—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator:Bobt
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Locke sprawled out on the sofa, fiddling with the remote control. The television was showing a rerun of a talk show from yesterday.
Just then, at the sound of thumping beside him, he turned his head to see Lize lying directly on the apartment floor, holding up a pad-style game console and tapping away. She then flipped over onto her stomach as if her arms were tired and kept mashing buttons. The game console screen flashed as if something was exploding.
Locke, looking at that sight, rested his head on the sofa backrest while letting out a long yawn.
About two weeks had passed since the ‘Children of the Tree’ incident. Locke, like a mercenary, was relaxing after finishing a job. The difference from before was that a tiny kid had joined him in that relaxation space.
At first, he had just left her in the living room as appropriate. When he stocked the cupboard and refrigerator, she would figure out how to make food for herself when hungry, and likewise figure out how to go sleep on the sofa or bed when sleepy.
Sometimes when he woke up, he found that she had snuck into the same bed, but Locke could tolerate that much. Regardless of the hidden truth, her outward appearance and behavior were nothing if not a young child’s, and it was something he only had to endure until Philip found her parents.
The problem was that this girl kept playing songs she wanted to hear through the television. Locke had no clue how she was doing it without a socket or implants, an ability he found rather pointless, but the biggest issue was that Locke watched that television too.
When you experience the situation of the show you were enjoying suddenly turning black and only music playing about four or five times, even Locke, who had once trained for decades for his orc blade, was bound to feel a bit of anger.
In the end, Locke had to buy her one of those game consoles that kids her age were crazy about to divert her attention. The device itself cost several hundred dollars.
Indeed, once Lize focused on the game, the incidents of randomly having the television hijacked disappeared, and Locke was able to regain his leisurely afternoons. It was a satisfying period of rest. Except for his wallet getting a bit lighter.
So Locke was blinking with half-closed eyes, and Lize was lying on her stomach on the floor thumping away at the game console.
Lize suddenly raised her head and spoke.
“Locke.”
“What.”
“I want ice cream.”
Locke spoke without even taking his eyes off the television.
“Check the fridge.”
“I already ate everything in there.”
That meant they had to go buy some, and given Lize’s tendency to never want to be alone, it meant going together.
Locke snorted.
“Too much trouble.”
“…Locke, you’re lazy.”
“Didn’t you know? I was always a sloth.”
Lize’s expressionless face pouted slightly. From observing her over the past two weeks, her expressions were mostly like that. As if some of her facial muscles were paralyzed, or as if she didn’t quite know how to express emotions, her facial expressions didn’t change much.
Just then, the apartment’s video phone rang. Locke, who had been sprawled on the sofa, let out a long sigh and got up. But his expression changed a bit as he answered the phone.
The face that appeared on the screen was that of the broker, Philip.
[Oh, Locke. Have you been well?]
“I’ve been fine, Philip. Since you’re contacting me like this, I guess the job I entrusted to you is finished.”
At the mention of Philip, Lize’s head, who had been pouting at the game console, shot up. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Locke.
[Ah, about that…]
Philip scratched the back of his neck on the screen.
[That case might need a bit more time.]
“Didn’t you say with your own mouth that it would take two weeks at most?”
[Well, it’s not that I couldn’t find a lead. It’s just that the clues are too old… If you give me just a bit more time, I can find it. Really.]
The light faded from Lize’s eyes that had been looking this way. She lowered her head back to the game console.
“…Then why did you contact me? To let me know that?”
At Locke’s slightly lowered voice, Philip hurriedly shook his head.
[I had some news to share with you. There’s a rumor going around on the streets.]
“What rumor?”
[Well, I heard Romanos is looking for you. Says he’ll make you pay the price for wrecking his club…]
“The polar bear?”
[Romanos is a human, not a werebear…]
“Since he’s the boss of polar bears, he’s at least an honorary polar bear.”
Philip made an ambiguous expression.
[Is that so? Hearing it, it does seem plausible.]
“Anyway. Is that all?”
[The mood in Romanos’ organization is no joke these days. I heard he offended some megacorp, and challengers who think he’s weakened after his club got wrecked last time are also slowly emerging. In that situation where he’s cornered, do you know what it means that he’s gritting his teeth to catch you?]
