Gun of Ashes

The spacious room felt particularly empty; everything was silent, silent enough to clearly hear the sound of the cold wind outside the window, the wood collapsing in the fireplace, the slow ticking of the clock.

It was a comfortable and peaceful scene, nestled by the fireplace in winter, with someone accompanying you, even time seemed to slow down.

In the end, like the Silent Sea that dared not be disturbed, Lorenzo nestled in the sofa, watching the girl beneath the window.

The sky had already darkened, yet no lights were lit indoors, the dim light falling from outside, making it difficult for Lorenzo to see her clearly.

”It’s been a long time since it’s been like this.”

Selyu suddenly sighed, with a faint smile.

”Ever since I became the heir, we haven’t spent time like this in a long while.”

Lorenzo pondered for a moment.

”You mean the time we were vomiting helplessly in the warehouse?”

The journey to bring Selyu back to Ingwig was fraught with difficulties; Lorenzo exerted great effort to get two tickets back to Ingwig, and at that time they also interacted quietly, although the quiet then was due to the damned seasickness.

Upon hearing this, Selyu couldn’t help but laugh, for her, it was a rare and beautiful memory, although for Lorenzo, he wasn’t keen on repeating the experience.

”What sort of guest will it be?”

Breaking the peaceful silence, Lorenzo asked.

”A guest ... that will surprise you.”

Selyu replied, she seemed to enjoy troubling Lorenzo.

”Aren’t you a detective? Use your wonderful deduction.”

Looking at the lazy dog nestled on the sofa, this person was like a fog, you never knew at what angle he’d bring you an unexpected delight.

”That’s not deduction, Selyu, it’s just deceptive trickery.”

Lorenzo shook his head, he wasn’t really much of a detective, merely the deception was exquisite enough for everyone to believe he’s a ’detective.’

”Then why not continue using trickery? You always have a way to cheat what you desire.”

Selyu turned to look at him, although there was no excess light, her azure eyes seemed to emit a faint glow, like a beast’s eyes reflecting in the night.

”Just as you once deceived me, saying you were my cousin, coming to take me home...”

Many winters ago, that’s how Lorenzo spoke to Selyu, and so the girl let down her guard and returned with him to Ingwig.

It was truly a fateful encounter, you thought you were alone, yet in a sea of grey, someone reached out to you.

”Trickery needs to be flexibly employed, like different times, different angles.”

Lorenzo answered indifferently.

”This is what I taught you.”

During that not-so-long journey, for the convenience of acting, or to pass the time, or for Selyu to have some self-defense abilities, Lorenzo taught her many strange things.

”Yes, convincing trickery.”

Selyu said slowly, she was skilled at this, even better than Lorenzo, thanks to her ability to see through minds.

”So at that time... it was also trickery with me, wasn’t it?”

The voice rang out, like a stone thrown into a silent water surface, causing slight ripples.

”Often, trickery isn’t just the magician’s skill but requires the other’s cooperation, yet getting a deceived person to cooperate with your trickery isn’t easy...”

”Unless you know what she wants...”

Lorenzo followed Selyu’s words.

Like a crying woman, her husband went to the frontline, his life uncertain; then the best way to deceive her is to hide her husband’s fate within words, because that’s what she wants to know.

People’s subconsciousness will protect them; sometimes, even knowing it’s a lie, people will easily believe that lie to feel better inside, even if the lie is full of flaws.

Selyu and Mrs. Van Rudd are a typical example, an old woman living alone, surely she longs for care from younger generations, and Selyu seized this point, like a cunning fox, perhaps Mrs. Van Rudd also understood all this, but like a tacit performance, a brief dream, she enjoyed it, unwilling to break it.

”Yes, making a wary person reassured to leave with you ... that is the best trickery.”

For a helpless beggar, unprecedented care is the best trickery.

Selyu said calmly, her expression remained solidly cold; you could never guess what she was thinking from her expression.

Like a traveler about to freeze to death in the wilderness, to escape the cold, even if you’re deceiving him, he wouldn’t care much more.

”Are you... angry?”

Lorenzo tentatively asked.

At the first sight of Selyu, he knew this little girl was a troublemaker, he had to find a way to calm her down ... he considered it an inconsequential lie.

”Lorenzo, you truly are an unexpected guy.”

Selyu didn’t answer directly, she gazed at the scenery outside the window, the sunset of Old Dunling was forever splendid, the gloomy clouds dyed bright orange-red by the sunset, extending to the horizon’s end, countless plumes of smoke rose from the chimneys like pillars supporting the sky and earth.

”What do you mean?”

Lorenzo replied indifferently; he was thinking about how to change the subject, as he was never good at handling strange adolescence topics.

Relaxing a bit, he reached out for a dessert beside him, at least here there were plenty of eats and drinks.