Gun of Ashes

”Is there anything else I should be aware of?” he asked again.

”Nothing else, but the Vikings seem to have some demands, and their people are waiting for you at the train station. They should explain everything to you then, so our work is pretty much over,” he said.

Thinking of those stubborn Vikings gave Oscar a headache. No matter how he tried to persuade them, they wouldn’t budge, and Arthur didn’t oppose them either, just letting them do whatever they wanted.

”What’s wrong?” Lorenzo asked.

”You’ll know when the time comes.”

Oscar wasn’t too keen on bringing this up, but he was more interested in seeing Lorenzo’s reaction when the time came.

Everything that needed to be discussed, and things that shouldn’t have been discussed, had all been addressed, and the atmosphere in the carriage fell silent for a moment.

”So, should I jump off the train now and give you guys some space?”

Amidst the long silence, Oscar looked at Selyu, then at Lorenzo, and asked.

”Sure.”

Unexpectedly, Selyu answered seriously.

”Wait a minute! I’m just saying, respect your elders and care for the young, you know?”

Seeing Selyu look eager to try, Oscar quickly added. If he jumped off the train, he’d probably end up in the hospital for half a month.

”Then shut up, okay?”

Selyu said impatiently, and Oscar wisely kept his mouth shut.

Lorenzo watched all this from the side, his expression somewhat subtle.

He’s no fool; Lorenzo’s a shrewd guy. He understands some things clearly but finds it hard to respond, so he pretends to be clueless.

Actually, Lorenzo has always wanted to avoid all this. It’s not that he dislikes Selyu, but he’s very aware of what he’s going to face. He doesn’t long for an ordinary life; he just hopes to die with some value. That’s the conclusion he envisions for his life, rather than dying peacefully in a warm, comfortable bed under his descendants’ gaze.

But there will always be people who have expectations of him, and Lorenzo doesn’t dare respond to those expectations.

”You’ll come back alive, won’t you?” Selyu asked seriously.

”It’s just an assignment. I’m not going to assassinate some high-ranking Gaulunaro official. Why make it sound like I’m not coming back?”

Lorenzo likes to joke, and when he’s nervous, he jokes even more. He likes using this method to mask himself, and it typically fools many, but apparently not this girl in front of him.

”No... I just feel a bit uneasy.”

Selyu felt some pressure. After gaining a title, countless pieces of information flooded her brain, coupled with dealings with Nordro, she vaguely sensed the world’s changes. It’s like a train roaring forward, yet not far ahead the tracks had already broken.

She always felt that Lorenzo’s actions this time would bring consequences that couldn’t be remedied, and she wanted to dissuade Lorenzo. But seeing him seeming to start anew, Selyu found it hard to speak.

Lorenzo was delighted; he had his own agency and welcomed his first case. He seemed like a normal person, and this cold guy even started enjoying life.

”Oh, death? How could it be? I’ve weathered storms and waves, so why worry about these? Besides, I’ve just opened the agency and taken on my first case, and the great Mr. Holmo would just fail in Gaulunaro?”

Lorenzo started babbling nonsense.

”Anyway, good people don’t live long, and villains live for a thousand years, isn’t that right?”

Confronted with Lorenzo’s odd saying, Selyu froze for a moment, then couldn’t help but smile.