Chapter 7
A Brother and Sister's Courage
1
The intercom rings. Even though it rang as it usually resounded, this caught their attention.
It was Ponek Guachol,
"Defense Code 1,"
He said to the air, then presses the button.
"What is it?"
There was neither a response nor sound in the background.
"What's going on?"
Just as he muttered, he picked up a memory of a similar happened that occurred a long time ago.
"No way..."
The next moment, the door and surrounding walls were broken down inside.
Pushing aside the dust cloud was a giant figure with a lance in hand who came through.
The barrier which was set up inside the room came through as though it were like air,
"Lord G-Greylancer!"
"It's been a while, Ponek. The Dirty City seems to be thriving, yet your subordinates aren't disciplined well enough."
"They...those pests...did you...do something?"
Ponek Guachol was the son of a human and an amphibian weighing over 500 kilograms. His 104 year-old body was fitted into a computer-controlled gravity chair, and was only able to live underwater. All of their internal organs including the heart are unable to endure the weight of his fat and flesh.
He had spent an amount that could afford a small city and called in experts from the Capital to build this room out of fear of being assassinated.
The room was made of steel and concrete and was 60 stories above ground level, with a triple-gravity barrier and weapon comparable to a senior Noble's guardsman. Yet there was no doubt that with his own eyes, they become like that of the air...
"I see...so you, too, also have a gravity barrier..."
At the very least, he would not die without any lingering regrets.
"I've come here to ask you some questions."
Spoke the intruder.
"...What is it...?"
"The [Lancer] Elektra and the [Gunner] Hansen...where are they?"
"..."
"Food, drugs, alcohol, arms manufacturing, counterfeit minting of gold coins--you are the very embodiment of dirt that is involved in all kinds of dirty work in this filthy city. Silence will not work for you."
"...I...I know...those two...right now...they're at Cochcrane's...'clinic'..."
Greylancer had no doubts. He knew that the tougher men were, they would know of true fear.
Ponek Guachol was killed yesterday and was now nothing more than a "dead man walking" implanted with the memory of survival. He realized then that the room was redecorated the day before.
Ponek himself had also intended on turning the switch, thus there wasn't anything unusual with his facial expressions or movements.
Then, everything exploded.
Both Greylancer and Ponek have scattered, and only Greylancer was the one to be reborn in the flames. It appeared that the enemy had also anticipated the time to regenerate as all of the floors from the 60th to 10th were torn off, leaving Greylancer's movements to be obstructed.
The flowing, black waters ran from east to west through the Central Zone.
The black waters led to the deaths of the vampires, the Nobility. A Noble's heart, which can survive even in the vacuum of space, would cease after half an hour underwater and would be unable to revive after an hour. This was not just a physical cause, but a "legend". That was simply the way it is.
Even Greylancer was no exception. The moment his body was submerged in water, he became as heavy as lead, his heart and lungs ceased. This wasn't a strange scenario for him, but the difference in being whether or not he will awake after this.
--I will rise again. The pests who have set up such ridiculous traps will be made to suffer the same fate
With his mind burned by the curse, Greylancer's consciousness vanished under the roaring black waters.
He thought there was a white flower.
He laughed at the flower shining.
"Good. You're alright."
The Great Noble finally noticed that the girl's face looked familiar as she let out a sigh of relief.
"Seems like this was fated."
The girl, Jennifer, also thought the same.
"You came floating by when I went out to get water. Though I may look like this, I am a good swimmer."
"Mmm...where is this?"
He tried getting up, but his body was as still as a rock.
"Please take it easy. We're 85 kilometers from the camp where you and your subordinates came from. My apologies for having you on the ground. You were too heavy to move."
Greylancer was laying in a bed of grass. The sound of water could be heard nearby.
His lips curled slightly,
"What should I do for you?"
She asked him.
"Nothing. I'll be up soon enough. Thank you. You can go."
