Gun of Ashes

The Iron Serpent, covered in armor, lay across the middle of the road, dividing the Demon Hunters wielding Nail Swords on one side and the Armors of Original Sin hidden in the rain on the other.

Lorenzo stood between them, his gaze sweeping back and forth until it landed on Arthur.

”The Queen’s orders?”

Lorenzo had anticipated this but hadn’t expected everything to happen so quickly; the Queen’s orders would come at this moment.

”You’ve reached an agreement with the New Church Order? To carve up the benefits I hold?”

Lorenzo said calmly, but anyone could hear the latent fury beneath his voice, his hand gripping the Folding Blade turning white from exertion.

”So I hope to talk with you properly, after all, our previous cooperation was quite pleasant, wasn’t it?” Arthur said. ”The Purification Mechanism hasn’t abandoned you; it’s just...”

”Just orders from higher-ups, making it difficult for you?”

”Yes, indeed. After all, our Purification Mechanism is ultimately controlled by Queen Victoria, only she’s refrained from interfering with our actions for a long time now.”

Arthur’s implication was clear, the mysterious Queen Victoria had reclaimed her power and wanted to personally decide these matters; Lorenzo didn’t know what kind of advantages the New Church Order had used to sway her, prompting that noble existence to issue directives.

A deep breath brought the cold air into his lungs, cooling down his burning body.

”What if I refuse? Will you kill me?”

”No, we’ll only control you, if possible, I don’t want to see such an ending either... Though you’ve committed many evils, at least... at least you have a semblance of being a good person, Lorenzo, you still have a human heart, not a pure monster, and that’s why I chose to talk with you rather than capturing you directly.”

Although Arthur found this detective quite annoying, he had to admit that after spending a long time together, he thought Lorenzo wasn’t that bad. Lorenzo considered himself a monster, yet he possessed a human heart, fighting demons for reasons that seemed bizarre.

Lorenzo lowered his voice; nearby, it was just him and Arthur. Anthony and the Demon Hunters perhaps feared the Armors of Original Sin hidden behind the rain, so they stood quietly, waiting for the outcome.

”The New Church Order...”

Lorenzo was about to speak about the New Church Order’s deeds but suddenly fell silent; he looked at Arthur, slightly understanding it all.

”So were their recent actions done with your tacit approval? If they could subdue me, you wouldn’t appear, but if they failed, you’d intervene.”

This was Old Dunling, the home turf of the Purification Mechanism. The New Church Order’s every move couldn’t escape the Mechanism’s eyes, let alone directly using Secret Blood in the streets.

”You’ve stopped trusting me, haven’t you, Arthur?”

”I still trust you, Lorenzo, but the entity I represent now isn’t myself, but the entire Purification Mechanism.”

Arthur said slowly.

”The New Church Order obtained reliable information, and based on leftover data, they’ve deduced the approximate nature of the Pseudo Holy Grail; you’ve been corrupted and are extremely dangerous. Even if they didn’t participate, I would still hope to discuss with you how to contain the Pseudo Holy Grail you possess.”

”They aren’t trustworthy.”

Upon reviewing Shermans’ notes, Lorenzo had everything he needed to believe the Evangelical Church was still hiding some secret tied to the world’s truth. Lorenzo wanted to show Arthur Shermans’ notes, convinced its eerie knowledge could prove everything to him.

But Lorenzo couldn’t.

Lorenzo felt that if he revealed those secrets aloud, something terrible would happen... Those ghosts still watched him, never giving up on killing him, a transgressor of taboos, and the current calm was merely a brief respite.

”Then are you trustworthy, Lorenzo? Or should I call you 047?”

Arthur showed no emotion, devoid of any personal feelings. At that moment, he was just a cold machine, executing orders, ensuring the organization’s seamless operation.

”You’ve never revealed your true identity nor ever mentioned the existence of the Pseudo Holy Grail... According to the New Church Order, it was developed by the War Faction during the Night of the Holy Arrival, based on the Holy Grail. You should be aware of what the Holy Grail is, right.”

Arthur also wanted to trust Lorenzo but couldn’t. Despite everything, Lorenzo was still a foreigner; no one could guarantee seeing through another’s heart and soul, and Arthur was the same. He couldn’t fully trust Lorenzo, as he was uncertain whether Lorenzo was good or evil.

No one could give any assurance; no one could be sure if Lorenzo truly retained his sanity or if all his prior actions were merely to win the trust of the Purification Mechanism, with his true intentions buried deep within his consciousness, ready to erupt when the time was right.

The two locked eyes, Arthur understood Lorenzo’s thoughts, and Lorenzo grasped Arthur’s meaning. The tragedy lay in their mutual understanding yet inability to fully trust each other without reservation, forced to remain wary.

”You just killed people, Lorenzo, many people.”

After a prolonged silence, Arthur spoke again, confirming it was indeed Moriarty’s trap, aimed at all that was about to occur.