>>11173 I dropped out of this for a long while because of trouble in my life. is it really almost over? I guess we're deep in the 20s or 30s volume wise so it would make sense, but it seemed like there was so much more to deal with.

>>71518 If Joseph actually can be trusted, we might be in the endgame. His recent talks with Kate gave a lot of background info and "plan" to deal with Great Grandfather.

Chapter 225: Reunion tagline: Two people that shouldn't be there. Somewhere they shouldn't be. >Hey, hey >so you finally found us. >It's been a while, Edward. >You louts ... why are you here?

>>72397 >No ... in the first place, you jumped off from the Passageway of Glory?! >The chance that you, with your small soot amount, would get away unscathed from falling off the cliff into a bed of rocks is zero! >I had some help you see. >From Christopher's living doll, "Anthony". >ANTHONY?! >Long ago Christopher failed the unification! Together with his living doll! Thinking conventionally, that is.

>>72398 >Anthony is a human that originally entered the House to reclaim it. >Since he avoided being brainwashed, I'm sure that also meant him being able to outlive that. >Reclaim it? From who? >Shadows House was originally the property of humans. >That of Alfred, Anthony's father. >Surprising, isn't it? We didn't know that much back when we were in the House.

>>72399 >We tried getting off the island right after escaping from the House. >It all went swimmingly up to the procedures for boarding the ship at Smog Gate. >However, due to some mysterious health complications, I was laid up in bed. >Even after that, for some reason we didn't get off the island. >When we were at a loss searching for employment, a certain man called out to us. >You're a Shadow, right? Please come with me. >Why woul a mere villager know of the Shadows' existence? >We were anxious, but in our exhaustion we couldn't but follow him.

>>72400 >He introduced himself as a remnant of a group, the "Mirror Family", that aimed to reclaim the House. >That's the villager who called out to you this noon ... Jeremy's father. >After Alfred's death, the Mirror Family was about to stop operating, but there was an atmosphere that wouldn't just give up up on reclaiming the House. >Jeremy knew these circumstances and was the last infiltrator. >I was taught a lot here. They even were so kind to earnestly listen to my story, even though I was one of those detestable Shadows. >So the wall I felt from their reactions was not especially due to Coalmine being a locality managing coal mining... >but rather that was because of the remnants of the Mirror Family?

>>72401 >The greatest generation. >The one who created that was Anthony... >Have we been >dancing in the palm of his hand from the start? >There's still more. >Anthony is... >The House ... is supposed to be a human's ... Anthony's...? >Who,

>>72402 >who would even believe such thoughtless words! >Stop mocking Great Grandfather! >This shitty ... rebellious element! >We'll catch you and drag you back to the House! >Whoah!

>>72403 >You're easy as always to understand, Edward. >When you lose your cool, it's whenever your pride gets wounded. >Think well and take a look! The larger part of your feelings got nothing to do with Great Grandfather! >Silence! >Christopher couldn't become an adult. >Even though it should have ended there...

>>72404 >Even though we should've long since eclipsed him! We ascended to the second floor! So why! >Haha! You're totally preoccupied with thinking about Christopher and Anthony, right? >Shut up for a moment! You're bloody annoying as always! >Like the other children, you were influenced by Christopher's thinking. >The "greatest generation" was but Christopher and Anthony! >Face your real feelings! >Why are you getting so angry?

>>72405 >The answer is simple. >Jealousy. *yeets visually*

>>72406 >Don't talk shit however you like it! >Wah?! >Oh ... so Gerald's soot power was moving things on which soot was stuck, huh. >And Aileen's soot power was just a messenger bird! >You sure are gutsy for someone who's cornered. >A soot pigeon will still easily tear out something like your internal organs! >If you won't just obediently admit your loss, you'll regret it.

>>72407 >Heh. >You can't win against the current me. >Stop it with the crap! >This farce ends now!

>>72408 >...? >Why?! My soot power won't activate. >Gerald's soot power was released as well! >No way! Did you just eliminate our soot powers with some wind? >Nothing so fancy as elimination. >I just borrowed them. >With all that soot you spread and stirred up in your anger. >Did you forget? I can use other people's soot.