"But--"
"The actual thank you is I'll have my subordinates over tomorrow. Where you desire, they will take you there in two minutes."
"We don't need any of that!"
The scream came from Greylancer's feet.
"Ralph!"
But Jennifer's glare did not sooth the boy's anger.
"Sister is my sister. Why are you helping him anyway? His soldiers are the ones who killed father. Because of him, mother hanged herself because she didn't want to travel anymore. It's all his fault, is it not? We should just throw him back into the water."
"That would suffice, also."
Said Greylancer. The sibling's expressions were one of confusion.
"Today, the stars are looking good. Even a child would be able to pierce this one's heart without any problems. But what of your answer? Why did you save me?"
Chiding the brother with a look, he also wanted to know as he looked at him.
"Because I was taught to help those in need. That's what I was taught in school as well as from my father and mother."
"I'm not a Human."
"You were having trouble with water."
A smile had touched Greylancer's lips. It was a childish smile that would shock anyone that knew him.
"Is that so? Girl, would you have helped anyone, regardless if they were a dog, cat, or even a monster?"
"Yes."
"Hmm. What if it was the monster that killed your father?"
"...I don't understand that."
"You would have helped them, sister. You helped him, too. Whether they're Human or Nobility, if they're suffering, you can't just leave them be."
"I would have left my enemy if they were drowning."
Greylancer raised his eyebrows towards the sister who was clearly shaking her head dismissively.
"I heard from one of your subordinates that you saved us right when we were about to be incinerated. Someone like that wouldn't have left anyone whose injured or drowning simply because they were an enemy. If you were willing to lend a hand, it would have been much better than if I had helped them."
Thinking as though he was truly abandoning them, Greylancer the sound of many approaching footsteps.
Soon, it took the form of refugees wielding torches.
Jennifer walked over and stood before them.
"Chan saw it. He's there, isn't he?"
"He is, but what's this about?"
The daughter's voice was quiet. She was matching that of the men.
"Well, we had decided to politely help you out in taking him back to the 'gate'."
One of them made a petting sound. The girl's innocence saw through the vileness.
"He can't move yet. We shouldn't force him. Tomorrow, he'll bring in a flying machine and will be back home in no time."
"Then we use this as a way for him to sell us a favor before that happens," said one of them, as though they were agreeing with them.
"I don't know what kind of Noble they are, but he's the kind that would drown in a river. Regardless if he's thin or withered, he's still a Noble. Make that as a reminder for him. They treat us like bugs, but since you save him, you will have your deeds reported to the lord immediately. For us bugs, that will be an admirable thing. That way, you can get us the best land in the [Central Zone]. Even if it's not much, there will at least some kind of reward. It's a thousand times better than searching for land empty-handed. If everything goes well and we get an airship, we won't have to be searching for any rivers, swamps, or lakes. We can even avoid having our blood drained."
"Hang on--I have something a little better than that."
The Great Noble was listening from behind. Jennifer was getting unnerved, angry at how disgusting this was. She felt that if the people called her a pest, she wouldn't have it in her to argue back.
Then,
"That's fine. Then I'm sure you wouldn't want to keep all of the rewards to yourself, would you?"
Someone spoke in a low voice.
The atmosphere had shifted.
Violence and murder was about to occur in this place.
"What? I'm merely telling the injured to rest. I would never think of anything so low."
"Then move aside."
A man stepped forward and pushed aside Jennifer.
A thousand sparks flew below his feet.
"Hey!"
Jumping back, the man looked at the boy who was fixing an arrow at him.
"Just because he's of the Nobility doesn't mean I won't let you take someone who's fallen."
"Don't try and act so tough, you brats! Just know we ain't going to speak to you ever again if we turn our backs to you. How you plan on surviving such a harsh land if you get kicked out of the camp?"
