Arc 1: Kumoshima Part 15
2148 Words
CHAPTER 15
"Who are you? Where is my friend? Why are you inside Keisuke?!"
Shier's kind expression and usual politeness were both gone. Small beads of sweat trickled down Nephrite's temple. He didn't dare move at all.
This plot progress startled him so much.
How is it possible? And what's with his question? How did Shier know that someone else is inside Keisuke? Everything doesn't make sense at all!
Nephrite's head was already spinning in panic.
Suddenly, a memory from one of his online classes resurfaced in his brain.
If you are confused about a topic, always remember to focus on the main question.
Focus on the main question...
Nephrite slowly took a deep breath, not breaking his gaze from the other man, "I'm here to fulfill a wish."
A long silence passed. Nephrite's heart was thundering inside his chest, he wondered if Shier could hear it.
To his surprise, Shier put the sword back on the scabbard. He retreated but his gaze was still as frost as ice. He sat across from him, reached for the tea, and poured for himself.
Shier drank the tea to calm himself before he spoke, "You're not allowed to say anything, are you?"
Nephrite shook his head, "How did you know," he asked cautiously. Even if Nephrite racked his brain a thousand times, it is impossible for him to guess how Shier caught him.
More than that, he didn't expect he would just back down like that. Why would he give me a chance when he already knew I'm a hoax?" he wondered.
"You are too careless. Didn't even pay proper attention to details. Just like how I caught you now."
"You knew all along?"
"Since we rescued you from the cave. Think about what happened that day. Pay attention to every small detail."
Nephrite did as he was told despite all the questions in his head. Beggars can't be choosy, after all. But what did he miss?
Nephrite tried to think of every possible detail. From the cave's prison, Chunan chained up, wooden jail bars, Lord Fei and his guard, the soldiers and their appearance, enemies bounded after capture, the mass-produced armors and weapons, forging tools, chains hanging, explosives, Yukiya and his complaints... Wait?!
Nephrite's mind screeched to halt. Shock visible in his eyes, he looked at Shier who was still drinking tea quietly. "Master Yukiya said the emperor could vomit blood because of the chains. Are chains... That rare?!"
Nephrite could only think of it. Chunan was chained, and the blacksmiths produced hundreds of it. When their side captured them, they could only bind them with rope.
Shier smirked at him, giving Nephrite goosebumps,"If you're not dumb, how won't I notice? I bet you're a new hunter, aren't you?"
Nephrite paled. Endless 'how' was swirling in his brain. No one ever told him it was possible to meet someone who knew about hunters in a locked world.
Nephrite remembered the amnesiac Xei. If he hadn't forgotten his identity, Nephrite could ask Xei. But he did. He can't help but curse the other inwardly.
In the end, he was still able to push the word out of his mouth, "Are you a hunter, too?"
Shier glared at him, "Did you really think I will answer you? I don't even know what your intentions are. I don't trust you."
Nephrite could bet he saw amusement in the other's eyes. Is Shier making fun of me?
An idea flashed in Nephrite's mind. However, he stopped himself before he voiced it out.
I should not mention Xei. What if Kazuyuki is the real Xei and not Shier? I might endanger him, Nephrite thought.
"Despite that," Shier suddenly spoke, catching Nephrite's attention. "I'm willing to tell you something. After you listen, figure out what things are safe to tell me. If you can't make a decent explanation after, I'll kill you."
The unusual cruelty in the other's eyes made Nephrite shiver. With no other choice left, he nodded.
_________
Katsuhiro put down the last scroll from all the piles Kazuyuki showed him, his face looked solemn as if he gained some newfound knowledge. However, his head throb due to reading for over half a day.
"These scrolls lack one information I need. Was there perhaps an increased rampant of bandits or other groups disrupting the supply of Silver Rain and surrounding towns? Like blockage of trade-routes, constant preying of merchants and other similar movements?"
"Indeed," Kazuyuki confirmed, remembering how he met Keisuke during his investigation, "People who do business with us, especially traders and merchants from Rose Valley. I didn't include the reportㅡ"
Before he could finish, Katsuhiro wrote something on the scroll, then showed him. It says:
Hiro: 'Don't read aloud.' Are all people here directly from your father? Write your answer here'
Kazuyuki got the gist right away. He went over to the table and started scribbling while Katsuhiro continued talking nonsense to distract whoever was spying.
Yes, Hiro thought there was a spy so he suddenly demanded precaution.
(A/N: After this, the real conversation between Hiro and Kazuyuki were written in script dialogue, while the normal dialogues were said aloud and are all fake.)
As he wrote on the scroll, Hiro said in a very ambiguous tone, "It's alright, I can look into it next time if I ever need it."
Kazuyuki: 'Yes, they are.'
Kazuyuki passed the scroll, "I understand, so what do you think about the case?"
Hiro: 'Are you sure? No one from your uncle? Lean closer, someone's peaking on the entrance'
Hiro gestured for him to sit down on the chair, "Why are you standing there? When did my Yuki become my subordinate? Or do you want to kiss me?"
Kazuyuki: 'There are few who worked under my uncle years ago'
Kazuyuki's tone didn't change but he started speaking slowly, "Put something on your stomach first, I'll make some tea and prepare food for you."
Hiro: 'Then it's confirmed. I'll write my analysis while you are out, make enough time. Put up your acting skills when you came back'
Hiro grabbed his arm then ran his index finger over it in repeated up and down motion, "Can't I just have you first?"
