Gun of Ashes

What a terrifying answer, I’m afraid no one expected this outcome.

”Regarding the Holy Coffin, I understand now. It’s a real trouble.”

Arthur sighed, feeling immense pressure.

Lorenzo pushed the wheelchair as he walked with Arthur through the vast underground tunnels. Thanks to the ventilators’ efforts, the air was much improved here, although mixed with various strange and complex odors, at least it was breathable for humans.

Above them were dim lights extending along the tracks into the horizon, accompanied by complex steam pipes. Perhaps due to age and disrepair, droplets of condensation fell, dampening a large patch of soil.

”It’s not just trouble, Arthur. The whole of Old Dunling is in danger now.”

Lorenzo tried to remain calm.

If the demon’s corruption erupted within the city, given Old Dunling’s population density, conventional firepower would be powerless against the flood of demons. The only solution would be to detonate the Furnace Pillar, sending the entire Old Dunling underground to resolve such a crisis.

”Hmm... Do you know what’s inside that Holy Coffin?”

After a long silence, Arthur slowly asked.

At this moment, he demonstrated his leadership abilities, with various ideas and plans rushing through his mind, while continuously lamenting why so much trouble had arisen during his term.

”A demon, the final demon. According to Medanzo, it is a demon that encompasses the concept of ’demon.’ You could understand it as, once it is killed, the concept of demon will cease to exist in the world.”

Lorenzo responded. This was told to him by Medanzo on the Night of the Holy Arrival. The man crowned with the name of Angel has always been reliable and reassuring.

”So what exactly does it look like, Mr. Holmes? Is it human, an object, or merely a monster? Surely everything has its own shape.”

Arthur wasn’t surprised by the concept’s theory, as if he had anticipated it. Instead, he continued to inquire.

Lorenzo was momentarily stunned, realizing he had never considered this.

”I don’t know. The ritual to deal with it was held on the Divine Birthday, and only those demon hunters crowned with the name of Angel were eligible to partake in that ceremony. I merely guarded outside the cathedral.”

It was a grand execution, warming the cold winter night with the simmering cathedral.

”So even you don’t know what exactly is inside, correct?”

Lorenzo silently nodded.

”Then Mr. Holmes, how can you be so sure... and why does the Evangelical Church believe that killing that demon, the Holy Grail, would erase the concept of demon?”

”As far as I know, all of the Evangelical Church’s knowledge about demons comes from the Gospel and Revelation, right? So, are these accounts recorded in those books?”

Arthur suddenly questioned from a different perspective, maintaining absolute rationality as if he already knew something.

Lorenzo was momentarily unsure of how to respond, but Arthur continued to speak.

”Mr. Holmes, in truth, the mysterious items contacted by the Purification Mechanism far exceed your imagination. To combat demons, we’ve conducted numerous experiments and regulations, one of our tenets being to make everything comprehensible.”

”Just like corruption and demons, we try to explain them through understandable technology and formulas, much like the Geiger Counter and prefrontal lobectomy... Let’s change the topic, Mr. Holmes, do you know what is most crucial to maintain a religion?”

Arthur stared directly at Lorenzo, clearly a man who had been nearly killed, yet his gaze was as sharp as a sword, seemingly trying to cut through Lorenzo’s confusion.

”Faith...”

”No, it’s ignorance. Only bottom-level ignorance can uphold the flawed mythology, Mr. Holmes. Consider this: strip away those abstract religious terms, and you’ll find that all the Secret Blood’s essence is science, pure science.”

Arthur coughed heavily, still tormented by his injuries, yet his electrifying gaze once again gripped Lorenzo, who didn’t even have the courage to look away, compelled to gaze back at him.

”So, what do we need to fight demons?”

”Rationality, right?”

Arthur said quickly, his voice flat yet like urgent thunder.

”But Mr. Holmes, is believing in such an elusive god truly rational?”

Such heretical words from Arthur, if it weren’t for Michael the Demon Hunter executing him by fire, hundreds of years ago, he would’ve been taken to Saint Nalos Cathedral to be burned by the Pope’s hand.

”Mr. Holmes, I can see that you’re not a believer; those obsolete beliefs haven’t suppressed your thoughts, which is why I’m telling you all this... After all, those zealots are really troublesome. When Ingwig first promoted the steam engine, they deemed it an artifact from the devil, thinking it imprisoned poor souls to work for us.”

Arthur laughed disdainfully at this point.

”This is why we’ve always been at odds with the Evangelical Church. A religion’s continuation relies on bottom-level ignorance, while Ingwig wants the brilliance of technology to illuminate every part of the land.”

Arthur had seen it all; Lorenzo was a soldier, and he was the general managing the whole situation.

”The old era has passed, the new era is unstoppable. If the Holy Evangelical Pope Kingdom wants to reclaim control over the Western world, they need to defeat Ingwig as soon as possible. Otherwise, the progress of steam technology will only continue to shatter ignorance.”

”Sometimes we must thank the Night of the Holy Arrival. Without this event severely wounding the Evangelical Church, we would’ve surely gone to war in recent years. War is inevitable.”

”A world war, right?”

Lorenzo felt a bit stifled.

”Don’t think too much about it, Mr. Holmes. It’s not your concern. Our immediate priority is to figure out what exactly Dean Lawrence plans to do and where he is.”

Arthur motioned for Lorenzo to stop, and the two stood in the dim tunnel, seeing nothing but endless gray whether they looked forward or back.

”The only one who can fully support you now is the Purification Mechanism, Mr. Holmes. I believe we’ve built enough trust, haven’t we?”

He looked at Lorenzo, revealing his intentions.

”This is a win-win collaboration, but first, I need to know what exactly happened on the Night of the Holy Arrival. Can you? Only by understanding the entire incident can this machine called the Purification Mechanism roar into action.”

An individual’s power is limited. Without the Purification Mechanism’s aid, Lorenzo would have been killed by Dean Lawrence long ago. He cannot forever wage a lone battle.

”But it’s related to the Holy Grail, which has an extremely strong corrosive nature...”

Lorenzo shook his head, reluctant to accept it, he refused.

This was a night hidden deep within Lorenzo’s heart, a personal vendetta belonging solely to him.

”It could possibly spread through ’words,’ right?”

Arthur interrupted Lorenzo, as the person in charge of the Purification Mechanism, his knowledge of demons was not far less than Lorenzo’s.

”Then please organize the sentences, Mr. Holmes, and skip over the parts we shouldn’t hear.”

Arthur stared intently at Lorenzo. They were kindred spirits, all present regarded as desperados, lone wolves banded together could also be considered a pack.

From the end of the tunnel came the sound of whistling iron, with the steel beast advancing here, slightly trembling the tracks, bringing a rushing gale before finally halting.

The doors of the steam subway opened, and after the steam dissipated, a gray-robed figure slowly revealed their face.

”Merlin is the greatest Alchemist I have ever known, you don’t mind having one more listener, do you?”

Arthur’s voice flowed, Merlin lifted his hood and smiled slightly at Lorenzo.