Locke’s expression turned a bit tired.
“…You’re saying he wants to catch me and make me a sacrificial lamb for a reversal.”
[Whether that’s possible or not probably isn’t in Romanos’ head right now. If he stays still, he’ll either get his limbs cut off by other organizations or get torn apart by his own subordinates’ fangs anyway. He’ll struggle whether you’re an orc Master or whatever.]
“This has gotten troublesome.”
Philip nodded.
[Be careful anyway. He might rough up other brokers to find out your identity or address.]
“You talk as if you won’t get roughed up.”
Philip grinned, revealing his fang.
[You know me. I’m not someone who’ll just get beaten.]
Seeing that smile, Locke also chuckled.
“Then is that all you had to say?”
[That’s right. Ah, if it’s okay, there’s one simple job-]
“I’m hanging up. Contact me again next time.”
[No, just listen-]
Locke turned off the video phone screen. His face was reflected roundly in the black screen.
After looking at that face for a moment, Locke turned around. He saw Lize still lying on her stomach, fiddling with the game console. Locke quietly spoke as he looked down at her somewhat gloomy-looking head.
“You said you wanted ice cream?”
She lifted her head with a jerk. Locke silently grabbed his coat and slung it over his shoulder as he headed for the front door. Lize quickly got up and scurried after him.
* * *
The Black night’s engine rumbled. Its black body gleamed in the bright afternoon sunlight.
It was a hot day. Until recently it had been cool with the rain, but today it had suddenly become a sweltering day with heat haze shimmering.
Lize looked at the passing sights of Midland out the window, then turned her head to Locke.
“There was a convenience store below the apartment.”
“Since we’re out anyway, there’s somewhere I need to go too.”
“Lize does?”
“No. I do.”
“Then go there first?”
Locke answered as he gently turned the steering wheel.
“We’ll go there after it’s over. The ice cream shop first for now.”
Lize nodded slowly as if very satisfied.
The Black night drove through Midland’s complicated roads and hills. The streets lined with megacorp buildings were as straight as a checkerboard, but the narrow alleys branching out in between were sometimes tangled like a maze, holding back the steps of passersby.
But the Black night advanced through those paths and paths without stopping. When the car finally stopped after passing several corners, a neat ice cream specialty store could be seen in front of it. Lize’s eyes sparkled as she looked at that store.
“Locke. How many ice creams do you think they have there?”
“Eat in moderation. If you don’t want an upset stomach. They do ice box packing too.”
“Lize’s stomach is sturdy so it’s fine.”
Locke didn’t bother trying to dissuade her further.
The two who got out of the car entered the store, and Lize, who sat down, ordered the top three best-selling flavors in pint size for starters. And when the ice cream came out, she began to eat it eagerly. She was munching so vigorously that even Locke’s eyes widened a bit as he watched.
“Eat in moderation. Or else it’ll seem like I was starving you.”
“Locke, this is awesome.”
“…Yeah. Eat a lot.”
In the end, Lize emptied those three tubs of ice cream and packed three more tubs of different flavors before leaving the store. Her slightly dazed look seemed to indicate she had eaten too many sweets. Locke chuckled as he watched her slow gait from behind.
Shaking his head like that, Locke suddenly turned his head to scan the surroundings. There were quite a lot of people coming and going on the street.
Well-dressed salesmen, delinquents in a free-spirited style with plastic vinyl skirts, horns, or spiked jackets, drug addicts gloomily wearing hoods or something on this hot day and walking into secluded alleys, and so on.
But what caught Locke’s eye wasn’t them. What caught his eye was a man carrying a long backpack and dragging a large carrier bag.
He was holding some kind of memo in his hand and walking around with a troubled expression, looking around. Sweat was dripping down his forehead, perhaps because of the hot weather or the crowds overflowing on the street.
Just then, the man, who had been constantly wiping his forehead, also seemed to sense the gaze and looked at Locke.
For a moment, a gray flash passed through Locke’s eyes, and a blue flash passed through the man’s eyes.
For some reason, the people between the two naturally moved to the side. They didn’t even realize they were moving like that.
