[Week 6, Friday: Belph]

[anyway after that breakdown, Akechi is going to find his favorite Vizier! he looks. um. not. . . well, expression haggard, gaze darting about like he's expecting someone to have followed him]

[when he finds Belph, he doesn't waste any time]

Who have you told about me?

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[. . . . .]

Editors.

[he supposes it'd be cruel to keep akechi guessing, even now.]

They had no idea that Sousei and Natsuo were Historians. If there's anyone targeting you, it's the Crafters themselves.

[. . .]

[laughs a little, airy and desperate and not really put together, as he rubs his hand against his face]

You've known them this whole time. . . and you didn't say anything to me? Why, do you suspect I'm going to kill them myself? How much of a loose cannon do you think I am?

[I mean]

[he did kill a man]

... If I told you, would you have told your fellow Historians? Would you have told Varian?

[putting akechi's whole murder schtick aside—]

It's not personal against you. If I'd had the choice, I don't know if I'd have even told the other Vizier.

The Historians, yes! How the hell else are we supposed to do our jobs?!

[not including Varian on that list, but ya know]

[a frustrated noise, and his fingers dip into his pocket, pulling out a folded up letter]

Sousei-san wrote to us earlier this week. If you read it, then maybe--

[he'll. understand why Akechi is so. gestures at his everything]

[anyway if Belph does, the letter says:]

Rebecca,

Continue along your ████. If this is what we must ██ ██ ████ our happy ending, then I must regretfully ████ ██ ████████ for it. It is ████ to ██████ ████ no villain objectives have been accomplished on this side. I have not spoken with ████████ here, but it seems unlikely at best. I will attempt to get more █████ ██████████ for you when I can.

Encourage those who remain to do theirs, if you can.

Additionally, be wary. I believe there is something out there attempting ██ ████████ us.

Abe no ██████.

[he reads it, his expression unchanging.]

... Like I said, the Editors barely understand why they're ordered to kill the people they are. If you have a problem, take it up with the Crafters.

I don't expect you to forgive me for withholding this from you—though I confirmed their identities only recently, for what it's worth. However, if you're looking for an apology, you won't be getting one.

[in the end, everything has been built on secrecy and lies. belph's almost forgotten what it's like to tell the truth.]

[he just]

[deflates]

. . . I'm not looking for an apology.

[he's just. . . terrified. terrified and devastated over Ion and exhausted and a complete and utter mess]

I want to talk to them.

[...]

This isn't a refusal just yet, but—why?

I want to-- understand the nature of their role. Particularly because Beauty and the Beast had it. We Historians are the ones receiving memories from the past games. We can't put them all into proper context without knowing the ins and outs of this one.

[a. . . surprisingly level-headed response for someone who is still so clearly upset]

. . . I don't want to kill them. [. . .] I don't want to kill anyone. Not again.

[he's quiet for a while.]

I'll ask the one I'm in contact with. I can't make any promises—it'll be up to them.

V-- . . . very well.

[he straightens, and for the first time this conservation, makes a conscious effort to pull himself back together]

I apologize for my crude behavior.

... Tensions are high. I think this war is soon coming to a close, one way or another.

[smooths out his tie, fingers toying with the edges]

I agree.

We are down to seven Heroes, five Civilians, and five Villains. We have a list of every Narrator, along with their faction alignment. We don't have every title, but at this point. . . factions matter more than titles.

[well, someone here has every title, but eh.]

We've reached around the length of the previous war too. I doubt the Crafters will drag this out for much longer.

[BINCH SHARE!!!]

Dragon-san is ready for it to end. She grows weary.

[no.]

... Same with Tiger, probably. The Editor suspects that next week, Tiger might order the death of a villain to speed things up.

[his gaze narrows]

And what will they do if she does that?

. . . we do need to lower the faction population numbers to three.

... If they believed that their presence would screw us over, especially in regards to reviving everyone, I think they'd choose to die instead.

[...]

I don't mind dying. Veronica, Varian, and Kyouka or whoever can be the final three villains.

[tilts his head]

And Zelos-san?

... I doubt Sanji will choose to be one of the survivors. But if he dies, then... to be honest, it might be risky to leave Zelos alive.

[ah. . .]

But unlike you, he wouldn't consent to others being the Villain survivors.

[it's a question, because he isn't sure about this, but it's stated like a statement]

It's going to be difficult to whittle it down to three.

... I don't know about that. Well, either way, I'll see what Sanji thinks about the entire thing...

[...]

Yeah. And I still don't know if that's even the right decision. Yona wasn't sure about it.

[. . .]

[god. he doesn't even care about this happy ending. and yet. . .?]

After hearing what Dragon-san has to say. . . I believe it is.

... She does seem sincere. But if anything goes wrong...

[as someone who helped make sure this info got out to everyone? he's going to feel responsible if it blows up in their faces.]

[Akechi. shrugs]

[. . .]

Bunch. Ion-san. Souji-san.

Those are the three Heroes I'd suggest reach the end.

[notably]

[not including himself]

[on that list]

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