Chapter 128
Joshua also let out a light laugh as he spoke.
“Use us as much as you like. We’re always ready.”
“Don’t regret those words.”
Ashmia then turned her gaze to Leon.
Including Bianca Mercedes Leon and the members of the White Fishes, five people had been sentenced to life imprisonment lasting hundreds of years.
In other words, they were to be confined in the Hexahedron until the day they died.
“So, I’d like to make you an offer.”
As if she had already expected this outcome, Ashmia held out a document bearing the emperor’s official seal.
“…An auxiliary unit?”
“Yeah. The formal name is ‘Special Detachment Directly Under the Imperial Guard Commander,’ but it’s way too long, so let’s just call it the Special Detachment. If you think of a better name later, feel free to use it.”
“What is this supposed to—?!”
Seeing Leon’s flustered reaction, Ashmia blinked innocently.
“Can’t you tell just by looking? You’ll be working with Joshua. From now on, the Imperial Guard will be deployed more often. There’ll be plenty of dangerous opponents. Joshua’s skills are outstanding, sure, but don’t you think the Imperial Guard should have at least one unit of ability users?”
“Then….”
“And if you guys fill that role, the final missing piece will be perfectly completed. Oh, and of course, the pay is at least minimum hourly wage. But room and board are provided, so it’s not a bad deal. And—”
Ashmia grinned as she tapped the last line of the document with her finger.
“This is what matters most to you, right? For every bad guy you help catch, we’ll reduce your sentence.”
“What?!”
“You’ll still have to catch quite a lot if you want full freedom, but don’t worry. There are still plenty of rotten bastards crawling around—enough to earn your release.”
“……”
Watching Leon stare blankly, Ashmia tilted her head.
“Don’t like it? Sorry, but I can’t really negotiate the finer details.”
“N-no! That’s not it!”
“If you don’t want to work with Joshua, I can consider assigning you to a different unit—”
“No!! I mean—no, that’s not it! I-I mean, it’s good! Good as in ‘okay’! Not that kind of good! D-don’t get the wrong idea!!”
“What wrong idea?”
When Ashmia furrowed her brows in confusion, Leon turned his flushed face away and cleared his throat.
“…It’s nothing. So, uh, where do I sign?”
Leon hurriedly changed the subject.
“Here. Are you sure you don’t want more time to think about it?”
“Think? About what?”
It was a hundred—no, a thousand times better than growing old and dying in the Hexahedron. And besides, working with Joshua would be—
‘What am I thinking?! Am I insane?!’
As if to shake off his wandering thoughts, Leon scribbled his signature across the document.
“Good. Then the contract is official. Be prepared—I’m going to work you hard.”
“Don’t say that and then make things easy on us. I want to be free as soon as possible.”
Half speaking against his true feelings, Leon turned his head away haughtily.
* * *
“Please! Somebody help me!!”
A woman ran desperately through the alley.
“Oh my! I’ll save you!”
“Eek!”
The moment a filthy hand from a man who appeared ahead grabbed her, two other men chasing from behind approached with leering smiles.
“She’s pretty enough. We can have some fun first, then sell her.”
“Hey, don’t say it like that.”
“P-please… please save me…….”
“Oh, sweetheart. Of course we’ll save you. You’ll fetch a nice price, after all. But before that, we should have a little taste—huh?!”
Thud—!
Crash—!
“…?!”
The man speaking had his head crushed between a foot that kicked his face and the wall.
“Y-you! Who the hell are you?!”
“You crazy bastard! There’s such a thing as rules even in this business! We caught her first!”
Startled by the sudden appearance of the hulking man, the others drew guns and knives.
The giant spoke in a low, incredulous voice.
“Rules… in the back alleys? That’s the best joke I’ve heard all year. Thanks for the laugh.”
Despite his words, the eyes of the giant were honed with killing intent.
“Hey, what are you waiting for?! Just shoot him!”
“Damn it!”
Gunshots would surely draw the police and everyone else, but there was no choice.
Click—
Just as the man was about to pull the trigger—
Crunch—!
In the blink of an eye, the giant’s hand reached him and crushed his hand together with the pistol grip.
Crack—!
“Gyaaah?!”
Thud—!
As one man went flying from the giant’s massive punch, the remaining man swung his knife.
Whoosh—!
Dodging the fairly sharp blade, the giant spoke.
“For trash, you’re not bad.”
“Shut up!”
Evading the thrust, the giant swung his elbow, shattering the man’s facial bones and neck at the same time.
