Ugh, I really hate this...
"Now, then, comrades! In a crisis like this, the most important thing is clear command and the unity that follows it! On 'Up!' turn the right pedal, and on 'Down!' turn the left."
I hadn't exactly asked, but what I hate is...
"Up!"
"Down!"
"Up!"
Having to operate some antique manual generator by hand.
And every time they shout the slogan, I feel my strength drain away. Why the hell is there a bicycle-style relic of a generator here...
Haah... Mr. Heathcliff, who'd been turning the generator with me, seemed to notice something odd, and confusion crept onto his face.
"...Why are you just standing there without a single bead of sweat on you, regardless of the pedals?"
"Fool. If the captain's stamina is lost, it brings risk to the entire crew. I preserve my body by not using it!"
"..."
"...Since when were you the boss?"
"It's captain, not boss..."
"...Was that really something worth correcting?"
"Who knows..."
He was the one causing the trouble, and he didn't even look like he was making much effort to fix it, which was infuriating enough... but since Dante wasn't doing anything, I'll let it slide. No point in picking a fight over it.
Still.
"..."
Ms. Ryoshu's expression is vicious. What's her problem?
"Those damn birds. I've been pissed off since earlier."
Ah.
"...Why don't we just kidnap those filthy seagulls and train them to turn the generator? Hey, you so-called genius Ms. Faust. Didn't you say you're a walking encyclopedia? Isn't that the kind of thing your brain could whip up in no time?!"
"It isn't impossible, but it would be inefficient. We'd have to begin with basic toilet training."
Wow, she even answers Heathcliff's nonsense. Training dozens of them and putting them to work would be kind of terrifying, though.
"Charon, Charon is bored. Charon wants to drive."
"Switch. You, the driver, turn the generator. You were bored, so this works out well."
"Oh my, can you handle it? Then Vergilius won't just sit still~ Want a meeting?"
True enough, Vergilius really does dote on Charon. Even Ms. Ryoshu probably couldn't handle that man.
"Haa... wait...! Let's think this through, slowly, slowly. Why are we sweating ourselves dry to turn this generator... let's get to the root cause, yeah?"
"...To examine the cause and responsibility for every outcome individually is a vulgar way of thinking. If the final result is successful, everything before it becomes nothing more than process."
That guy got hit where it hurt. I don't think Gregor meant it that way.
Gregor must have noticed the slight distortion in how his words were being received, because he immediately spoke up to correct Otis's misunderstanding.
"No, I'm not trying to blame anyone. I'm saying, why do we have to rush around like this in the first place? Our destination is one of U Corp's major ports. We know exactly where we're going, and we know the direction too. The port isn't moving, so why are we in such a hurry?"
"..."
"I mean, come on. It's not like some monster suddenly popped out in the middle of this calm Great Lake and sent us a warning letter saying it was going to kill us all."
What. Good instincts. Usually she only goes off the mark.
"It seems accumulated experience has sharpened your intuition to some degree, Gregor. Interesting."
"Huh...?"
"Faust considers this a positive change. We need to leave this area within ten minutes. So... we're a little behind schedule compared to expectations."
"Hmm... Why state the exact time if it's ominous and specific?"
"Because of the 'rules of the Great Lake.'"
"Oh... right... because of those rules, huh?!"
"Ms. Rodion, you know about them? For real?"
"Huh? I don't. Sorry~ I was just trying to sound like I knew this time. Repeating the same 'what?' pattern over and over gets old, doesn't it?"
"..."
This woman...
Hmm, the rules of the Great Lake. On this bus, there are maybe five people who know them, myself included.
"But does Sara know? The rules of the Great Lake, I mean."
"Of course I do. I don't remember every single rule of every lake, but I know most of the famous ones. I've been here before, and I've seen plenty."
"Ah~ right. You said you'd been here before?"
"Please remember things like that... Well, then, let's keep listening to the explanation. (Ms. Faust looks pretty dissatisfied.)"
"I can hear you."
"Ah."
"Then I'll continue. U Corp's Great Lake has rules that must absolutely be obeyed. And unlike what Mr. Gregor said, the port does move."
"What...? Now I've heard everything. There are rules even on a lake? What, do they bring out a ruler and measure the water if some student breaks them?"
"Is there no rule about whining bastards shutting the hell up? My ears hurt."
Normally, this would've been the point where a break should've happened... but there isn't one.
That's exactly when Ishmael should've stepped in, with that one pitiful sigh.
