The time had come. The Lilly Mond were going to meet Minerv Mitrova, since both she and Einsenheim had won the elections.
Minerv: "Hmm... Long time no see, you two."
Sophie: "Hello, Miss Minerv."
Fiona: "It is an honor."
Minerv: "(Smoking)... Just so it is clear... We are different from Ms. Valentine."
She pressed down on her cigar.
Minerv: "But of course, I will give you freedom. So... let us get to the point. A few days ago, one of the Seekers was found dead... shortly after his call to us... at the main station in Dehl... He said... he thought that... something was going on there... because he found two people... Hunters... at least in the photos he took."
She showed them the pictures.
Minerv: "Here is the first picture."
It showed the Musician and The Joker.
Minerv: "The next picture."
In it, The Joker had apparently noticed him and was waving at him with a smile.
Minerv: "If you look closely at the picture, you can see blood splattering... He was murdered right while the picture was being taken."
Sophie: "Hmm."
Minerv: "I want you to go there... to the Basken Kingdom."
Fiona: "Hmm... okay... if my master is satisfied?"
Minerv: "Meliodas?... Didn't he tell you that he is no longer... entirely... your leader?"
Sophie: "What?"
Minerv: "From now on, you two in the Lilly Mond... You know the other one as well... Come in, Rosalie."
Rosalie came in.
Sophie: "Ugh."
Fiona: "Hahhh... I should have chosen Einsenheim."
Sophie: "Psst."
Rosalie: "You don't seem to like the fact that you have to work with me now... hmph. Just so it is clear... I am now Meliodas' right hand, and since he is on a honeymoon week with Ms. Valentine..."
Sophie: "Huh?"
Fiona: "What?... huh... um... what?"
Rosalie: "Don't tell me you didn't know... Those two got married. Why do you think Ms. Valentine wasn't chosen and didn't run for the position? One month after the wedding... she became pregnant."
Sophie: "(Sweat)... That guy acted immediately."
Fiona: "(Sweat)... Ahhh... Sometimes I wonder how many women he has married altogether by now... Which wife is she now?"
Sophie: "She is his sixth wife, including Ms. Valentine."
Fiona: "Hahhh... My goodness..."
Sophie: "But the fact that they are going to have a child... Damn, I didn't expect that. Maybe he really means it this time."
Rosalie: "Meliodas will not be here for the next eight months... I will be the leader... Miss Minerv gave me the job."
Sophie: "Oh."
Fiona: "Fine... if that's how it is."
Minerv: "So... I want you to get moving."
Sophie: "Hmm... okay."
Fiona: "Okay."
Minerv: "Take care of yourselves."
They left the room.
Sophie: "So you're our leader now?"
Rosalie: "Not exactly... Only when Meliodas isn't here... but I am now his right hand. What is it, Fiona... jealous?"
Fiona: "Me?... No..."
Sophie: "(Sweat)... You're pouting."
Rosalie: "Understandable... Don't worry. I'll be nice."
Fiona: "Yeah, right."
Rosalie: "Hmph."
Sophie: "But being pregnant after only one month... (Sweat)... isn't that a little too much?"
Fiona: "...Those two probably did quite a lot right after the ceremony... something wild... with all the noise and bed stuff."
Sophie: "(Sweat)... Okay... the last part wasn't necessary, but okay... That means we have to go to the Basken Kingdom. How?... It's actually under the water."
Rosalie: "It consists of four depths. The first is the somewhat deeper area of the Mariana Trench... There are several cities there, San Jean and San Rojos... At the middle depth are the capital San Bilbao and San Vitoria... The third level is Saint Darc and Vitoria... without Sebastian, simply Vitoria Baskes. The fourth depth is the famous Basauri prison... the largest prison in the Union of Villican."
Sophie: "I see..."
Fiona: "Hmm."
Sophie: "What are the Hunters planning there?"
Rosalie: "Who knows... but one thing is certain... it can't be anything good... I know... we worked with them for a common cause some time ago, but even so... we must not forget what these people are like... They are people who are willing to hurt and harm innocents for money."
Sophie: "I understand."
(WMeanwhile)
Basauri, the prison more than four thousand meters beneath the sea.
(Splop!)
(Lights)
Police Officer: "And where did you find her?"
Policewoman: "Well... We only saw her almost kill someone and then put her here."
Police Officer: "Great job catching her."
Policewoman: "Sure."
(Clap)...(Clap)
Police Officer: "Hmm?"
Policewoman: "What is that? Stop it."
The Joker: "Ohh... I'm sorry about that... I'm only clapping... hehe..."
Police Officer: "Go already... It's my shift now."
Policewoman: "Okay."
She walked away.
The Joker: "Pssst... hey..."
Police Officer: "Hmm?"
The Joker: "...Say, Officer... hahhh... It's a little warm in here... Could you be so kind..."
Police Officer: "The air conditioning?"
The Joker: "No, silly... By warm, I mean something else..."
She put her hand on his stomach.
The Joker: "Hehe."
Police Officer: "Ugh... but... that's not allowed... What the hell are you doing?"