The man thought of trying his hand with something like this. The smallest unit of living in the [Frontiers] was a community. To be expelled from there means becoming homeless or dying in the wild. The man knew from experience that even the most stubborn of dissidents would break down in tears. On top of that, the other party was just a sixteen-year-old girl and her younger brother. However, the girl spoke--
"Yes. I'd be happy to depart. I thank you for looking after us for a while."
As expected, everyone's eyes shot open in shock.
Jennifer looked to Ralph, who was still wielding his bow.
"Let's get a two person carriage. We'll need to get him up somehow."
"But we're not going to make it."
"Well, would you look at that?"
The man chuckled.
"Don't worry. You can leave the rest to us. We can take care of this, and we won't hurt you either."
"You're annoying, buzz off!"
Ralph shouted.
"Brat, you don't know anything, do you?"
The man's voice deepened.
"All right, better make him quiet down."
Said someone.
Then, there was a voice--
"Aaa."
A yawning sound likened to an underground demon continued.
And now, within the depths of darkness, a giant that was even darker in color rose.
2
That moment, the men realized the magnitude of the mistake they just committed. A mistake that would lead directly to their death.
None were left to speak. Only the sounds of their heartbeats were heard.
"I will give one flying machine, but only to these two."
A voice came from atop the brother and sister.
A pair of flames were burning brightly above it. They were eyes.
The people have found out.
They would have their whole lives reflected in those eyes.
Until the world's end, humanity will never be able to defeat the Nobility. Then, the voice spoke--
"I will repay you for your concern for me. Tell me what you desire. But you have no need to tell my subordinates, for there is I, Greylancer."
The men fell. One by one, they fell.
"Whoever is the leader here? You may go."
They all felt the vibration coming from the part that sunk into the ground.
It was a giant step.
It turned into a bolt of lightning which struck their whole bodies, rejuvenizing them with the strength to flee.
The men fled under the stars without so much as a single scream.
After their footsteps vanished,
"Thank you for looking after me."
Said Greylancer.
"Ah, but I didn't do anything like that."
"You were trying to protect me. Seems as though I owe Humans nowadays."
A steel gaze turned and glaces at the unfaithful boy.
"You have a nice bow. Would you like to be a soldier under me?"
"Wait, hold up--"
"It was not a joke."
This caused the two to involuntarily hold each other,
"Your courage. It saved my life. Someday, it might even save your own lives."
Together with the long lance in his hand that had came from the river, Greylancer started walking.
"--You were going in the same direction as the river. What were you looking for here, exactly?"
"For someone."
Said Ralph in a hollow voice.
"Yes. Maybe for a Noble."
Said Jennifer, who looked away.
"And here we are. Let's get out of here, Ralph."
Half an hour later, an autodyne flew toward Jennifer and Ralph after being contacted by Greylancer, but they were already out of sight.
"That brother and sister...those brats are more likely to appear unexpectedly than your Lordship."
The pilot with a wry smile was Ken Kurama.
The man had asked for their whereabouts.
"Do not disobey me every single time. That said, I'm glad they're gone."
As soon as he let that out, a right hook that shattered his jaw was the most gratifying punch he's had in a long time, which he was extremely satisfied with.
An hour later, Greylancer was in the slums of the Dirty City.
He entered through a back alley where all of the streetlights were destroyed from the main street, during which he had been attacked six times and had massacred a total of 28 humans and monsters while walking for about 50 meters.
He faltered upon coming across a sign reading "Cochcrane's Clinic" scribbled on a slanted board. The arrow which had pierced his heart was still having an effect.
He looked around and saw several shadows staring at him from garbage bags and in between the buildings.
A particle beam emitted from the long lance's tip destroyed the shadows of the garbage bags, but the ones from the buildings were a miss. They had seen him at his weakest point, and something dark had flashed through his chest.
The building where the clinic was located in had iron fences and curtains around the windows so not a single ray of light can get through.
He pierced the wooden door with the tip of his long lance, where a dull response came back to it. In its place was a gravity barrier.
