to the train station from here. Then it's just one stop away.
Hawker: Of course, if you prefer, you can ride in one of our carts. How does that sound, my lady? My horse'll have you there in only three hours.
Sotheby: Three hours? No, that won't do at all.
The hawker's hand reaches for Sotheby's watch.
Hawker: If you want to get there faster, we do have a motorized vehicle, but it'll cost you.
Sotheby: That's no problem!
Hawker: Hey, Leiby!
A stony-faced, hunchbacked little man wearing a flat cap comes over, looking rather unhappy.
The hawker deftly unfastens Sotheby's watch and slips it into his wine bag, then gives a signal to the one called Leiby.
Leiby understands immediately.
Leiby: So, this little lady wants to go to Greydog Hill, huh?
Sotheby: That's right!
Leiby: That ain't easy to get to. You tryin' to get there within the hour?
Sotheby: Yes.
Leiby: Hm, lemme think. This one's a tough nut. Ain't easy to find a rig in the city that can go that fast.
Leiby: I mean, Greydog Hill! That's real far off. We usually take a day to prepare for a trip out there.
As Leiby speaks, the hawker has already started picking the ornaments from Sotheby's belt.
Sotheby: Please, this is ever so important to me!
Sotheby: Immortal Flowers only grow in the grasslands. It's the only place I can get one!
Sotheby: I'll pay you lots and lots of money!
Leiby and the hawker exchange a glance.
Leiby: Alright, come on, lady. Let's take the motorcar.
Leiby: Alright, we're here.
The nearly broken-down vehicle shudders for a moment. Then, with a puff of exhaust, it stops with a clatter.
Sotheby: Wonderful! How can I possibly thank you? Here, take my jewelry! You can have it all!
Leiby: Well, alright then, heh-heh.
Leiby rubs his hands, expectation in his eyes.
Sotheby touches her ears, then her neck, wrists, and waist.
As Leiby watches her, his expression grows increasingly suspicious.
Sotheby: Huh? That's strange. Wasn't I wearing them when I left?
Leiby: You mean you ain't got no money?
Sotheby: No, no, you see, this is just a misunderstanding. It's not that I don't have money. I CAN have money. I just ...
Leiby: So I brought you all this way for nothing?
Anger is bubbling in Leiby's voice. The small man slowly gets to his feet. His shadow grows longer and longer, until it looks like a giant beech tree.
Sotheby: Wow, so, you're not ...? You're also an arcanist?
Leiby: You think you can push me around 'cause I'm small, pal? Huh?!
Leiby: You better watch yourself, little lady. Either you hand over some proper jewelry, or I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget!
Sotheby: Goodness, sir! You're being very rude indeed!
The giant shadow grows closer and closer.
Sotheby can hear her heartbeat in her chest.
Sotheby: B-Bodyguard!
COMBAT
Sotheby: Wow, I won? I really won! All by myself!
Sotheby: Hmph! Nobody can make Sotheby the Great Potion Alchemist surrender!
The girl revels in her victory.
Leiby: You—you ugly, stupid witch! I hope your stomach rots and maggots crawl out your eyes!
Sotheby: Ugh! How incredibly rude. He'll never be a gentleman with that kind of behavior.
Sotheby brushes the dust off her clothes and peers into the distance.
A few old houses stand in the distance. It looks like a farm.
Sotheby: That looks like a good place to ask. Maybe they know where I can find an Immortal Flower. Oh, and they have an orchard! I might find a dale cow tongue in there!
Sotheby: What a great idea! The clever Sotheby fears nothing!
Sotheby: Huh? Where did Ms. Vertin's tracker go?