The Joker: "Come on... a little fun is okay... Open the door... I'm tied up anyway... That means... I can't get out."
Police Officer: "Ugh..."
He looked at her lustfully. She pretended to be embarrassed.
The Joker: "Mmm... don't look at me like that..."
Police Officer: "...hehehe..."
He opened the door and closed it after entering.
Police Officer: "So... hehe... let's..."
But as soon as he turned around, she grabbed his cheeks and bit into his face.
Police Officer: "Aaaaaaaaaargghhh..."
And tore the skin from his face.
(Splatter!)
Police Officer: "Urk!"
The Joker: "Shhhhh..."
(A few seconds later)
Policewoman: "I heard something... Huh!"
A head rolled out. It was the police officer's.
Policewoman: "Huh... Oh no, I have to raise the alarm!"
The Joker: "Oh no..."
Policewoman: "Huh?"
The Joker: "Hehehe..."
She covered the woman's mouth.
The Joker: "You're... quite cute... Hey, you guys."
Prisoner: "Huh?"
The Joker: "Would you like to have some fun with a cute woman?"
Policewoman: "Mmm!"
Prisoner: "Hehehe..."
She threw the policewoman inside.
Policewoman: "Aaaaaaargh! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!"
Only her hands and organs being thrown around could be seen.
Policewoman: "Aaarghhhh..."
The Joker: "(Humming)..."
The Joker continued humming as if nothing had happened.
The Joker: "SO..."
(Splatter!)
The policewoman from before came out... but she only had one arm left, and her organs were hanging out.
The Joker: "Oh... dear..."
Policewoman: "Urk..."
The Joker: "...Hehehe..."
She continued walking.
(Two hours later)
Rosalie: "So, get ready... Every one of us will go to the Basken Kingdom. Take whatever you need... and then come straight back here."
Hosenträger: "Oh... scary. I have to say, I really don't like her."
Rosalie: "I heard that, little one."
Hosenträger: "Oh oh..."
Sophie: "Feel free to take your console as well."
Rosalie: "No."
Sophie: "Huh?... Why?"
Rosalie: "It's not good... They are slowly becoming serious now."
Sophie: "Huh?"
Fiona: "Don't be like that. Adults play too."
Sophie: "Yeah..."
Rosalie: "I know that... I don't care about that... I don't want us to get distracted."
Sophie: "You want Hosenträger and Oliver to come too?"
Fiona: "Against the Hunters?... Rosalie... that's too dangerous."
Rosalie: "...Hahh... I take responsibility."
Fiona: "You take responsibility?... You realize that if something happens to them... I'll be the one who gets in trouble?"
Rosalie: "They are coming. Period."
Sophie: "Hmm."
Fiona: "Hahhh... fine... Like you said... you really are responsible for them... but then you'll also have to deal with us."
Sophie: "Yeah... If something happens to them, I'm not talking to you anymore."
Fiona: "Hmm."
Rosalie: "It's fine, you two... We simply won't send them to dangerous places... They can still do things."
Rosika: "Hmm."
Rosalie: "Don't worry, Rosika... Even though you're blind, I take you seriously... I'm not like Einsenheim or Dante."
She stroked her hair.
Rosalie: "So... let's go."
They set off. They got into the vehicles... Sophie and Fiona were in the same vehicle as Rosalie and Siegfried.
Sophie: "Hmm... Do you have any idea how we can find out more about the Hunters' plan?"
Rosalie: "We'll discuss that once we're down there... We're lucky. There has recently been a small Dark Umbrella station in the Basken Kingdom."
The cars drove on.
(One hour later)
Rosalie: "So..."
Sophie: "Um... what is that?"
Fiona: "A... submarine?"
Rosalie: "Yes... So we can go down there..."
Rosika: "Huh?... Mmm..."
Siegfried: "What's wrong?"
Rosika: "...It scares me to think that we're going underneath the sea."
Rosalie: "Don't worry... The krakens are deeper."
Siegfried: "Krakens?..."
They went inside.
Siegfried: "Hmm?"
Rosika: "Oh dear."
They went inside as well.
(Beep)
Submarine Speaker: "Attention... We are going deep into the sea."
It descended deeper.
(Blob... blob...)
Sophie: "Wooow..."
Fiona: "Hmm..."
They continued going deeper and deeper.
Rosalie: "Hmm?"
A whale swam past.
Rosalie: "(Smiles)... How beautiful..."
Rosika: "Mmm... It's too loud."
Fiona: "Hmm?... Oh, here. Take this, Rosika."
There were headphones for situations like this. Sophie and Fiona had bought them.
Sophie: "We bought these for you."
Rosika: "Oh, thank you."
She put them on.
Rosika: "Yes... that's better... Thank you very much."
Sophie: "You're welcome."
Fiona: "Of course."
Rosalie: "Hmm... Is this normal for you?... The way... you two talk to each other?"
Violet: "What do you mean?"
Lina: "Do you mean like a family?"
Rosalie: "Yes."
Sophie: "Mmm... Well... We... have known each other for quite a while... and... we're already like a family."
