Chapter 192: The Scriptwriter's Gambit
The small, nondescript airship sliced silently through the upper atmosphere, leaving the corrupted, war-torn city of Fuyuki far below.
On the way back to the Stellaron Hunters' orbiting starship, Firefly's mood was inexplicably complex.
She sat across from you, her knees drawn up to her chest, her chin resting on them as she stared out the viewport. She kept stealing secret, fleeting glances at your profile.
You were just staring blankly at the starry sky, your face an impassive mask.
Good thing… Saber is gone, Firefly thought, a small, guilty flicker of relief in her heart. And that bossy, twin-tailed girl, Rin, she didn't try to keep him...
She immediately frowned at her own train of thought, her cheeks warming. Wait, why should I care?
He was just a new partner. A weird, amnesiac partner who was infuriatingly, and surprisingly, good at fighting. Why did the thought of Rin or Saber being close to him make her stomach twist in such an unpleasant way?
Clearly, before this mission, their relationship was... well, it was bad. She was the drill sergeant, he was the "Peeping Tom" she had to beat into shape.
But why, after this mission, after seeing him fight... after he'd... protected her... did she feel so at ease with him by his side?
And there was also a… strange, fluttering feeling… That feeling was unfamiliar, and it made her heart race in a way that had nothing to do with combat.
You, on the other hand, weren't staring blankly at the stars. You were seeing ghosts.
You saw a blinding white arrow of judgment. You saw the face of your sister, Jiang Li, looking up in terror from a hospital tent. You saw the quiet, kind face of Neergul as her skiff evaporated into a silent flower of fire.
The memories, violently unlocked by the Stellaron's corrupting whispers, were no longer just painful, disjointed fragments. They were a vivid, agonizing reel of fire, blood, and a collapsing starship.
Your entire body thrummed with a cold, silent, bottomless rage that was almost suffocating. The Borisin. The Xianzhou. The Hunt.
Your hands, resting on your knees, clenched into fists so tight your knuckles turned white. You finally had your past. You finally had a purpose.
You turned your head from the window, your expression shifting instantly from cold fury to mild, detached concern. The transition was flawless.
"Firefly?"
Your voice, calm and quiet, suddenly rang out in the small cabin, startling her.
"Ah! Wh-what is it?" She jumped, her thoughts scattering.
"You seem distracted," you said, your voice soft. "Is your Entropic Decay Syndrome still bothering you? Your face looks a little pale."
"I'm fine now… Thank you." Because of your concern, her heart did that strange, stupid flutter again. That unfamiliar feeling intensified, making her blush.
The small airship slowly docked in the gleaming, cavernous hangar of the Stellaron Hunter starship. The hatch hissed open, revealing the familiar, stylish figure of Kafka.
She was already waiting, leaning against a support beam with casual, predatory grace, a half-full glass of deep red wine swirling in her hand.
"Welcome back," she said, her voice smooth as velvet as you both walked down the ramp. "How was the mission?"
"Completed smoothly," you replied, your tone neutral. You handed her the containment device, a silver cylinder now pulsing faintly with the captured, corrupted power of the Fuyuki Stellaron.
"Oh? As expected of the new recruit I favored." Her wine-red eyes lingered on you, a slow, deeply amused smile playing on her lips. "You did very well, Orion. So, as per our agreement… I'll give you a reward."
She extended a single, gloved finger, gently lifting your chin, forcing you to meet her captivating gaze. Her eyes were filled with a dangerous, alluring temptation. "What do you want? Money? Rare equipment? A custom-made weapon?"
She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper, her breath like an orchid, tinged with wine. "Or... do you want... me?"
Firefly, who had been quietly watching, her heart still doing that strange, confusing flutter, felt something inside her snap. A sudden, nameless, and incredibly hot anger surged through her.
"Kafka!" she shouted, her voice sharp and indignant, startling even herself. "Stop teasing the new recruit! He just finished a dangerous mission! He's tired!"
Kafka slowly straightened up, her smile widening as she looked at Firefly with profound interest. "Oh my. What's wrong, Firefly? You sound... upset." Her eyes glinted with mischief. "Are you jealous?"
"Who—who's jealous!" Firefly's face was as red as a freshly picked tomato. "I just... I just think you shouldn't bully a newcomer! That's all!"
"Alright, alright," Kafka smiled and stepped back, turning her gaze to you. "So, newcomer. What do you want for your reward?"