The man, who had been looking at Locke like that for a while, slowly approached. He set his carrying case aside and bowed politely.
“To meet a senior walking the same path as me in a place like this. This junior is called Hayato Tanaka.”
“Senior?”
“As this junior has only recently forged a blade of the heart, you who are already skilled are naturally my senior, are you not?”
“…I get it, so straighten your back.”
“Ah.”
Locke looked the Japanese man in front of him up and down. He had a slightly clueless impression, but he was definitely a pure human like Locke. He spoke hesitantly under Locke’s gaze.
“Um, may this junior know the senior’s name? Of course, if it’s uncomfortable…”
“Locke.”
Tanaka nodded with a bright expression.
“Nice to meet you, Senior Locke. This junior is Hayato Tana…”
“What are you doing here?”
He was about to say his name again, but at Locke’s question, he made an awkward smile.
“Well, I was trying to find this address but got lost…”
Locke picked up the memo he was holding. The moment the memo was snatched away, Tanaka’s expression stiffened.
“Oh no… For this junior to be robbed so easily…!”
“Cut the crap. This address is three more blocks that way.”
“Oh, is that so?”
He looked in the direction Locke pointed with a bright smile.
“Thank you so much, Senior Locke! I was really at a loss after getting off the plane today and coming all the way here, but for you to help me like this!”
“You should carry around a terminal or something. Living in Midland without a socket is like living half-blind.”
At that advice, Tanaka bowed deeply again.
“I’m truly grateful for your considerate words, senior. But this junior is just here to take care of a small matter and will be returning to Japan soon, so there’s no need to go that far. But really, thank you so much, senior.”
Tanaka, who continued to bow and express his gratitude afterwards, soon disappeared into the crowd, dragging his carrying case. Locke also turned around and returned to the Black night after watching his back for a while.
When he slammed the car door shut and looked, he saw Lize slumped in the passenger seat. Locke was about to be bewildered by the sight, but Lize spoke in a half-dead voice, clutching her stomach.
“…Lize, I guess you’re not as sturdy as you thought.”
Locke made a wry smile and turned the car key. It seemed he needed to buy some digestive medicine before heading to the destination.
* * *
Lize blinked her eyes open. Something was covering her body, and when she looked down, it was Locke’s coat.
“You’re awake.”
When she turned her head, she saw the blurry outline of Locke leaning his arm on the window frame in the dim car.
“…Where are we?”
“A club.”
True to his words, across the street where Locke was looking, an entrance with flashing neon lights could be seen.
“Locke, do you need a woman?”
Locke, who had been looking at the club entrance, turned to Lize with an astonished look.
“You need to relearn how to talk first.”
“Teach me, Locke.”
“…Later.”
Locke, who had given a rough answer, rustled as he picked up the coat Lize had been covering herself with.
“Stay here.”
“Why the club?”
“This is Romanos’ base. To have a talk with him.”
Lize tilted her head.
“Annihilation?”
“…We’ll talk first.”
“For now?”
Locke couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Yeah. For now. So stay put in the car.”
“Look over there.”
At Lize’s sudden words, Locke, who had been grabbing his coat and car keys, turned his head. Lize was looking towards the club entrance.
When he turned his gaze there, he saw a bloodied thug tumble out as the club door burst open.
“…What the?”
The guys guarding the door seemed equally bewildered, rushing into the club in a throng. Locke got out of the car without hesitation. And he turned to look at Lize, who was slyly trying to follow him out, and raised his index finger.
“Stay inside.”
“…Okay.”
Locke slammed the car door shut and strode towards the club. The first guy who had tumbled out the door was panting, bleeding profusely, and another guy was at a loss what to do with him.
“What’s going on?”
“Fuck if I know. Suddenly a ninja popped out from somewhere or something…”
The guy who had been answering absentmindedly was startled and turned to look at Locke. But Locke was already glaring at the club door leading underground.
“A ninja…”
“Wh-Who are you?”
“You’ll get hurt if you know.”
Locke approached the club door. Amid the thumping music, rough screams, curses, and occasional gunshots could be heard.
His footsteps continued down there.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