With the gravity field generator installed in his lance, he neutralized it. With a second attack, Greylancer enters the enemy's hideout.
There was a waiting room with four people sitting on a sofa.
"Is the Director here?"
He asked.
He wasn't expecting a reply, but one of them spoke--
"They're in the back room."
They instructed.
"My thanks to you."
He opens the door at the end, where there was an open wide space.
Even more, the left side of the ceiling was destroyed where the stars are visible.
In the back of the room was a dark space. A voice drifts from there--
"Though I know not of the other Fronters, I have heard the Lord of the North is not one who does anything unreasonably."
"You know of me?"
"There is not one in this world who hasn't heard of Greylancer."
"Then you know of what business I have for being here?"
"Ah, it's to place a grudge behind you. As expected."
The voice spoke with ridicule.
"Those two are currently undergoing strengthening surgery in order to defeat the man called Greylancer."
"Where are you?"
"I can't tell you."
"Are you one of the rebels? Or one of the OSB?"
"Both of those names are new to me."
The voice laughs out loud.
"Here, it is a world where it has nothing to do with the outside world. This place is one where life is saved and given new strength."
"Then let's find that out."
"It seems he is as they say he is. Tomorrow's patient has been decided. I will be at your service."
The center of the voice glowed blue. It was the act of a particle beam fired from the long lance.
Darkness arose from around Greylancer. They had disappeared with just a single swipe of his long lance,
"I've inspected your body. To be honest, I'm quite amazed. Is it true? An arrow had struck your heart? I'd like to ask you as well of this: Why have you not turned to dust?"
"I don't know."
"Was it due to fate?"
"I don't know."
The long lance points upwards.
"As I said earlier, the stars can be clearly seen tonight."
The wall on his right had disappeared.
The neon lights and the bustling of a hundred thousand came rushing in.
"This unbearable light and sound--truly, a city befitting the name of Dirty City. Perhaps this building is one of them?"
"Regardless of what you say, a doctor cannot give up on his patients. I have thought of ways of doing this, but there is a method that the patients themselves have proposed."
"And what's that?"
"Like this."
It was several seconds after the voice had spoken. Gerylancer wasn't merely waiting around.
He strained all of his nerves and awaited his enemy. His eyes were closed. This was supposed to make it possible to detect something approaching at a distance farther than the eyes can see, able to intercept it with his long lance. However, the enemy flew beyond his super senses.
A single iron arrow shot his neck clean through from left to right.
However, a sign of surprise came from the darkness.
"You missed."
The arrow fired from the ghost bow was supposed to have shot Greylancer's heart again.
The injury to his neck wasn't fatal. However, Greylancer's legs were thrown into confusion as he propped himself up to one knee.
"As expected, it'd be difficult to say you have a normal body."
The voice said with interest.
"So how about it? Why not spend ten days here for treatment? We can do something about that."
"..."
"That arrow wound will be gradually eat away at your body and life. Even as a Noble, death will always find an opportunity to possess you so long as you have life. The only way for you to survive is to pull out that arrow. However, the result will either be your destruction, or--"
Greylancer's breathing was going heavy.
It stopped.
"Or..."
And his lips stopped moving. Without question, he grabbed hold of the arrow--
--Pulling it out in one go, and throws it at the voice.
There was not a response out of concern.
Only black shadows arose from the depths of darkness.
"I am the doctor and caregiver of this clinic. We will be having a new patient in the clinic room."
The long lance roared, but it merely passed through the shadows without resistance.
The shadows came rushing in. One by one, they stuck themselves onto Greylancer and were sucked into the gaps of the body.
"Treatment starts from within."
The giant body trembles. Greylancer's whole body was enveloped in a red mist. It was blood gushing out from the pores called pores. With his hair standing on its end, he placed a fist over his mouth to stiffle a pained cry.
His fangs hit his fist. His fingers were flown apart.
