How had things never once gone according to plan?
"Wish, the wish jar...!"
For the first time, Sword's smiling expression cracked at Heathcliff's sudden move.
Incredible, really.
Something that must once have been wish power was now spilling nonstop from the shattered roulette.
Sword let out a scream close to a death cry, then clapped a hand over her mouth, while I could barely keep my head straight against the wave of vertigo crashing over me.
"When I grow up, I'm going to become a wish sticker that gives people hope!"
It was almost as if I could hear the heart of something that had never been allowed to enter the world as a wish sticker.
Had it finally gone mad?
...Could it have been driven mad?
"Hey, listen up. You lot."
"You want to confess you broke this while brawling with us and get us all beaten into a pulp?"
"Or do you want to just pin it on us and get sent to the second floor?"
Th-that fucking bastard—did he really think that was something you could just say out loud...?
"T-this... this is a whole month's worth of gathered luck..."
"..."
After a moment of hesitation, the one who seemed to be the captain of the guards opened his mouth.
"Even if you go to the second floor, you won't get out of this unharmed..."
"Yeah, I've got more memories of not getting out unharmed already. Thanks for the advice."
Having said that, Heathcliff walked over to us with one shoulder dislocated.
"What are you looking at? Fix it if you can."
<...>
Sinclair, don't stop me. I'm going to smash that bastard's skull in and die.
"He's made up his mind. From today on, I won't bring up the word 'plan' in front of these people."
"A bit late for that realization."
"Faust... at times like this, I'd really prefer it if you'd just stay quiet."
We sacrificed the blood pressure of a great many people, along with every one of our plans, and went up to the second floor.
When we entered the second floor of the casino, a completely different atmosphere greeted us.
"The mood has changed. It seems the second floor is a zone being held by a different organization."
As Faust said, it was obvious at a glance that, unlike the first floor, which felt like a slot machine factory, this level was centered around table games.
"Hey, you lot! Why do your faces look like that?"
"Don't you know the rules of this floor? If you're going to wander around with such gloomy mugs, at least cover them with a hat or something!"
A figure wearing a poncho and holding maracas loudly scolded us.
...Mexico?
"Why are you staring at me while you talk? Want me to break your jaw?"
"What does 'break your jaw' even mean?!"
"It means I'll tear your neck off."
Ryoshu seemed to have no intention of doing anything here except start a fight.
Otherwise she wouldn't be picking a quarrel with someone who looked like one of the managers of this floor.
"Ah, no. Isn't the real problem this guy's face? Are the things serving as his eyes the hour hand and the minute hand?"
<...Ryoshu, are you ready?>
"Of course, Dante."
...Fine. I'll stop talking.
Giving up seemed, no matter how I looked at it, healthier for my mind.
Let it go however it wanted.
"I'll show you art."
Hwoong—
Ryoshu murmured briefly as her personality shifted in an instant, then swiftly swung her blade.
"How rude, attacking without warning!"
The man in the poncho managed to evade it.
Ryoshu seemed irritated by that and tried several more attacks, but...
"Is that all? Really?"
They all missed by a hair's breadth.
And he was dodging everything while dancing, too—this wasn't his first or second time doing it.
"If you won't come to me, then I'll come to you!"
Oh, great. There wasn't time to stand around watching anymore.
Clang—!
Kkrrrk, kkrrrk...
The spear and maracas collided right in front of me, producing a skin-crawling metallic grind.
At times like this, I should twist the angle a little and—ah. I messed up.
Thud, thud thud! Thud—!
"Ghk..."
A four-hit combo landed in an instant.
I thought I'd gotten somewhat used to pain, but that was probably arrogance.
It hurt like hell.
But I knew that if I just stood there, I'd only keep getting hit, so I endured the pain and corrected my stance.
Whooosh!
Just then, the maracas came flying in.
Seeing that his body had opened up from the attack arcing slightly outward, I quickly shoved him with my body to break the flow.
Whoosh, thud!
Then came the follow-up swing, cleanly chained together.
"Complete silence."
Pshhk
Once I'd broken his stance like that, my ally's clean support finished the job.
We had a slight numerical advantage, so if we just kept this up, it should work out.
There was a time when I thought that, too.
Thud!
"How's that? Feel like you're going to die?"
At first, the atmosphere was good.
But as time went on, their support became stronger than on the first floor, and the numbers gradually evened out.
"Is that all?"
Watching people dodge this way and that while dancing around and saying things like that was enough to make me lose my mind.
But their offensive power wasn't all that high, so the fight kept dragging on...
By the time the Sinners were all getting bored, a scream rang out from one of the casino tables.
"Agh!!! No!!!"