His tone was very provocative, if Hiro was really flirting, the person he was attacking would have been seduced already.
Kazuyuki held Hiro's hand and brought it on the other's cheeks, "I'll make it fast."
(A/N: end of the script dialogue)
As Kazuyuki went out, he summoned the three people guarding the tent, "Anyone of you left your post?
He observed all three's faces. All of them were his father's men. He glanced down, one of them had dirtier shoes than the other three. He smiled but his eyes sparked anger.
"You can leave your posts while I make some food for the scholar. Stay away from the tent. He will surely paint while waiting for me. He doesn't like getting disturbed or he will lose his mood."
He intentionally stressed the last word, matching it with a fierce gaze as if saying, 'If my lover lose his mood, I'll kill you all'.
After the three scattered away, he went to the makeshift kitchen with a rarely seen bright smile on his face.
Someone will surely check if Hiro was indeed painting or not but it doesn't matter. Knowing Hiro, he was well prepared for this.
Katsuhiro was dubbed as "casanova who goes both ways" and it was a 'military secret' that Kazuyuki was one of the other's lovers.
What these people didn't know was that Hiro had made his own 'private allies' all those years and these 'lovers' were mostly his 'informants'. However, Kazuyuki has a deeper involvement in this. They had been 'partners' since they were younger.
Once, he told Hiro that his father suggested for Kazuyuki to learn how to make a passive face. As it was very helpful in dealing with military affairs.
Hiro had a very eccentric way of thinking. As people said, 'there is a fine line between genius and madness.' When Hiro heard it, he suddenly said, "How about we help each other? I will act while you maintain a passive face."
Kazuyuki's face still had a calm smile but in his head he was already laughing madly, thinking that they were about to do the 'act' later.
_________
"Do you know the story behind the Silver Rain City?"
Nephrite nodded.
Shier took one of the newly brought pastries, "There was actually a backstory behind it. The first lord of Silver Rain City, Lord Suzaku, was a transmigrator."
Nephrite stared dumbfounded. Shier stared at him intently, as if he wanted to engrave every words.
"He was born in this world with his past memory intact. People regarded him as a genius while growing up but he knew well that he wasn't. To compensate for what he lacks, he learned other things like swordsmanship and literature. He also used some knowledge from his past life like farming, applied strategic gaming to military concepts, and developed tools for easier living."
"However, unusual things always draw unnecessary attention."
"Though the Territory War thirty years ago was marked as it is, the truth was that the attacker, Lord Reijin, was actually a soul hunter."
"Lord Suzaku only learned about it after they won the battle and raided the enemy's camp."
"They found many unusual things inside Lord Reijin's manor. But what surprised them the most were his diaries."
"Though some of the earlier inputs were written in scrolls, the most recent ones were written in books, or in other world's term, notebooks. Aside from that, the words were written in an unknown language from this world."
"Everyone panicked, saying it was the work of the devil. Everyone aside from Lord Suzaku."
"He brought all the notebooks to his manor in the pretense of 'investigating the ancient scripts', and locked himself inside the room."
"He never let anyone in, only asked the servants to leave the food outside his room."
"Unbeknownst to everyone, the contents of the diaries were all of Lord Reijin's previous cruel acts and future plans. It also includes some information about the illegal soul hunters and how the legal soul hunters were annoying."
"Lord Reijin aimed to ruin this world but he didn't expect someone like Lord Suzaku to interfere with his plans."
"Lord Suzaku transcribed every crucial information about soul hunters that was mentioned in the diaries."
"After three days of seclusion, he went out and ordered all the diaries to be burned."
"People were actually worried that the first Lord was already controlled by the demon. Everyone was restless when he went out."
"However, to their surprise, Lord Suzaku passed the governance of the newly founded Silver Rain City to his most trusted subordinates and decided to live a humble life as a farmer and a merchant."
"But what people didn't know was he started educating the direct and trusted members of his family, to be ready in case another hunter came to ruin this world."
"Lord Suzaku wasn't binded by any rules and laws unlike most hunters. He was able to share this knowledge with his family."
When Shier paused, Nephrite asked, "Are you a descendant of Lord Suzaku?"
Shier nodded, "I am his grandson."
Nephrite didn't doubt his words. Just this tea house was enough proof of their out-of-this-world's knowledge. From the counter in the front door, to the receiving area and the overall layout. Everything shouldn't be here at all. And yet, it's all here. How did I missed it? Nephrite thought.
"Now that I said all this, it is about time you tell me the things that are safe to say. A knowledge that already exists here isn't a violation of your law, is it? If you were still unsure, I'll let you read my grandfather's notes."
Shier stood up and walked towards a square shaped tatami mat near the large flower vase. He lifted it, revealing a hidden compartment.
"I asked them in advance to bring those here," he defended when he saw Nephrite's dissatisfied face upon seeing the hiding place.
"Why are you willing to give me this chance?" Nephrite asked. He still couldn't figure out why Shier told him all this. He was already caught red-handed, right?
Shier's look turned melancholic, "Back in the cave, you said those words and vowed with us. Though I had doubts already at that time, I can't bring myself to believe that all those words were just lies… Those words aren't lies, are they?"
Nephrite answered full of conviction, "It was never a lie. Whether it is me or Keisuke, it was never a lie."
Just as they both thought, no system alarm warned Nephrite, which means those words he said were already information from this world.
At last, Shier gave a sincere smile since their confrontation earlier.
"Then, I'm glad."
- Writer