"This is--"
The darkness's voice was filled with unparalleled amazement.
"No matter how much of a Noble you are, to not even make a sound after receiving this clinic's treatment...you have to let it out. You'll go mad if you don't."
--Guooo
Greylancer held it in. It was a truly maddening roar. Before the screams could be finished, the long lance was spurned around.
The walls have collapsed, the ceiling had vanished. Dozens of pedestrians and monsters were crushed to death by the masses of concrete.
"Ah, one more thing--"
The voice spoke happily.
"I'm not sure as to why you removed it, but I would cease. That madness will be the last thing you'll leave in the world, Lord Greylancer."
The next moment, that laughter become a sharp nausea.
So too was a singular arrow that narrowly grazed the right of Greylancer's temple and was sucked into the depths of darkness, where a bitter cry filled the air.
"Is this...a different Ghost Archer...than the man I met...there's no such person...when did he...my face...he saw it?"
The voice broke, and after a moment, Greylancer's body relaxed. As soon as the owner of the voice died or fainted out, the treatment had ended.
Greylancer looked back.
The door was still safe.
He realized that another Ghost Archer had slain the enemy from afar.
"Who?"
A tremendous pain struck his heart, and he lost consciousness.
3
When he came to, he was in the City Office Building.
His aide, Yunus, said he was in a coma for two days.
Just before dawn that day, a City Office patrol unit found him walking aimlessly towards the "gate" and took him into custody.
He was about 50 kilometers away from Cochrane's Clinic. That was not a distance that anyone could walk in a daze. Someone had brought him in the patrol units operation. It was likely not the mysterious Ghost Archer.
At that time, the City Office Building's radar had briefly picked up what was seemingly a flying object but it disappeared before they could determine its flight direction or where it came from.
"When I was enveloped in an OSB's dimensional barrier and Shizam was but a hair's breadth away, someone from the heavens saved me. Have they appeared again?"
"Seems you have a guardian angel."
Greylancer looked at his aide, who was smilingly mischievously,
"The work in the Central Zone must cease."
"Tomorrow is the Grand Evening Party. You'll have to attend it, no matter what. Please reconsider."
"Very well."
Yunus was curious about his master's next silence.
"But this night's party...it just feels like I'm dancing a waltz through dark clouds and bloodlust."
Greylancer muttered as he fixed his gaze to the void.
A white face appeared in his mind, then disappeared.
He thought it was Tae, but even he wasn't so sure of it.
The night was the human equivalent of the day for Nobles. Even then, it was said that the balls held by these "evening parties" were called such not because of being influenced by human customs, but rather because they like the name.
The name "night" was necessary for the wine glasses, dances, and steps coming to life as the moonlight shakes the curtains and the wind carrying the voices of the deceased. It was good to have chats, admire the evening dresses, and enjoy its beauty. However, it was still a waltz.
Dance and dance. They are fooling with time until the end.
The Nobility gathered as planned in the large hall of the "Best Hall".
The dark green bottles in the silver wine cooler emitted bubbles of carbonic acid, and the food on the silver marble vainly above the table touched by no one, a phenomenon unique to the Nobility at the evening party. The orchestra spoke at the end of the hall, their glittering instruments blending in with the surroundings, and the conductor tossing their silver hair as they stared aimlessly at the hundreds of chandeliers and ceiling paintings.
Beyond the long window, the gentle night recited history with the stars and moon adorning it. It offered a new image for the troubadour, who had already finished his work.
"What a wonderful gathering of members here."
Besides Greylancer, there was Archduke Bartholemew's wife Dulcinea holding a gorgeous fan to her mouth, whispering as if she was doing it to her lover. Fans were an item invented in ancient times at an island said to have existed in the far end of the east.
"The Lords of the East, West, South, North, even members of the Privy Party. Of course, Chairman Aurelius is here but I wasn't expecting Elder Jargen as well. Both are strongly opposed to the centralization of administrative authority in the Frontiers to the Capital...they are powerful allies of yours, yes?"
