Gun of Ashes

”And then, please do your job well! Mr. Lorenzo Holmes, if you mess up, my internship is going to be ruined!”

She stuck out her tongue, pretending to be cute, her eyes ingratiatingly looking at Lorenzo with a deliberately affected expression.

Although Eve could only see a faint point of light in the shadows, as she spoke, she could clearly see that point trembling violently, as if Lorenzo was stifling a choking sound, causing his body to shake intensely.

”You’re still too naive, Lorenzo. Is this considered a draw?”

Eve withdrew her expression and chuckled mockingly. This was probably what they meant by ’a smile that hides a knife’.

Miscalculation.

In the shadows, Lorenzo took a deep breath and extinguished his cigarette butt, feeling immensely bothered by this girl for a moment.

To be honest, Lorenzo was not very skilled at dealing with girls like Eve, whose thoughts were more complicated than those of old foxes, yet exceptionally independent, just like a stubborn little kid.

He started to miss those weekend ladies; though all were women, their thoughts were much easier to guess than Eve’s crowd.

Lorenzo could easily go along with their thinking, sweet-talking them into happiness... Actually, Lorenzo also knew sometimes that these ladies were not stupid. But having lived to their age, everyone got good at self-deception, and compared to the harsh reality, living in a lie is actually a relaxing thing.

”Sleep, sleep.”

Lorenzo couldn’t be bothered with her, lay in the bathtub, using a pillow for his head, while on the edge of the tub lay the Nail Sword and the Winchester.

”Goodnight!”

A cheerful voice came in, Lorenzo turned over, unable to resist covering his ears.

...

It’s dawn.

Red Falcon energetically got up from bed, with the books he read last night scattered around him.

In the unfamiliar room, with beautiful scenery outside the window, no need to work, nor fight demons.

Red Falcon was in an extremely good mood.

But as his awareness gradually cleared, Red Falcon’s memories also came back.

This isn’t a funded vacation; this is overtime.

His smiling expression froze, and he plunged back into the bed, unwilling to accept this reality, thinking it must be a nightmare, and he’d wake up to the beautiful funded vacation.

But he couldn’t fall asleep again and could only accept the cruel reality.

How did he fall asleep? He didn’t quite remember, lazily glancing around, only to find the lamp next to him still on, and then a somewhat troubled face entered his sight.

Ahhhhh!

In an instant, countless little Red Falcons started screaming in his mind, not the humanoid Red Falcons, but the actual avian Red Falcons, all nested together, shrieking in unison.

”I say... What’s up?”

Red Falcon tentatively asked.

Only to see Hebdo stiffly turn his head, this Viking hulk’s face was inexplicably soft this moment, the lines carved by the cold wind no longer as sharp, his eyes slightly red as if he had cried painfully during the night.

Such a Hebdo made Red Falcon feel intensely uncomfortable, not a feeling of disgust, but a more scrambled feeling.

Like encountering strange text, clearly knowing each word, but baffled by their combination.

”Nothing. It’s indeed a good story.”

Hebdo’s tone was as always, with a hint of profundity, saying as he turned the page, continuing the book in his hands.

Ah... This...

The northern cold wind, the roaring Ice Sea, even the life-and-death battle can’t break this warrior who reveres Odin. Yet, a novel circulating in the shadows brought him to his knees.

Looking at the cover, Red Falcon remembered the book’s name, ”Secrets of Victoria”, a story about a royal princess pursuing love and encountering hardships.

”Is there only this one? I’m almost done.”

Hebdo suddenly asked.

”Oh, oh, oh, there are, there are.”

Red Falcon turned back, pulling out several continued volumes from his suitcase.

He only read the beginning of this book, heard it was tear-jerker. Originally he planned during this funded vacation, to set a chair while fishing and immerse in the story’s love and hatred.

Of course, this peculiar turn of events totally disrupted Red Falcon’s plan. He no longer needed the story to feel; now he felt like a tragic hero himself.

”You... didn’t sleep all night?” Red Falcon quietly asked.

”Don’t worry, our ship leaves tomorrow afternoon, according to the schedule, today is rest.”

As if Red Falcon was worrying about something, Hebdo replied unwaveringly.

”Is that so...”

Saying so, but Red Falcon swore, Hebdo surely said it to excuse himself. Who claimed Vikings were all hotheads; these guys are all crafty, aren’t they?

”Yes, actually it can be considered a tour for us, after all, we’ll be on the sea for many days ahead. Not every day needs fighting, we need rest, and so do the enemies.”

Listening to Hebdo’s words, Red Falcon nodded slightly, then put on clothes.

”Want some breakfast?”

Hebdo did not reply, the robust Viking deeply engrossed in the story, feeling sadness and joy from the love stories of men and women... Frankly, this contrast still surprised Red Falcon.

But not bad, at least Red Falcon somewhat understood this stranger he hadn’t known for long, everyone seemed normal.

Contrary to the impression of bloodthirsty Vikings, in reality, they’re not all crazy, but normal people.

”Ah... On reflection, it indeed feels like a vacation.”

Pushing open the window, the whole city awoke, setting aside the dark parts, the view was stunningly beautiful.

The sea breeze caressed the face, at this moment Red Falcon felt inexplicably wonderful, his body and mind utterly relaxed.

This feeling was so unfamiliar; like a taut string that had been tense for too long and forgotten what a peaceful life was like.

But followed by unease, Red Falcon felt an inexplicable thrill, although it was such a peaceful morning, he felt a sense of crisis.

He had gotten used to a tense life, the temporary relaxation giving him a feeling of impending doom, indeed, the only rest for a lifelong hunting beast could be the coming death.

In the next room.

Lorenzo slowly opened his eyes, feeling like someone had beaten him up in his sleep, his whole body hurt.

Sure enough, sleeping in the bathtub at home was more comfortable.

He reluctantly got up, leaning against the tub’s edge, throwing his nightclothes into the corner, and turned the faucet, letting the hot water gradually fill the tub, engulfing him in warmth.

So comfortable...

According to Lorenzo’s accumulated life experience, the only good outcome of sleeping in the bathtub is waking up and taking a bath immediately.

Reaching out haphazardly, he picked up a cigarette and bit it, unleashing smoke as Lorenzo let out bursts of groans.

”Aaahhh...”

A beautiful day started just like this, his mood uncontainably joyous.

Humming an odd tune, Lorenzo twisted his neck, the narrow bathtub, after a night, made his body feel stiff.

But as he twisted his neck, his peripheral vision seemed to catch something.

Lorenzo’s neck felt as if it had been reinforced with steel, once again stiffening, as though uncertain, like time reversing, his neck retraced the previous trajectory little by little, Lorenzo squinted at that corner.

Then let out a scream.