The Penguin Logistics dorms were ablaze with lights tonight. Having just finished a major job, Exusiai and the others had gathered in the dorms to hold a farewell party. The primary reason for tonight's gathering was that they had heard Jeanne and Lemuen would be leaving in a few days; they worried that if a job came up, they might be out on the field and miss the chance to see them off.
Even Sora, who had been tirelessly pursuing her idol career lately, made an appearance. For the past several days, she had been absent from Penguin Logistics, busy recording an album or handling other promotional work.
"Alright, everyone, let's be a bit more cheerful! Even though these two are leaving soon, isn't there always a chance to meet again? Let's try to have some fun!"
Croissant looked at the somewhat lackluster gathering and tried her best to liven up the atmosphere. At the very least, she didn't want it to stay as quiet as it currently was.
Because the sister she had only just reunited with was leaving again so soon, the usually energetic "party animal" Exusiai was feeling a bit down, which resulted in the event failing to really heat up. Rather than a party, it was starting to evolve into a somber drinking session. Everyone was just sitting together chatting, lacking that true "party" feeling.
"I'm doing okay, really... but can't you just tell me about that matter?"
Exusiai wasn't entirely aware of how low her own mood appeared. Her mind wasn't on the departure itself, but rather the truth her sister refused to tell her.
What exactly happened back then that caused her to be so severely injured? And what did Mostima do that caused her to fall and be forced to leave Laterano? Exusiai had left Laterano and come all the way to Lungmen to find Mostima specifically for this reason. At the time, because her sister was still in recovery, she hadn't wanted to bring it up and ruin her sister's mood during convalescence.
But now, the victim had appeared right in front of her, perfectly healthy and intact. It seemed obtaining the answer should be simple now; there shouldn't be a need to keep bitterly searching for Mostima.
"That matter? It seems you still haven't managed to get the story out of 'Little Mos' yet?"
Lemuen looked at her sister, who was practically bursting with curiosity, and asked with a smile.
"I haven't even seen her shadow, let alone asked for news! Just tell me~ I promise I won't do anything impulsive, okay?"
Seeing that her sister had no intention of speaking, Exusiai began to act like a spoiled child, wheedling her sister in hopes of finally learning the truth. It made sense; having these two people hide the matter from her for so long—how could she not want to know? It was already impressive enough that she hadn't tried to sneak into the Notarial Hall to steal the files.
This wasn't beyond her; after all, in the "simple and honest" folkways of Laterano, her boldness was considered a bit of a legend. For anyone else, seeing a cherished family member's life hanging in the balance while their whereabouts remained unknown—being able to stay calm instead of hunting down the person who hurt them would be considered a feat in itself.
"Since you want to know so badly..."
Lemuen looked at Exusiai as she acted spoiled. It had been a long time since she had seen her sister like this, and she even entertained the thought that telling her might not be so bad after all.
Hearing her sister say this, Exusiai's eyes immediately began to sparkle. It seemed that after all these years, she was finally going to know the truth! The people around them also pricked up their ears to listen; they were naturally curious about this sister's past, especially since it involved two Penguin Logistics employees—one of whom was the mysterious Mostima.
Only Jeanne sat to the side, quietly drinking. This low-concentration alcohol tasted like fruit juice to her, possessing a very strange and wonderful mouthfeel.
"I'm still not telling you."
Lemuen revealed a mischievous, "wicked" smile. She watched the hope in her sister's eyes vanish, replaced by an expression that looked like she was about to drop to the floor and start crying and rolling around.
"Since the reason you set out was to ask Mostima for the truth, then continue this journey of yours! Wouldn't it be better to find Mostima and hear the original story from her?"
Lemuen spoke in a gentle tone, a smile on her face as she stroked her sister's head.
"Perhaps you truly want to know the ins and outs of what happened. But since you left your hometown, you should put a perfect ending to that journey! Besides, am I not perfectly fine now? If there's a grudge, I'll go back and settle it myself."
Perhaps for her and Mostima, this was merely a "truth." It didn't matter who said it, and there was no difference in who the others heard it from. But in Lemuen's view, "Little Le" (Exusiai) had embarked on this quest. Though Mostima had secretly helped her along the way, Exusiai had still suffered plenty of hardships.
Therefore, at the end of this journey, it should be the very person she had been searching for all these years who reveals the truth to her. Furthermore, Lemuen felt that the time they would meet again wouldn't be very far off.
"Fine, don't tell me then! The day I find Mostima myself, I'll definitely get everything out of her mouth."
Hearing her sister put it that way, though Exusiai felt a bit unwilling in her heart, she accepted the logic and stopped trying to pry the secret from her.
Meanwhile, Jeanne was continuing her role as a "drunkard." Sitting with the silently "melon-eating" Texas was getting boring, so after drinking for a while, the two simply started a drinking contest. Their method of competing was simple: Rock-Paper-Scissors.
However, during the process, Jeanne specifically ignored her Revelation ability. After all, using such an ability for something like Rock-Paper-Scissors was practically cheating. If she relied on Revelation, she could ensure that Texas got completely hammered while she remained without a drop in her system. This led to the two of them having a roughly 50/50 win rate.
It must be said that Texas was a true hero among drinkers. After so many rounds with Jeanne, aside from a slight twitch in her tail and ears, there was no change in her at all. Sora, standing nearby, wore a look of pure reverence, witnessing the two of them going back and forth with their drinks without a single change in their expressions. Sora had tried drinking before, but she would get drunk after only a little, so seeing this scene was truly shocking.
"Go Texas! Don't let Penguin Logistics lose face!"
After the sisters finished their conversation, Croissant turned her attention to the two players. She was amazed by Jeanne's capacity; to think she could drink like this against Texas! One had to know that this wolf lady was the heaviest drinker in Penguin Logistics; it usually took the other three of them combined just to barely hold their own against her.
"Want to open a betting pool? Let's see who can stand until the end! Limit is 1,000 Lungmen coins per person!"
While watching, Croissant came up with a "wicked" idea. She planned to open a small book on the match, considering it a way to add some excitement to the party. However, she limited the maximum bet; 1,000 Lungmen coins wasn't much for the people present—even Exusiai, who dealt with frequent fines, could produce it.
"Eh? Really? Then I'll bet a thousand on Texas-senpai!"
Sora was the first to place a bet. It wasn't necessarily that she believed Texas had a 100% chance of winning; she simply wanted to support the senior she admired so much. Following her, everyone else placed their bets. The result was clear: 4,000 coins from the four Penguin Logistics members, against 2,000 from the Jeanne and Lemuen duo.
"Count me in! I'm betting on Texas to win too!"
A fellow who loved joining in on the fun arrived in the hall. The boss and mascot of Penguin Logistics, Emperor, joined the fray.
"We run a bar! Texas, don't you dare lose! I'll give you a vacation later!"
After placing his bet, Emperor didn't forget to encourage Texas. He even took out one of his prized Siren Records and put on a high-energy track. What had started as a bored game for two people suddenly became the center of the party, and both of them decided to truly settle who was superior.
From the looks of it, everyone held great hope for a Texas victory. The ratio of support between Texas and Jeanne had reached a lopsided 6:2! Even the most mysterious member of Penguin Logistics, Mister Is, produced 1,000 Lungmen coins to show his support.
After several rounds of intense competition, surrounded by the crowd, the duel reached its conclusion. The losing side was actually the fan-favorite, Player Texas!
Congratulations to Player Jeanne for winning the title of the first Penguin Logistics Drinking Champion! She and her partner, Miss Lemuen, will share the grand prize of 6,000 Lungmen coins!