We touched down on a rooftop in the village outskirts and took a moment to look over the scene below.This little house was the first meeting point for the three of us — and Lunas too.
And this is where I woke up and founded that little group, One Line, I thought with a private chuckle.After all, in the novel I'd half-written — you remember, Blade That Shattered the Heavens or whatever I called it — Ron Irus was barely a side character. An NPC that hands out a quest or two, mentioned maybe four times. I'd almost forgotten what the original Ron was like.
Does it matter? I'm here now. Talking about him is pointless.
We stretched out on the snow-covered field. This place stayed frozen all year; mana had decided the climate needed moodiness.
"What's the first thing you do after coming home? Lie there for over an hour?" Emma asked. She was carrying a black sack that looked heavy enough to collapse a pony.
"Is he okay?" I asked, already knowing who was stuffed inside. There wasn't anyone else in this village who'd agree to play pratfalls for her — except one man.
"Yeah… he's fine. Anyway, he's here," she said.
Sigh. Lately I had too much on my mind to worry about whether he lived or died. Maybe I was sighing more than usual.
I rubbed my throbbing forehead, pulled a gold coin from my pocket, and idly flipped it skyward. Emma sat down and set the sack aside. Since it wasn't tied, a curled-up figure peeked out — clearly asleep.
"Look at him. Asleep in a sack like it's perfectly normal," I grumbled, watching Lunas blink out of a dream.
"That's my profession," Emma said proudly, as if being a human sleeping bag were a noble trade.
"You drugged him?" I asked.
"It's part of the job," she said, puffing up with a grin. I didn't know what to do with her sometimes. Isn't she supposed to be my… ex? Whatever.
I grabbed a stone from the ground, wound up, and threw it at the bastard sleeping in the sack. The rock flew like an arrow — and shattered clean against Lunas's bulging forearm. He turned to me, eyes annoyed, but the grogginess from the sedative remained.
"Am I dreaming?" he mumbled, looking around like a man who'd been forcibly rebooted.
"That's her craft," I said, pointing at Emma, who was hiding triumphantly behind him, ready for the morning's performance.
"Ugh… why don't you just sleep longer?" I said to Lunas, who was now lugging a pile of expensive-looking goods.
"I deserve payment. Last month's work was brutal," he replied cheerfully. In truth, he'd done three or four times the work because I wasn't around to supervise, and he'd been kept under close watch — so I'd taken pity and slipped him some coin.
This village had a surprisingly large population and plenty of land. Not exactly a city, but far from shabby — rather upscale, actually.
We walked down a bustling main avenue lined with shops and people. The sight of Lunas carrying those luxury goods made my wallet ache. He had zero bargaining sense.
"Look at that suit in the shop!" Lunas exclaimed, dragging Emma inside.
I watched them go and snorted. After twenty-plus years in the old world, I'd seen all kinds of young love. At twenty, it's messy and earnest; by thirty it usually hardens into calculation and quiet compromise.
Let them keep their memories. In this world, happiness is the only thing that stops you from going mad. I smiled but didn't join them in the boutique. I knew how to budget.
Instead, I slipped into a darker alley.
Clack, clack.
I moved through the crowd in a few effortless strides and handed a tattered stranger a small red-black card. He stared for a moment and then snatched it.
"Seven o'clock tonight. Meeting," I murmured. The man barely nodded and then bolted.
Task done, I returned to the fashion shop area, stopped at a few street food stalls, bought snacks, and headed back.
I shoved a greasy plate into the sink and used a roll of mana-water paper to scrub the mess away. Mana items were so common here that even a roll of enchanted paper was cheap. Thank goodness technology lag was compensated by magic; otherwise I'd be stuck in a medieval nightmare wielding swords instead of words.
Dishes done, I went back to the parlor. The three of us had finished dinner and were going for a walk to help digestion.
"All set," Lunas said, tucking a pistol back into his vest. Emma pulled a rifle from the spatial ring, slid it into the nearest mirror, and from the mirror came a translucent hand that took the weapon away. Cute trick.
"You two look pleased with your toys," I said, watching their eyes glint.
Emma glanced at me. "You really made these?" she asked, pointing at the bullets and the gun on the table.
I chuckled and covered my mouth. Those items were cobbled together by me before I had much power. I didn't even know if the designs were practical at first, but after hunting down materials, I'd managed to build a few firearms. They didn't match any guns from the old world — more like rough cousins.
"They don't use mana, aren't bulky, aren't detectable while firing, and no one here recognizes them. Their punch is like a mana bolt." Emma inspected the homemade Glock I'd assembled — not exactly a classic firearm, yet workable enough.
Seeing Emma and Lunas in vests and ties made me grin.
Look at us. Classic mafia chic.
I'd never been a fan of action movies, but I did like the idea of playing a spy now and then. Small touches made the illusion.
But tonight wasn't for cosplay. Tonight was the decisive night of the upcoming inter-academy Grand Festival. I wanted rest, sure, but this week was all preparation.
"Hzzzz…" I took a breath.
"It's almost seven. The 'first-level' people are on their way. We need to prepare for everything — even for betrayal from within our own group," I said, voice turning serious for the first time. No more jokes.
To survive, you prepare for treachery, backstabs, and being trampled by allies. This wasn't a fairy tale.
After years of scraping by in the old world, I'd learned what people were really like. Only a few were truly trustworthy — like Emma and Lunas. The rest demanded caution and suspicion. In a criminal organization, loyalty is a short-term contract. Sure one day they're obedient, the next they stab you.
We'll have our big gathering with the underworld tonight. People will try to betray for advantage. Anyone showing signs of collusion will be removed. I'd sooner trust a talking dog than trust blind loyalty.
I downed a gulp of home-brewed rice wine, bit down on a gold coin between my teeth, and prepared for the night ahead.