>>72409 >Uwaaah! >Ugh. >Kyaaa!

>>72410 >I told you there's still more, right? >Well, listen to me while staying like that for a bit. >Hmghp! >The Anthony that you hate killed his own father, Alfred. >I ought to break off my cooperation with him as well. >And apart from that, there is also something about Great Grandfather that I must know.

>>72411 >So please, >help me get back to the House! >Let us go back together to Shadows House! >WHAT?!

Holy fucking shit Kate and Emilico are adorable.

Chapter 227: Touring tagline: Discontented guide >And over here is the audience chamberr.

>>73665 >We know this already. Get around to showing us other places. >Shut up! I was told by Joseph to take you everywhere! >That's far too bad of an attitude to take towards special guests. >We'll tell on you! >Ah, >did your hair grow? Show me your face. [Remember that King got front shave by Douglas in chapter 171] >That's the one thing I won't give way on! >You see! Adults have this thing there if you show your face to residents of another floor, you're showing submission to them! >It'd be terrible if I, "King", resident of the second floor, were to be regarded as a fool showing his face by his inferiors! (third floor, second floor, first floor = inferiors) (* Residents of the same floor do show each other their faces.) >By the way, Shadows call their own name when in their Shadow form, but don't call themselves by name with their face out, as to distinguish both. (Example: Edward (I) | I) >It's a noble! >Whenever they go toh oman villages, they have to show their face as not to be found out. >Whaaat .... but the manager is on equal footing with the Star Bearers. >All of them have shown their faces to us so far... (I'll tell on you to Joseph!) *brea-- --the* >THAT'S ENOUGH OKAY?!

>>73666 >Could it be that you haven't read the permit for the special guest stay? *flip open* >I permit the Star Bearers to reside in Grandfather's Wing. The Children's manager King shall do his best to support the Star Bearers so they can live lacking nothing and shall bear all responsibility. >Third Foor, Joseph. >Whaaa, I've read that properly! >We Star Bearers have become unable to go back to the Children's Wing, and now at Joseph's discretion we have been special guests at the adult's wing for a few days... >The unprecedented incident of the Children holing up, >we have shared that this was Anthony's doing >with the residents of the third floor. >Joseph said that he'd simply discuss it over with them, but...

>>73667 >Whoah, it's so helpful that we even get a floor plan! >King, show me around there! >Whaaat? (Don't just "King" me!) >Locomotive Depot

>>73668 >So this is the Soot Train that connects with the outside! *stroke stroke stroke* >Ah, how grand! >Don't just touch it! (Why did you take off your gloves?!) >The only entrance and exit to Shadows House. >Whenever the adults go out to take children from the villages, they pass through here. >That is to say, so did I when I infiltrated... >That should be the building for culturing Morphs. *squeak squeak* (Shit, the fingerprint...) >Seems like originally it was the front entrance to Mirror House. >But since there are no visitors now, I can't see it like that.

>>73669 >I wonder how much King knows. >King, what's that building? >Beats me. Might be a place where Faceless Dolls work. >So that hasn't been shared with someone who just got up from the first floor... >I see ... there's also information disparity among the adults, huh. >This'll never end with you taking your sweet time looking at that! >We've been pressed for time since a while ago! >Also I told you not to fucking touch it! Oliver! >Come on, we're going! >We'll be running from now on!

>>73670 >Meanwhile, Joseph was... >Ah, I got it. So it's all since this "Anthony" ended up educating the children, eh? >Since it's a bother, we'll all just put out soon on our own. >And just dispose of all the living dolls. >Since there are more immigrants arriving at Soot Island now, procuring children has become easy. >We'll just solve it by taking along ten times the usual number at the next Selection.

>>73671 >How could they think of something so horrible as to shut down the soot pipes? >The cunning of a living doll that failed to become an adult is truly terrifying! >Putting out soot is so stressful ... it's not something adults should be doing. >Let us promptly increase the permanent staff for putting out soot in Grandfather's Wing! >And after that, put the Children's Wing under the adult's watch... >Interrupting the Children's growth is not particularly noble now, is it? >It's because of your planning that it turned out like this, ain't it!

