Gun of Ashes

”Mm... a failed Ascension.”

Lorenzo replied. Merlin had told him about this: that Alchemist had chased after Truth like a madman, finally using himself as the test subject for Ascension. Unfortunately, he failed; the only thing you could call lucky was that he managed to claw his way back to life.

”But Merlin would be interested in that kind of thing? I thought he didn’t care about this stuff; the only things that could catch his attention were knowledge and duty, right?” Lorenzo added.

”Naturally. But I suspect this matter might be related to the Secret Keepers. Merlin is their fanboy to the point of obsession.”

Arthur said with a grave expression. Blue Jade, beside him, was looking out the window. She still had that indifferent look, as if she couldn’t hear their conversation at all.

”Secret Keepers?”

Hearing the term, Lorenzo felt a twinge of tension, followed by a headache.

”Remember the last time I met the Queen?”

The memory was hooked back up; Lorenzo’s voice carried a trace of anger and confusion.

”Back then she told me about the Secret Keepers, about those technologies that far exceed the world’s understanding. Piled up like mountains and buried in some so‑called library.

She told me she would do everything in her power to prevent the outbreak of war. I believed her. In the end she played me. The war was doomed from the start.”

”So I’d say you’ve actually matured a lot, Lorenzo. Otherwise, judging by the old you, you should’ve already chopped the Queen’s head off by now.” Arthur said, a bit helplessly.

He could never quite figure out what Lorenzo would do. Sometimes Arthur felt Lorenzo would make the rational call, only for him to act like a complete lunatic. Other times he thought Lorenzo was fated to madness, yet the man would suddenly cool down and quietly watch the situation unfold.

”No, I just don’t think it’s necessary. In a situation like this, every move we make has to be insanely cautious. Killing the Queen is the kind of thing you obviously have to think through very carefully. Besides...”

Lorenzo’s voice paused. He showed a smile Arthur couldn’t decipher.

”Against my assassination, she has no ability to defend herself, does she? Because of the King’s Curse she’s trapped in the Platinum Palace. No... even without the King’s Curse, if she tried to run around at will, she still wouldn’t get away.”

That was the basis of Lorenzo’s confidence, the reason he was willing to give the Queen a chance to explain. From the very beginning the Beacon had already been planted. Under the influence of Authority · Gabriel, the Queen had nowhere to escape, and there was no secret she could hide. As long as Lorenzo wished it, her Gap would be invaded with ease...

From the moment she first saw Lorenzo, her life no longer belonged to herself. Lorenzo would be the sharp blade hanging high above her head.

”Talking about this kind of thing so openly, do you two really not know what ’treason’ means?”

Blue Jade apparently couldn’t stand it anymore, looking at the two of them with open disdain.

Sometimes she also felt the world was absurd. These two guys who kept mouthing off about killing the Queen were, somehow, considered protectors of this country. She had no idea what the Queen’s mood would be if she ever learned all this.

”Ahem...”

Realizing they’d lost their composure, Lorenzo and Arthur coughed in unison a few times, straightened their clothes—then immediately realized something.

The carriage had stopped.

Arthur and Lorenzo stared at Blue Jade in horror. Blue Jade just waved a hand and said to these two hopeless cases,

”Yeah, we’re at the Platinum Palace. You two were probably talking so damn enthusiastically that you didn’t notice we’d actually been here for quite a while.”

Lorenzo gingerly pushed the carriage door open, and saw row after row of Royal Guards standing beside the carriage with rifles shouldered. Their faces were severe, as if just waiting for an order, ready to turn the carriage—and everyone in it—into a sieve.

Anakin was standing in front of the Royal Guards, right beside the door.

The guy seemed to have heard something; his expression was a bit strange. Anakin looked like he wanted to say something, but each time he was about to open his mouth, he shut it again. He really couldn’t think of anything to say that could break this damned awkwardness.

Inside the carriage, Lorenzo and Arthur wore the same mortified look, like they’d just swallowed a dead fly.