Gun of Ashes

As an ordinary person, Selyu was powerless to join in the conflict with the Demons. When she became Duke Stuart, a brand new world slowly opened up, and the Demons were far from being the real enemy. Yet, at this time, her title as Duke was again useless, and she still did not qualify to join this decision-making.

Selyu needed to become stronger. She couldn’t infuse the Secret Blood into her body, nor could she, like Bola and the others, easily control the Armor of Original Sin. Moreover, because of her original title as Duke, she was even less able to participate in frontline combat.

She was troubled by this for quite a while, as it seemed all she could do was watch the onset of war and stay at home silently praying.

Until one day, she became a Nation-Builder.

The feeling was quite nice. Holding power in her hands, Selyu was still uncertain about what price she would have to pay, but what she possessed now made her feel it was all worth it.

”Did you just let him walk away like that? Didn’t consider letting him stay longer?”

Oscar walked over and leaned against the window with Selyu. Following her gaze, he could see that swaying figure on the street.

”Really envy that guy. Did you become a Nation-Builder for him? Truly someone blessed but unaware of good fortune.”

Oscar’s tone was sour. When he was younger, he had also thought of using his talent to attract wealthy women, but most of them sadly only wanted to maintain a friendship with him.

”Am I unattractive? I was much more handsome than him when I was young.”

Selyu couldn’t be bothered with Oscar’s chatter, letting the talkative rascal go on endlessly.

”But how is it that clever Holmes can appear so foolish in this aspect?” Oscar said, puzzled.

Selyu glanced at him and left the window side. ”Do you think Lorenzo is a foolish person?”

”No.”

”Then is he a smart person?” Selyu asked again.

”Very smart, to be accurate, smart with a touch of madness. He always comes up with some bizarre plans.”

Oscar remembered the storm that swept through Old Dunling when such a large airship crashed, burying all sins in a sea of fire.

”Then do you think he would be unaware of these things?” Selyu asked.

”Are you suggesting that he’s pretending to be ignorant?” Oscar slapped his thigh and exclaimed, ”That bastard, he knew what was going on from the start?”

Analyzing like this, Oscar felt something in his mind explode. When he looked at Lorenzo’s seemingly foolish actions again, all he felt was admiration.

This push-and-pull, mutual tugging between relationships... compared to Lorenzo, Oscar felt he had wasted his life.

”Lorenzo, truly a genius.”

This time, Oscar was genuinely impressed. Certainly, courting rich women is an art, though he lamented it took him so long to understand that.

Selyu looked at Oscar in confusion, only to see him slap his thigh and start talking to himself, pondering something, then suddenly blurting out.

She had heard of some creators’ quirks but seeing Oscar do this made her marvel nonetheless.

You all... are writers like this?

”Oh, nothing, nothing, just suddenly felt that I’d never seen through Lorenzo,” Oscar repeatedly called it strange, ”He really is an expert.”

Selyu didn’t understand what he was complimenting, but her Intuition told her it wasn’t something good.

”Can I understand his... indifference?”

Selyu moved to the side and started flipping through the documents brought by an old steward. As a Duke, she had a lot of affairs to handle every day, though most just needed her signature.

”Think about it, Oscar, if you were a fugitive, what would you do?”

Selyu continued the previous topic in conversation.

”I don’t know, I’m not a fugitive, but if I were writing, perhaps I’d keep struggling to survive, exhausting all means to keep myself alive?” Oscar responded.

”Then, as a fugitive with no security tomorrow, would you choose to fall in love at the twilight of your life?” Selyu asked again.

”Of course, that’d be such romantic revelry before dying!” Oscar had already fallen into fantasizing, ”I think I’d die in the embrace of my woman.”

”Hmm, very poetic, a nice ending for a story, but what about afterward?”

Selyu busily flipping through the documents with her head down, without looking at Oscar.

”Afterward?” Oscar thought for a moment, ”The story is already over, what would come afterward?”

”Exactly, for you, there’s certainly no afterward, after all, you’re already dead,” Selyu whispered, ”But it’s different for the woman.”

”Her lover just died in her arms, covered in blood, while enemies are nowhere to be found, and laughter echoes endlessly.

Under the sunset, the fugitive’s story has ended, and all blood debts were repaid the moment he died, but the woman’s story is just beginning, isn’t it?”

Oscar’s delight faded, he looked at the head-tucked, paper-reviewing Selyu, unsure of what to say. This silence lingered for a while, then Selyu asked.

”Do you think the woman’s story will be a happy one?”

Oscar thought about it, shook his head, uncertain if Selyu saw his response, only hearing Selyu speak.

”Then, Oscar, given an opportunity to change, a chance to alter everything, would you still choose to fall in love?”

That slightly poetic and romantic death was turned harsh under Selyu’s words. Suddenly, Oscar felt that being a fugitive was deeply irresponsible, like a damn selfish jerk.