>>73672 >Great Grandfather, >Children are a simple and innocent existence. >They were only instigated. >The one at fault is only this rebellious Anthony. >Give us your decision while keeping that in mind.

>>73673 >The Star Bearer's guest rooms are on the second floor. >That is because there are many Shadows on the second floor that are temporarily transferred. >So essentially it's full of free rooms. >We consulted with Joseph and decided on our rooms. (Evelyn is in Eileen's former room) (Douglas is in Gerald's former room) (Kate is in Edward's former room) (King's room) (Oliver is in Lewis' former room) >We went Edward and the other's former rooms since we thought we could get any kind of hint from them. >No traces ... what a disappointment.

>>73674 >I've collected what we learnt! (Gears are Oliver's notes [I'll just add them directly as arrows]) (Morph training building -> Was the front entrance when it belonged to Mirror House) (Locomotive Depot) (Third floor living quarters -> First to third floor are entirely for the third floorers, an independent building! Great Grandfather resides here!!) (Living quarters -> From the first to third floor there are various rooms for people to live in. Underground there are rooms for Faceless Dolls as well.) (right: garden -> The garden used for the Debut. Usually used by the adults for walks and appreciating the greenery) (Children's manager's building -> Only the underground part can be entered by the children during th debut. There are other rooms such as the audience chamber and the jail.) (Hallway of Glory) >Grandfather's wing (left: population makeup: third floor: 5 second floor: Around 10 within the House, 20-30 outside first floor: About 20 ) (What the manager of the second floor manages: - Wood - Soot coal - Trains - Morphs - Children - Everything required for daily life - Each floor of the adult's building - Shadows' clothes - Faceless dolls )

>>73675 >Even though it's just been a day, we've got a mountainous haul. >... frankly, I've been anxious about being stuck here, but >this might just be the perfect chance for getting behind Great Grandfather's mystery. >This barricade that has been put up in the Hallway of Glory, >the incitement against the Star Bearers that mistakenly makes them out to be enemies, >if we just broke through that by force, just how would we be seen by the children...? >Thanks to Anthony we cannot return until the children's misconception has been lifted. >Luckily, we have friends over there whose brainwashing has been lifted. >They should be doing something for our side.

>>73676 >Be that as it may, it is incovenient not to have spare dressses, right? *loong* >Shadows have a role that says we change clothes three times a day. >That we absolutely have to wait for the washing to be done now since we haven't got change of clothes ... this just standing by in our room time is long. >Moved stealthily over here. >It's the same in the adult's wing, that we can't go outside without wearing our individually assigned clothing. >So for now he said for us to use these temporary clothes too ... these prototype Towaru? [Trivia: Towaru is a prototype for confirming the size and design of the night clothes. It is made from cheap materials such as cotton and hemp.] >These Towaru might have been from Shadows who got disposed of. >Don't say something so unlucky! >Seems like the spare clothes are being being tailored quickly. (In Mirrorside next door, right?) >Once they arrive, let's explore! *clatter* >Your clothes have arrived! >Finally! Good timing!

>>73677 *march* >Aaah! What are you doing coming out to the hallway?! >I told you that's not okay, right? You fools... *show* >If you're see, the I, King, the manager, will be in trouble! So could you please stop it?! (teary eyed) >After we get back to our rooms and changed clothes, let's meet back up here! >I told you that during free time you're forbidden from individual activity! >It's not good if all you Star Bearers separate! Oi, don't ignore me and listen to me, shit!! >So I want to change clothes as well, but... (could you go away?) >Ah, yes (soz)

>>73678 >I haven't got any good memories of this place... >Even though if you just look at the scenery, it's a wonderful place.

>>73679 >Ara, Kate. >What brings you here to Grandfather's Wing? >Sara and Mia...! And so ends King getting clowned upon (for now).

>>73315 The rightmost image's Emilico is uncanny...