Rosalie: "Hmm."
(One hour later)
Rosalie: "Hahhh..."
Sophie: "How much longer is it going to take?"
Rosalie: "It's the Mariana Trench... What did you expect?"
(Beep)
There were apparently no islands here.
Submarine Speaker: "Attention... We are now approaching the first depth. San Jean and San Rojos are already visible."
Sophie: "Woooww."
It was a kingdom made of glass... A huge amount of glass, in fact. There were many houses and buildings inside, even plants. The buildings looked somewhat more modern than those in Villicia. There were also trains and some paths where there was actually water inside, allowing the trains to use water instead of electricity.
Sophie: "How cool."
Fiona: "Amazing..."
Sophie: "It's just like in movies... hehe... like the movie The Water and Life."
Rosalie: "Oh, you've seen it too."
Sophie: "Of course. It's a great movie."
Fiona: "I don't know... There was too much romance stuff."
Sophie: "Oh, come on. We watched it together."
Fiona: "Yeah, of course. It's a great movie..."
Sophie: "Oh... I've watched it three times already."
Fiona: "I prefer horror... or something like that."
Sophie: "Hehe... Do you have one?"
Fiona: "Yes... The House of the Dismemberer."
Sophie: "Oh... I've heard of it."
Fiona: "It's so brutal that it was even censored in some kingdoms, such as Weimarer and Grazburg."
Rosalie: "Interesting... Hmm. We're here."
The submarine went through one of the paths where there was water, then stopped.
Submarine Speaker: "Please exit and take the train... Please exit and take the train."
They got out and took the train. The train was connected to the submarine. Once it arrived, it detached from the submarine and continued into the city.
Rosalie: "The station is in San Bilbao, by the way... That means we have to take the elevator... and it is really deep, so I'm telling you that now."
Sophie: "Great... It's slowly getting too stressful."
(10 minutes later)
Train Speaker: "...Please exit... The journey ends here... Please exit. The journey ends here."
They got off and looked around.
Sophie: "Hmm."
Rosalie: "This way."
They followed her.
Sophie: "Were you here before?"
Rosalie: "Yes..."
Rosika: "Oh."
Fiona: "Interesting."
Lina: "Wow..."
They then entered an elevator.
Rosalie: "So... This could take a long time... You can even sleep if you want."
Sophie: "What?... Hahh... Don't underestimate me."
Fiona: "Yeah."
Rosika: "Exactly."
(A few minutes later)
Sophie: "(Snoring)... bbbmmm."
Fiona: "(Zzzzzz)... mmm."
Rosika: "(Zzzzz)..."
Siegfried: "(Snoring)..."
Rosalie: "Oh dear..."
(Three hours later)
Rosalie: "Hmm?"
Sophie: "(Yawns)."
Fiona: "(Yawns)... Are we here?"
Rosalie: "Nope..."
Sophie: "What?... Still not?"
Rosalie: "Yep."
Fiona: "Ahhh... My goodness..."
Sophie: "Let's just go back to sleep."
Fiona: "Good idea."
Both of them went back to sleep.
Rosalie: "(Sweat)... Okay..."
(Five hours later)
Rosalie: "Hmm?... Oh, we're here."
Sophie: "(Yawns)... Are we there?"
Fiona: "Mmm."
Rosika: "Hmm?"
Rosalie: "Yes."
Sophie: "Ohh... ughhh... Amazing."
Fiona: "Ughh."
Siegfried: "Mmm."
Deep beneath the sea... they were there. The glass structures were larger, and the city was larger as well. So deep that it was dark...
Sophie: "Woooww..."
Fiona: "Creepy."
Siegfried: "Yes... indeed creepy."
Rosalie: "So... let's go now."
(Meanwhile)
The Joker: "So... you survived... thanks to the blood of one of our members... The corpse..."
The Corpse: "Hehehe..."
The corpse was a member of the Hunters... Pale as a corpse... and with several stitches on his face.
The Joker: "So... Corpse, go away now. I want to talk to the cutie for a moment."
Policewoman: "Mmmm..."
The Joker: "So... mmm... you're really cute..."
She touched her cheek.
The Joker: "Mmm... I want to have some fun first, just like I did with your colleague..."
Policewoman: "Mmmmmmm..."
(Meanwhile)
Rosalie: "So, this is the station."
Sophie: "Hey... isn't this... really deep here? It's creepy... There are barely any fish swimming here..."
Fiona: "There are... something over there."
(Crash)
It was a kraken.
Sophie: "Um..."
Fiona: "Oh... a little too big."
Sophie: "Yeah... Maybe... it's better that there are no fi...sh... Can it attack us? I mean, the city?"
Rosalie: "No. This glass here... can't even be destroyed by a powerful atomic force. The Basken had enough of all the trouble, so they decided to make the glass extremely strong. It is so strong... that even atoms cannot completely destroy it... Deep in the sea... it's as safe as it gets."
Sophie: "Hmm. Okay."
Fiona: "Okay... that makes sense."
Siegfried: "Still creepy."
Lina: "Very creepy."