But she still hasn't taken even a single step out of her room.
...I'm starting to feel a little hurt.
I thought maybe if I spent time out here, I'd at least get to see her face once. But no such luck.
Even after all the commotion so far, I still haven't been able to speak with Ishmael.
...Enough negative thinking. I should just keep pedaling. I'm not dying here.
"I'd like to explain, but I should say that getting out of this area comes first. Counting the time spent on that exchange just now, we have about seven minutes left."
"To leave the area, we still have about 15 kilometers in a straight line. Each person needs to be able to provide propulsion of at least 10 kilometers per hour if we want to cross safely."
"You're all working together awfully well today. It's a very heartwarming sight."
"...Instead of just watching, could you maybe help a little? You're kind of a specialty, aren't you?"
"Why should I clean up the trouble you created? If you have time to talk, why don't you keep pedaling?"
"I'm joking, joking. You really think I'd expect that?"
"I was joking too. Ah, just so we're clear, don't misunderstand that as me saying I intend to help."
Ugh, he never loses a single exchange. He gets needlessly slick only at times like this.
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"Go! Rocinante! The destination is right in front of us! Let us ride!"
"Why is she so... full of energy... ugh, ugh..."
"Instead of moving your mouth... huff, wouldn't it be better if you moved the pedals, Ms. Rodion?"
"Sara, you've got more stamina than I expected?! You didn't look like the type at all!"
"I do... get a little exercise in my daily life. Hah... better than that chain-smoking Mr. Gregor over there."
"Cough, cough... I'm... done for... leave me behind..."
"Where exactly are we supposed to leave you behind...?"
Was it really okay to work a chain-smoking man in his thirties and a teenager whose body wasn't even fully grown like this?
Well, maybe not Mr. Meursault, who moved in such an absurdly efficient way.
"Huff. Huff. Huff. Huff. For pedaling at this level of intensity, diaphragmatic breathing is most effective."
"For propulsion responsibilities around 10 kilometers per hour, yes. If we needed more load, we'd have had to use both nose and mouth."
"Aren't you tired?!"
"No. We have three minutes left."
"Agh... what's the point of wasting all this energy when we don't even know what's happening?!"
"There's no time to explain! Just do your best and keep pushing!"
At this pace, will we make it by a hair? Maybe I should try using those eyes I haven't used in a while.
Though if I think about the risk, maybe it's better not to...
The thing below us is starting to show signs of moving.
"Charon wanted to go vroom-vroom... This is ding-ding. Ding-ding is boring."
"Mm-hm~ Humming while working is a nice boost to morale."
"What?! Why are there so many people who don't get tired?"
"Compared to the training I was forcibly put through by my family, this doesn't even count as hard~"
"Ms. Rodion probably just doesn't exercise much normally~"
"Hey! You're saying that now?!"
"Heh, shut up and pedal!"
Should we stop the chatter? It's getting seriously close now.
"We have 30 seconds remaining."
"30... 30 seconds...!"
"Kyaaah! This is thrilling!!! Is this not the very essence of adventure!!! Charging at a giant enemy like this... ehek?! Cough! Ghk!"
"You should conserve your words and your breathing. It disrupts the flow. Inhale and exhale, inhale and exhale, inhale and exhale, inhale and exhale, inhale and exhale..."
"Hah... hah... how much... is left..."
"Ten seconds remaining."
Faust's mechanical voice struck my ears.
Ten seconds... can we make it? We might just barely scrape by.
"Four seconds."
"Normally... wouldn't you say five seconds at this point...?"
"Everyone shut up and use every last scrap of strength you have!"
"If you'd just helped, we could've made it in a stable manner?!"
"Ahem... It was an unavoidable decision as captain."
Unavoidable, my ass...!
"Two... one."
"We've crossed over."
"Phew..."
We reached the next zone before Faust's countdown ended.
In the process, the weak-stamina prisoners who'd been pedaling like their lives depended on it collapsed onto the floor as if they'd been thrown down, but that's not my problem.
Hoo... should I rest a bit? I'm not exactly the type with much stamina to begin with.
"We barely... got out of there..."
"I don't see any sign of the rules... Was I mistaken... Ms. Faust?"
"Ghk... So the rules and all that were complete bullshit... and you were just planning to work us like dogs... I won't forgive you if that's really the case..."
Ah, here it comes. I should hide behind Mr. Meursault.
One, two...
Splash!!!!!!!!!!
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