You looked at Kafka's teasing, all-knowing smile. You glanced at the flustered, indignant Firefly. Your own face was a mask of perfect calm. Your mind, however, was a storm of cold, hard calculation.
What I want is revenge. What I want is to go home.
You were silent for a moment, then said something that shattered the lighthearted atmosphere.
"I want to leave the Stellaron Hunters."
Kafka's smile didn't just falter; it vanished. Her wine-red eyes narrowed, the amusement draining away, replaced by a cold, appraising stillness.
Firefly was completely stunned. Her face went pale, her anger and jealousy instantly forgotten. "Wh-what? Leave? Why?!"
She rushed to you, her previous emotions replaced by a raw, desperate panic. She grabbed the front of your uniform.
"Why are you leaving? Is it something I did wrong? Was I too harsh during training?" Her voice was trembling, her eyes wide and suddenly bright with unshed tears. "I-I can change! I promise I won't hit you anymore! I won't call you a peeping tom!"
She took a shaky breath, her grip tightening. "If... if you think it's dangerous, I can protect you! SAM is really strong! I can protect you, so... so don't go!"
Looking at her agitated, genuinely distressed expression, you were somewhat surprised. Her reaction was... stronger than you expected. You gently placed your hand over hers, unfolding her fingers from your shirt. "It's not your problem, Firefly. You were a good partner."
At this moment, Kafka spoke, her voice cool and measured. "You… remembered?"
She was very calm, her composure already back in place. It wasn't a question; it was a statement. As if she had already anticipated this.
You let go of Firefly's hand and nodded, your gaze meeting Kafka's. "Yes. The Stellaron's whispers... they unlocked everything."
You turned to the hangar's large viewport, your eyes fixed on the distant, cold stars. "I want to go back to the Xianzhou. I need... to take a look."
Firefly panicked, her mind reeling. She ran to Kafka, grabbing her arm. "Kafka, don't let him go! He's... he's one of us! He's family! You said so yourself! We don't abandon family!"
Kafka raised an eyebrow, looking down at the girl clinging to her. "What? Now you want to keep him? Didn't someone used to chase him around the training room, trying to beat him up every day?"
"Ugh…" Firefly stammered, her face flushing. "That's... that's different! Losing such strong combat power would be a huge loss for us! That's it!"
Kafka looked at Firefly's flustered, desperate attempt to find a logical reason, and a small smile played on her lips. "Alright, as you wish." She turned to you.
"Don't be in such a hurry to leave, Orion."
"Actually, Elio wants to see you. It's not too late to make your decision after you've met him."
Elio? The name echoed in your mind. The leader of the Stellaron Hunters. The "Slave of Fate." The mysterious scriptwriter of everything.
[Inorin's Note: Elio is the enigmatic leader of the Stellaron Hunters, known as the "Slave of Fate," who can see and write "scripts" for future events.]
"He… wants to see me?"
"Yes. He's already waiting." Kafka pointed to a simple, unassuming door at the end of the corridor. "Go. Listen to what he has to say. Perhaps... it will change your mind."
You hesitated, your hand hovering over the door panel. This was the puppet master. The one who, according to Kafka, saw the 'script' of fate. The one who had arranged for Kafka to find your frozen head in the void.
You pushed open the door.
The room was... ordinary. An empty, dark conference room. No one was there.
"Elio?" you called out tentatively.
"I'm here," a strange, childish voice rang out. It seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. You looked around, but still saw no one.
"Here. Down below."
You lowered your head.
On the floor, in the middle of the empty room, sat a small black cat. It had pure black fur and intelligent, piercing golden pupils. It was staring at you, unblinking.
It elegantly jumped onto the conference table and began meticulously cleaning its paw.
"Nice to meet you, Orion. I am Elio."
You were stunned. Your mind, which had just processed the return of your traumatic memories and the truth of your past, struggled to accept this new, absurd reality.
"You… are Elio?"
"What?" the black cat tilted its head, its golden eyes seeming to see right through you. "Didn't expect the leader of the Stellaron Hunters to be a cat?"
"...It is," you said truthfully, "quite unexpected."
"Appearance is just a facade," Elio said, his voice carrying an ancient wisdom that didn't match his form, as he leisurely licked his paw. "What's important is that I know what you want."
He stopped cleaning and locked his gaze with yours.
"Or rather…" A glint flashed in his golden cat eyes. "I know who you want to find."