Gun of Ashes

On the vast ocean, the White Tide glided forward slowly, like a stubborn stone in motion, unshaken by either the fierce winds or the towering waves.

Its size was considerably larger than ordinary ships, manufactured by the Nordro Shipyard. They said the exact model of the White Tide should be classified as a cruise ship— a new ship type invented by Nordro.

Although classified as a passenger ship, the White Tide, named after the White Tide Strait, boasted entertainment facilities much more luxurious than previous passenger ships. It regularly traveled the White Tide Strait, shuttling back and forth between Gaulunaro and Ingwig.

Inside the White Tide, in the room of Lorenzo and his companions, a rapid knocking at the door was heard.

”Welcome! Welcome! Our newest members!”

Accompanied by the man’s shout, they barged in, and cheers filled the room in no time.

The five people and one mouse in the room were in a state of utter shock, even Red Falcon was on high alert, with his hand hidden behind his back, clutching a gun.

Yet these crazy folks seemed oblivious to it all, brimming with enthusiasm as they stepped in and greeted them enthusiastically, as if Lorenzo and his friends were long-lost brothers.

The sea of passion engulfed these somewhat bewildered individuals, someone loudly hummed the Joyful Song, filling the air with the merriness of the lunatics.

Everything had to be traced back to when they boarded the ship, Nordro provided Lorenzo and his group with a full set of services. They had just set down their luggage in their room when the urgent knocking began, and everyone was vigilant, and once Lorenzo opened the door, what they saw was just this scene.

Lorenzo forcefully pushed away the man hugging him, yelling loudly.

”Hold it right there!”

After the shout, the noise in the room finally settled down.

”What is all this...”

Red Falcon muttered to himself while sidling over to Hebdo, even though the atmosphere was cheerful, he couldn’t help but feel something was off.

Weren’t they supposed to board the ship with gloomy faces, weapons ready, and brace themselves for a fight to the death with the Iron Law Bureau once disembarked? Yet, the cheerful mood somehow carried over to the ship.

Eve stood honestly to the side; she too found the overly enthusiastic vibe a bit unsettling. As for Heracles, lying on the bed holding Polo, judging by his expression, he had already fainted. Returning to the sea seemed indeed a challenging ordeal for him.

”Who are you guys?”

Lorenzo grabbed the Winchester, pointing it at these strangers who barged in. He didn’t sense any murderous intent from them; they seemed more like a bunch of folks who had wandered into the wrong room.

Seeing the real gun, the man froze instantly. As the muzzle moved, whoever it pointed at raised their hands.

”Wait, you are Renette.”

At this moment, Hebdo suddenly spoke up; he had seemed deep in thought earlier, and now he finally realized what was going on.

He stepped in between Lorenzo and Renette, introducing while winking at Lorenzo.

”Let me introduce, this is the conductor of the Royal Ingwig Orchestra, Renette.”

Hebdo’s introduction somewhat eased the atmosphere, and Lorenzo, perceptive as ever, immediately understood the situation, warmly shaking the man’s hand.

”Pleased to meet you! Pleased to meet you! Conductor Renette.”

The Winchester was tucked under his arm; though Lorenzo spoke in a gentle tone, it didn’t quite match the sentiment of ’pleasure to meet.’

”Don’t be afraid; we encountered some robbers on the way, which made us a bit wary.”

Lorenzo explained, a poor explanation indeed, yet strangely Renette believed him.

”Oh, I see now; I knew Mr. Holmes was too kind-hearted to be so violent, so that’s what happened.”

Renette became affectionate again, wrapping an arm around Lorenzo as if they were close friends. From his genuinely naive look, he indeed seemed to take Lorenzo as a great benefactor, even though it was their first encounter.

Kind-hearted?

Lorenzo found it a bit perplexing, but then Renette continued.

”We came here to express our gratitude. Without Mr. Holmes’ generous sponsorship, our orchestra might not have been able to perform this time.”

Renette called over a few more people and deeply bowed to Lorenzo after speaking. During the bow, Hebdo whispered in Lorenzo’s ear.

”Though it’s a royal orchestra, their funds are limited. This time the performance is sponsored by Nordro.”

The actor knowing the script, Lorenzo cooperated with Hebdo in the play.

”Don’t mention it, I am very fond of music. Having your music spread to Gaulunaro is my honor.”

Lorenzo grasped Renette’s hand, patting it repeatedly.

They exchanged further pleasantries about life and music theory, and after much rambling, Lorenzo finally managed to send these tricky fellows away.

”I thought we were just a namesake, but it turns out they really are an orchestra?”

After closing the door, Lorenzo turned around and asked Hebdo.

”The most perfect lie is one mixed with truth, isn’t it? What’s more, Renette is relatively simple-minded. To be precise, his only focus is music, not caring about the mundane aspects of life. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so easily fooled. Such a person is easy to control and ensures smooth proceedings.”

Lorenzo sat back on the sofa, laying the Winchester across his lap.

”So what did you tell him, about our part in this? Are we accompanying musicians and sponsors?”