Gun of Ashes

Another new day, new work, and new life. Old Dunling remains familiar, with the fine rain falling endlessly, not knowing when it will stop.

Lorenzo boarded the carriage, and at this moment, Lorenzo discovered that Oscar, the old fellow, was surprisingly robust, perhaps hidden beneath loose clothing, as the fellow was actually broad and stout.

Three people squeezed into the narrow space, Lorenzo sat by the carriage door, with one hand resting on the armrest.

”So you’re going personally, it could be dangerous.” Oscar asked.

Lorenzo’s reaction was strange, Oscar did not expect Lorenzo to be so interested in that Shermans, and Lorenzo seemed unwilling to explain anything, maintaining silence after getting into the carriage.

”After I leave, keep the carriage moving, the longer the better.”

Lorenzo suddenly spoke, and immediately pushed open a gap in the door, appearing as though he was ready to leap out the next second.

At this time, the carriage had entered a busy street, even though it was still raining, colorful umbrellas and carriages filled the street like a flowing river. This was where Lorenzo deliberately chose, as only here could he shake off the monitors, though he was unsure if they were still watching him, but being cautious was never wrong.

Half of his body had already leaned out, like a leopard ready to move, but just as Lorenzo was about to leap, he suddenly turned his head, looking towards Selyu seated inside.

”He’s not a good thing; at best you can believe half of what he says.”

This was directed at Selyu, who could not comprehend why Lorenzo suddenly said this, while Oscar beside her awkwardly smiled.

This counted as an extraordinary time; otherwise, Lorenzo would not have let Oscar off so easily. Without waiting for her to question, Lorenzo darted out between the cross of another carriage.

He kept his head down, moving under countless umbrella flowers, then entering a twisting alleyway, attempting to evade those potential pursuers.

...

Old Dunling, outskirts.

Shermans sat on a chair, breathing in the fresh air after the rain, a cool scent mixed with the fragrance of grass, vitality thriving under the soil.

He never liked Ingwig, as a devout Believer, his only home was Seven Hills, yet rarely, after the rain, this cool and quiet feeling captivated Shermans, and he found a peaceful place in an alien land.

Although it also belonged to Old Dunling, due to being a distant suburb, there was no steel and steam, none of those noisy mechanical sounds, everything here resembled a hundred years ago, without the slightest hint of ”modernity.”

The sky was no longer oppressive, with golden light revealed through the silver-gray clouds, the green grass spreading to the eye’s limit, if not too old, Shermans would want to gallop on it.

”Ah... it feels nice.”

He breathed deeply, the life of exile and negotiating with the Purification Mechanism... too many things ravaged his will, applying pressure, now in this remote place he finally obtained some quiet.

After preliminary cooperation with the Purification Mechanism, Shermans was transferred here, to express mutual sincerity, Shermans cooperated with the work of the Purification Mechanism, and the Purification Mechanism allowed him to bring his guard, except for a small number of monitors, everything here belonged to the Exile’s forces.

”Sir Shermans...”

The attendant walked over, draping a coat over Shermans.

The cold of Old Dunling was so deep, even in early spring.

”Yage, your leg seems much better.”

Shermans glanced at him, during previous intelligence gathering for ”Revelation,” Yage and Lorenzo clashed in Rat Nest; as an ordinary person facing Demon Hunter, he was defenseless, cut on the ankle by Lorenzo’s sword, if not for Duke Salicardo’s carriage saving him, he might have died under Lorenzo’s blade long ago.

”It’s alright, just this weather sometimes still hurts.”

Yage leaned on a cane, looking a bit battered.

This was an estate uninhabited for a long time, becoming Shermans’ current dwelling after brief tidying, far from Old Dunling’s chaotic vortex, yet under the surveillance of the Purification Mechanism, Shermans still somewhat liked it here.

”Never thought a foreign land would be like this, it’s your first time in Ingwig too, Yage.” Shermans asked.

Before exile splintered, Yage was already his attendant, many things occurred after the crowning of the new Pope, Shermans and opposing Cardinal lost terribly, taking little from Florence.

Yage held deep loyalty to Shermans, one of the few willing to leave with him, and thus deeply trusted by Shermans.

”Yes, here is completely different from what I imagined.”

”Is that better or worse?”

”I... don’t know how to describe it; it seems both good and bad intensified. Here is advanced, vibrant, yet the sky feels like a steel curtain, heavy and cold, all the hardships and delights magnified.” Yage said.

”Indeed, but this is what people pursue, greater greed corresponds to greater suffering. They say the owner of this estate was like this, with progress, clinging to the land’s wealth would be abandoned piece by piece, thus he sold it, bringing money and desire to Old Dunling.”