Then, she jabed her elbow at the Great Noble standing reluctantly at her side.
"Stay alert. There are two others besides those of the West who have a grudge against you."
"I understand."
Greylancer replied.
"And what about that bastard, Dylaum?"
"Mind your tongue...we'll be at the bar."
"Ah, really? My husband is still recovering, and it's been quite a while since I've left the house. You'll be my escort."
"I'm afraid I can't accept that."
"Baldie."
"Don't be saying such stubborn things."
He was poked again,
"Do you suppose Gleick would even let his beloved go without them to the Grand Evening Party? That one over there whose wooing Countess Beesy is Duke Roland, the most handsome man in the Capital. He's a great guy to look at, but he's nothing to you. Let me tell you something: he's a baldie."
"..."
"No matter how handsome, rich, or charming he is, he's still a baldie."
"But if a woman were to be approached by him, they'd always be ready to give up their body all at once. They say that if you dance the tango, their hips will melt."
Though he responded appropriately, he was getting tired of it.
Whether he noticed or not, Madame Dulcinea pointed in another direction.
"That man whose drinking wine with an unpleasant face is old man Moriarty. He's very smart, but his personality isn't a good one."
"--However, he did act like a shy little father when his daughter passed by just now."
"That's why I said it's not a good one."
Greylancer picked up a wine glass.
"By the way, what's been going on with the poisonous blood thing?"
He moves the glass away from his mouth.
"There's been an enzyme that breaks down toxins already developed at the Nobility hospital in the Capital. It'll be distributed throughout the Frontier Districts in two days."
"Ah, that's fortunate. Then there will be a happy ending?"
"The person who planned for this has not yet been identified."
"Oh, so they're not OSB?"
"Then it will be of no concern. However, some of the elders have joined with the OSB in the last stages of the plan to take over the Privy Council. Not much more I can say as of this time."
"I hate the eccentrics."
A tall figure stood beside Madame Dulcenia as she spoke.
"Ah, Duke Roland."
"Good fortunes to Archduchess Dulcenia. It's been a long time. Let's have a chat over there."
"With pleasure."
After quietly seeing off Lady Dulcinea who walked away, hand in hand without looking at him, Greylancer headed towards the front desk.
The manager separated from the boys who were smiling and greeting the guests to come by Greylancer's side. They came behind a shaded pillar,
"How it's coming along?"
Greylancer asked.
"For the moment,"
The manager who replied, Saladin, was a competent man who was an agent of the Ministry of Information.
"The front desk is currently staffed with agents of the Ministry of Information as you instructed. It's difficult without telepaths, but we've done a thorough investigation."
"The OSB's mimicry is even more perfect than that."
In response,
"Show me the checking data of past visitors."
Saladin wondered if it was a good thing as he spoke in the same tone as that of a normal person.
"Understood. Come this way."
Saladin went to the nearby stairs and knocked on the door just in front of him.'
Inside where three agents he addressed,
"Lord Greylancer would like to check in."
He then told them to take his time and departs.
Sitting before the data inquiry interface, Greylancer began to check on images of figures on the screen.
The images of the visitors and their data from checking in were read.
"Done."
When he stood up, the three agents were astounded at his speed.
"I'll let you resume for a while."
Greylancer continued to gaze at the visitors, his steel gaze kept on them.
There wasn't any guarantee that the OSB will be at the Grand Evening Party. No incidents related to the OSB have occurred since the incident with the Tutroje Cemetary. It was only one, Greylancer, whose intuition thought that the Grand Evening Party would be dangerous. However, that intuition's accuracy was clear from the fact that the Ministry of Information spared no effort in providing their full cooperation.
The front desk, which was visited by glittering Nobles one after another, began to be sparse in numbers.
--Won't you come?
Greylancer thought.
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