Gun of Ashes

”Haven’t you realized yet?”

Selyu continued, and in that brief eye contact, it was as if she saw through all of Lorenzo.

”What do you mean?”

Lorenzo put down the dessert he was about to put in his mouth, feeling somewhat confused, yet also curious.

Selyu did not continue the previous topic; she actively changed it.

”Human emotions, even though you’re smiling now, this is just your facade. Beneath this shell, you’re merely a cold machine.”

As if critiquing an exhibit, Selyu spoke seemingly casually.

”You know Eve, don’t you?”

The girl who saved him, in the confrontation with Dean Lawrence, it was evident that Lorenzo knew her.

”Hmm.”

Lorenzo affirmed.

”Haven’t you thought about it yet?”

Selyu seemed a bit surprised, unsure if Lorenzo was truly that dull or just cold-hearted.

”You were about to give up on her at that moment, such a good girl, to give up just like that... isn’t that too cruel?”

She looked at Lorenzo, this kind of person is quite intriguing; he would show kindness to you, but when it truly involves his goals, he can abandon you without hesitation, as if the experiences between you were just an optional illusion.

”Lorenzo, you must have broken her heart.”

That was indeed a moment of despair, with the blade of death at her neck, like a drowning person thrown into an icy river, she was about to die, and the only thing she could hold on to was Lorenzo, yet Lorenzo chose to abandon her at that very moment.

The gray-blue eyes seemed to harden, he looked at the silhouette by the window, unexpectedly Selyu would bring these up.

Of course, Lorenzo knew what he did, and afterwards, he tried to avoid thinking about it.

”At the time, it was the optimal solution.”

”Just because it was the ’optimal solution’?”

Selyu spoke with a hint of sarcasm.

”In fact, you’re an even colder person than I am, Lorenzo.”

Like a non-human creature, he strives to mimic the appearance of a normal person, but when the true goal emerges, he sheds the facade, like a terrifying beast.

”But you saw it too, confronting Demons, excessive emotions are just a hindrance.”

He answered almost mercilessly.

Choosing the lesser of two evils, if sacrificing an Eve could result in the death of Dean Lawrence, it was all too fitting.

It was simply a bloody transaction, where no one held any emotions.

”So this is why you’ve become like this?”

Selyu suddenly approached, she looked down at Lorenzo, proud as a majestic sculpture, with dim light casting on her face, the contrast clear.

This time, Lorenzo did not avoid; he faced Selyu and nodded.

”You actually dare to look at me now.”

Selyu smiled slightly, sometimes Lorenzo was like a shy child, afraid to make eye contact with others, even more so with himself.

”I just don’t know what expression to use to treat others, a smile or indifference? Sometimes interactions between people are what make things feel heavy, Selyu.”

”That’s why I prefer dealing with Demons, just swing a sword and behead them.”

Like an old man who has weathered many storms, Lorenzo spoke with an affected air of world-weariness.

”So you keep distancing yourself from everyone... is it because of Demons?”

An incredibly precise strike, hitting right in the gap of the Armor.

”Because of the disaster you bring, so you don’t want to have anything to do with anyone?”

Selyu is always like this; she can clearly see the parts you try to hide, then forcibly drag them out and give them a good beating.

”You also saw the result; Eve had barely known me, and she almost died at the hands of a Demon.”

Lorenzo turned his gaze away and said.

”We call it ’connection’; the more entangled you are with Demons, the more dangerous it is...”

He suddenly remembered Arthur, who was so eager to send Eve away also because of Demons, like an iron curtain, separating the world of Demons from his daughter.

”You’re suppressing your emotions, Lorenzo; you’re a human, yet you’re trying to turn yourself into a cold weapon.”

Because of this, you become isolated, striving to disguise yourself as normal.

She concluded.

”Are you trying to guide me?”

Lorenzo suddenly felt like he was being reprimanded by a little child.

”Probably.”

”So what should I call you, Dr. Selyu? It’s my first time in such a luxurious psychological clinic.”

He started to ramble, slightly easing the serious atmosphere, but Selyu still seriously stared at him, such distraction methods did not work on her.

In the long silence, Lorenzo slowly said.

”Emotions can affect reason.”

”But sometimes in life, lies and emotions are more important than logic and reason.”

Lorenzo was startled, unsure whether he was impressed by the profundity uttered by a little child or something else; he laughed and casually said.

”Selyu, there are some things you won’t understand, everyone has different troubles.”

”But the existence of trouble is to resolve it.”

”But many things have no answers.”

Lorenzo spoke hesitantly for a moment; when he voiced these things, even he wavered, can Demons really be eradicated? It was like a journey with no end in sight, even Lorenzo didn’t know how long he could hold on.

Suddenly, those slender hands grabbed Lorenzo’s collar, with a touch of anger in the ice-blue glow.

They held for a long time, and Lorenzo, like a dead pig, didn’t cooperate with the somewhat serious atmosphere, and she seemed to realize that this would lead nowhere; Selyu released Lorenzo, moved to the side, and turned on the light. Outside, the sky had already darkened.