Gun of Ashes

”We have a project for official travel.”

”Yay!”

”But it might be a bit far.”

”Oh...”

”It’s Gaulunaro!”

”Yay!”

”Lorenzo is coming with us!”

”Oh...”

”The trip has turned into overtime!”

”Yay! ... Eh? Wait a minute!”

Red Falcon feels like there are two little people in his mind shouting back and forth.

After nearly half an hour, Bola finally finished convincing Red Falcon. He had intended to talk about some moral missions to move this laid-back guy, but Red Falcon wasn’t buying it at all. In the end, he had to half persuade and half threaten Red Falcon into complying.

Red Falcon sat in the corner with a dazed look, as if he were a lost boy just fished out from the Lower City District, with tear stains at the corners of his eyes, looking pitiful.

After the Black Mountain Hospital incident, Red Falcon was awarded for his outstanding performance and given a rare vacation, but his vacation ended just as it was beginning.

He had been wearing casual clothes when he received the information. He was sitting by the Thames River fishing. Although the water quality of the Thames was questionable, and whether there were fish was another matter, according to Red Falcon, he didn’t care about the fish; he just wanted to enjoy this peaceful time.

But now he had changed into the same outfit as everyone else, the clothes wrinkled and crumpled, suggesting that Bola used a lot of force to get him to wear them.

Some prepared documents were placed aside, bearing Red Falcon’s photo. Seeing these, Red Falcon turned his head away sadly, still unwilling to believe it all, but the scenery outside the window was speeding by, and Old Dunling had disappeared over the horizon.

There’s just a fine line between vacation and overtime.

”So, what is my instrument?”

Red Falcon asked blankly, as he saw Lorenzo and Eve’s attire, and understood from Bola’s explanation the roles in this mission.

They would disguise themselves as members of the Royal Ingwig Orchestra and accompany the real orchestra to Gaulunaro.

”Instrument?”

Bola’s reaction was somewhat unexpected, then he understood Red Falcon’s words.

”Your role is not a musician, but their servant, so you don’t need an instrument.”

”What?”

Red Falcon immediately jumped up and howled wildly.

”Why!”

”Do you think you can play this role well?” Bola retorted.

This was when Eve nodded. She opened her violin case, and inside was indeed a delicate violin.

”I really can play the violin.”

Eve was meticulously trained by Arthur from a young age, to easily marry this troublesome girl off. Despite her appearance, she had mastered the skills expected of nobility.

”Don’t look at me; my acting skills, I’m very confident in them.”

Lorenzo exchanged glances with Red Falcon, but Lorenzo had no intention of saving Red Falcon and directly stated.

”No no no, that’s impossible, it’s too much!” Red Falcon began to babble nonsense.

”If a musical instrument is necessary...”

Bola seemed to recall something and took a triangle from the side, lightly tapping it, creating a crisp sound that echoed through the compartment.

”How about this?”

Red Falcon’s expression became completely dazed, confronted with the demon’s invasion, his firm will never retreated, but under this ghostly blow, Red Falcon gradually gave up thinking.

”Be clear about your positioning, my friend.”

Hebdo’s voice rang out; from the beginning, this Viking had turned his back and was continually looking in the mirror, doing who-knows-what.

Being a Viking, his physique was indeed sturdy, almost bursting the clothing, as he spoke while turning his head. The previously furry face was much cleaner now, with the razor in his hand shaving off the obvious beard.

”This operation needs to be sufficiently secretive. Once Gaulunaro notices us, the situation will be very bad. You are Ingwig folks, I am a Viking. If captured in Gaulunaro, we will be directly deemed as spies and imprisoned... That’s considering the best scenario. We might even be executed immediately.”

Hebdo let down the braid at the back of his head, using the razor to cut it off. A Viking’s appearance is really eye-catching in Gaulunaro, and not to mention Ivar is currently imprisoned there, Hebdo must do his best to hide himself to appear just like others.

”Perhaps we might not be executed, just like Ivar, captured and used as a bargaining chip between nations.”

He finally tidied himself up, cleaning the lush hair neatly, his ferocious appearance softened, and for a moment the Viking disappeared, replaced by a genteel and agreeable Ingwig person.

His callused hands tightened the tie at his chest, he smiled.

”My role is the conductor of the orchestra.”

Perhaps it was truly professional inadequacy, Red Falcon was momentarily stunned, obliged to admit that even in this aspect, Hebdo outshone him.

For a moment, perhaps due to inner frustration, combined with sudden overtime and an ever-distant vacation, Red Falcon turned into that dazed look again, sitting in the corner looking toward Old Dunling, still holding the triangle Bola had handed him, occasionally dinging it, resembling a discontented wife.

Thus, amidst these intermittent clinking sounds, Lorenzo’s gaze drifted to the other side.

Eve took out the violin, with some time still before reaching Reindona port. She attempted to play something to accompany Red Falcon’s melancholy triangle sound, but perhaps she hadn’t played the violin for too long, as the melody abruptly halted soon after starting.