"I lost my money again, damn it! How many times is this now?"
"Hey, hey, hold on! We need to manage our guests!"
Apparently, this wasn't a bad situation for us.
Hah... looks like I can rest a bit.
"Guest, you haven't forgotten the rules, have you?"
"B-but... that was my entire fortune..."
"If you keep ruining the mood, we may have to throw you a piñata party as a guest."
A piñata party... I had no idea what that was, but the tone sounded like a pretty vicious threat.
"(Uh, what's a piñata party?)"
Gregor asked that after getting curious about the piñata party, but no one responded except Dante.
Anyway, the guest who'd lost everything and was sniffling seemed terrified by that friendly threat, because he got up from his seat.
Then he took the maracas handed to him by a staff member and...
started dancing. While still sobbing the whole time...
"What is this...?"
At Heathcliff's question, the employee in the blue poncho answered politely.
"There's a rule that must be followed on the floor our faction is holding."
"Gambling is an act meant solely for enjoyment, so sorrow and pain must all be sublimated into dance."
Hearing a welcome word in the employee's explanation, Don Quixote raised a hand and stepped forward.
Though ideally she could have just not stepped forward at all.
"If it's dance, then I can teach you a thing or two!"
But contrary to their appearance, which looked like they'd accept anyone overflowing with passion, they made a rather cold judgment.
"This one won't do."
"There's no sincerity in those movements."
"What is that supposed to mean!"
"Dance is a window that reflects the heart."
"If the heart isn't clear and transparent, nothing becomes as meaningless as dance."
"..."
Don Quixote swallowed a low groan.
...To say Don Quixote's heart wasn't clear and transparent, that was rather suggestive.
And then Don Quixote, who had been quietly watching them with her usual smiling expression, spoke to them in a voice much lower than usual.
"...You are somewhat rude."
Seeing the situation devolving into chaos, Epi let out a regretful sigh.
"It's becoming more and more irreversible... what are you doing, Sword?"
"Ah, I was writing my apology letter in advance."
...You really do have it rough.
The commotion was starting to settle, and the enemies began pulling out their maracas again.
I wanted to rest a little longer... but of course, that wasn't happening.
I raised my spear and took my stance.
Whatever the case, work had to be done.
"By order!"
Clang!
"Damn it..."
Thud.
Rustle
"Handled!"
As the fight was beginning to quiet down, Ishmael suddenly said something out of nowhere.
"I know this sounds ridiculous even as I say it, but in order for us to leave the second floor quickly..."
"It seems we need a powerful dance that can move their hearts."
...Pardon?
The moment he heard Ishmael's words, Dante was the first to try to dodge.
"..."
<...>
No matter how I looked at it, he didn't seem like he had no idea what dance was... but let's let that slide, since he'd hidden things from us before, too.
"I learned face-changing, but there were few instructors. Only three. You need props, though—masks, fans, cosmetics, and..."
Hong Lu seemed like he might have the purest heart among us, but unfortunately, it looked like dancing required quite a few materials.
<...Where are we supposed to get all that right now? Next.>
"Well, I've stepped on plenty of jerks trying to act all proper at balls."
Heathcliff at a ball... I can't picture that.
"You say my heart is frightening."
Yi Sang wasn't someone I had any expectations for to begin with.
"...What are you looking at? I spent half my life on a ship."
Ishmael was about as expected.
"If it's dance! Ugh! Stop covering my mouth all the time!"
Don Quixote was already...
"It wouldn't be bad to dance with swords after such a long time. I'll blow them all apart."
...Ryoshu just seemed dangerous.
"I've never matched a beat in my life except during morning roll-call calisthenics, but if that's what you want, Manager, then even now I can..."
Otis looked like she had the most ulterior motives of all, so I skipped over her.
"D-Dante... I'm confident about everything else, but dance is just... too embarrassing... haha!"
Rodion was unexpected.
"My arm may get overexcited and charge straight for the audience's heads, but aside from that, there's no problem."
Gregor... was that really possible?
Next was... me.
"...There's no problem as long as I have a partner. Anyone willing to dance with me?"
As I said that, I swept my gaze over the Sinners, but everyone averted their eyes.
...It's not like I couldn't dance solo, but it was a hassle to step up, so I decided to hide that a little.
With that, my turn was more or less defused, and the next one was...
"..."
When it was Meursault's turn, he silently looked away.
"Faust is generally not fond of dance, but if it is for the sake of the operation, she can gladly perform it."
"However, what they desire is not perfection. Rather, something unstable, an unpolished rough stone..."
Hey, come on, Faust—surely there isn't someone like that among the Sinners... oh, there is?
"Sinclair!"
"Y-yes?!"