Smash—!
Thump—
After subduing all three in an instant, the giant approached the woman, who had collapsed to the ground trembling.
“Are you all right?”
“Ah… th-thank you.”
“Can you walk on your own?”
After he helped her up, the woman glanced back at him several times before disappearing down the alley.
The giant—Ethan Freeman—searched the fallen men and collected bundles of cash.
“Hm.”
Then he frowned as he looked at the wound on his arm.
‘…Still inexperienced.’
Bandaging the wound, Ethan stood up.
After his duel with Claudia at Randolph Riding Grounds, Ethan Freeman had lost his abilities.
‘This isn’t… an inhibitor. Don’t tell me—?!’
Ethan realized what the drug Claudia had injected into him was, but it was already too late.
His regeneration, already excessive, went berserk due to the regeneration enhancer, repeatedly destroying and restoring his intact body until his mana was completely depleted.
In that agony, Ethan could have crossed the threshold of death.
If only Claudia had injected the remaining dose as well.
All it would have taken was a little more pressure from her thumb. But she didn’t.
When Ethan woke up, barely able to move from pain and exhaustion, he looked alternately at the syringe he had pulled from his back and at Claudia.
“……”
Even now, when we meet as enemies, you still try to teach me, Instructor Ranieri.
After injecting the remaining regeneration enhancer into Claudia, Ethan left—and did not return to Leon.
To save the Empire through “destruction followed by rebirth.”
But was that future—so vague it was unclear whether it meant ruin or salvation—really worth killing and being killed by a former comrade who once cherished every life as if it were his own?
And if that future were realized, what kind of dreams would people even be able to have there?
‘And I… what do I want from such a future?’
Drunk for the first time in a long while, Ethan gazed out from the window of a shabby motel at the falling snow and the people passing through the streets.
As Claudia had said, this world did not suit Ethan Freeman.
Ethan entered a bar.
When the massive man walked in, the noise inside briefly died down before returning to its usual clamor.
As everyone argued heatedly over the shocking recent news, Ethan strode straight toward one man.
“Are you Tom?”
Tom nearly spat out his drink.
“Y-you are?!”
Recognizing his face, Tom was handed a bundle of cash by Ethan.
“I hear you’re an information broker.”
“…Yes. Uh, what kind of information are you looking for?”
“Everything about the current state of the Kalashniel Family.”
Assuming a former member of the Leon Family seeking revenge, Tom frowned.
“I’m sorry, but that’s a bit—”
“What, is the amount not enough?”
“No, it’s not that. It’s just… if you listen to what people here are talking about, you’ll already know most of it.”
Ethan dropped into the seat beside him.
“Then let me change the question. I want to know about Claudia Ranieri. Not for the reason you’re thinking. As I said, I just want to know how she’s doing.”
“…?”
Even after becoming a renowned information broker through many twists and turns, this was a first for Tom.
If Ethan Freeman wasn’t lying, he was the first client to buy information simply because he wanted to hear it.
After checking that no one nearby was listening, Tom spoke.
“She is—”
Ethan’s eyes widened slightly as he listened.
“But it’s just a rumor.”
“…No. That rumor is probably true. Thank you.”
As Ethan stood up, Tom asked reflexively,
“W-where are you going?”
It might have been professional habit, but Ethan could sense the genuine, meddlesome concern in Tom’s voice.
“…I’m leaving.”
Answering just as sincerely, Ethan exited the bar.
Ethan Freeman stood at the train station before dawn.
Tooooo—!
As the locomotive sounded its whistle, people began boarding the train. Ethan, however, remained standing still, a military backpack that looked small against his frame slung over his shoulder.
Was he hesitating now that it was time to leave?
“……”
Before that hesitation could deepen, Ethan seemed to steel his resolve and took a step at the sound of the whistle.
No—he was about to.
“Running away?”
If not for the voice behind him.
“…As expected, you’re impressive. How did you find me?”
“Using information brokers isn’t a privilege exclusive to you.”
With a bitter smile, Ethan turned to face Claudia.
“Where are you going?”
“To the north.”
“And what do you plan to do by returning to that hell?”
Claudia’s gaze briefly fell on the wound on Ethan’s arm.
“…Until I find a place to die, I’ll try to save as many people as I can.”
Claudia took something out from her coat.
“There are more than enough lives that need saving here too, Ethan Freeman.”
Without a word, Ethan accepted the document she handed him.
“I need a strong warrior who fears death. But the choice is yours.”
After saying that, Claudia turned and walked away.
