#Chapter 89
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Kassel and Shuga, standing nearby, couldn’t contain their shock.
“W-what do you think you’re doing?”
“…Are you out of your mind?”
Arthur picked up the pistol clutched in the chef’s hand and gave it a shake.
“Why would an ordinary chef be carrying something like this?”
“……”
“Surely he wasn’t planning to cut our steak with this?”
Kassel and Shuga fell silent.
Just then, a gnome slipped out from the shadows and cried out proudly.
**\[Foolish humans! You don’t even realize I just saved you, and yet you get angry!?]**
“…?”
**\[You don’t even know I stopped my contractor from eating the poisoned steak! Humans, really… tsk, tsk.]**
Kassel blinked at the sight and asked.
“What is this, Donn?”
“Oh, that’s my spirit.”
“…A spirit?”
“He’s an advanced earth spirit. Lately though, he’s… going through puberty.”
At that, the gnome jumped in outrage.
**\[Why would I be going through puberty!?]**
With its outburst, the gnome’s body turned translucent.
Arthur had forcibly reverse-summoned it back to the spirit realm.
Thanks to that, the room fell quiet again. Arthur gestured subtly.
“……”
Kassel and Shuga, watching, began to step closer.
Arthur pressed his ear to the door and clicked his tongue.
“Tch… Looks like we’re already surrounded.”
“Surrounded?”
“There’s a bunch of people outside. Carrying weapons that reek of blood.”
Kassel stiffened belatedly.
“It’s true… Could it be those pirates?”
“Seems like it, yes. Hm…”
Arthur trailed off, pointing to the trembling Shuga.
“For now, Kassel, could you look after Shuga?”
“…And what will you do?”
“Since there’s quite a lot of them, I’ll give them a taste of something.”
With that, Arthur opened the door, raised Beast, and aimed at the group brandishing sharp blades and even guns.
**Bang—!**
With the crack of gunfire, the crowd blocking their way turned into black marbles.
“……!”
Kassel gaped in shock as Arthur bent down to collect the marbles that had been pirates only moments ago.
“Kassel, behind you!”
Without replying, Kassel drew his sword.
He gripped it in reverse and stabbed backward, exactly where Arthur had warned.
“Guhk!”
With a stifled groan, the man who had burst through the wall collapsed lifeless.
Kassel clicked his tongue at the sight, then after a brief hesitation, scooped Shuga firmly into his arms.
“Kya—kyaaah!”
“Forgive me! Forgive me! But it cannot be helped!”
With that, Kassel rolled forward and ducked behind the table.
**Ratatatatat—!**
Gunfire erupted, tearing the luxurious VIP room into a mess.
Arthur spun the Beast’s chamber and shouted.
“Kassel! Let’s head up!”
“…Up!?”
“Yes! With Shuga here, it’ll be easier to fight on top of the train!”
Kassel hesitated.
‘You want to fight on a moving train roof?’
But after some thought, he nodded.
‘There are far too many presences. I can’t fight properly while protecting someone down here.’
It was better to do as Arthur said—go up and face them head-on.
As Kassel rose, Arthur summoned the gnome again.
“A foothold, Mr. Gnome!”
The gnome sighed but obediently shaped an earthen platform.
Arthur leapt up first, with Kassel and Shuga following close behind.
**Clang, clang—!**
The deafening roar of wheels filled their ears, while razor-sharp winds whipped their hair wildly.
Arthur and Kassel managed to keep their balance with ease, but Shuga, an ordinary civilian, could not.
“Ugh!”
Unable to open her eyes, she pressed against Kassel.
Kassel flinched in panic.
“D-Donn! Can’t you do something about this…!”
Arthur gestured in response.
A moment later, a shield of earth conjured by the gnome enveloped the two of them.
“Oh…”
Kassel let out a low murmur of awe, while Arthur’s gaze turned to the pirates climbing onto the roof.
“You bastard! Running off to a place like this!?”
“You won’t die easy, you wretch!”
“Look at that pretty-boy face! I’ll grind you into mince!”
With their cheap threats, the pirates cackled as they climbed aboard.
Arthur, watching, smiled faintly.
“Is that all?”
“All? Don’t be stupid. There are more below, boy!”
“Oh, really?”
“Doesn’t matter! Whether we hand her over or not, you’re all dead anyway!”
Arthur nodded.
“Good. That means I can kill without holding back.”
He raised Beast and pulled the trigger.
**Kwooooom—!!**
This time, loaded with the black marbles, its destructive force was incomparable.
Darkness burst forth, swallowing the pirates whole.
Kassel shuddered involuntarily at the sight.
“…What in the world is that? Is that even a gun?”
Arthur blew away the smoke from Beast’s barrel and muttered.
“Why don’t you come out now?”
“…?”
“I can see you hiding.”
At his words, a low chuckle echoed.
**Hrrmmmrr—!**
With a beastly roar, a massive white bear leapt onto the speeding train.
“What in the…?”
Kassel murmured in disbelief, mouth agape. Arthur tilted his head.
“A white bear? That’s a strange bloodline.”
The creature bared its teeth and answered.
“Bloodline? More like blood-kin. Is that your last will, mercenary?”
Arthur chuckled.
“That’s what I was going to say. If you want to make that your last will, be my guest, Mr. Polar Bear.”
—
—
The polar bear and Arthur created distance.
Watching, Kassel’s hands itched with the urge to join.
‘I want to jump in too…’
But he couldn’t abandon the client and act on his own.
Suppressing a sigh, he watched as Arthur drew the demonic sword.
**Ziiing—!**
With an eerie hum, the blade glowed crimson.
Arthur’s eyes narrowed.
“Oh… It really does hunger for blood?”
Kassel’s earlier words came to mind.
‘They said if it drinks blood, it extends its length.’
Arthur didn’t know how such a thing was possible, but he suddenly wanted to test it.
He slit his own hand against the blade.
Drip… drip…
At the falling drops of blood, the sword shuddered.
Arthur smirked.
“Like the taste?”
“……”
“Obey me and I’ll give you more. How’s that?”
The sword quivered again, as if in reply.
Satisfied, Arthur turned his gaze to the polar bear, who muttered with a sour face.
“You… talk to your sword? You’re insane.”
Arthur blinked.
“You’re insane just because you talk to a sword?”
“That’s usually what people call insane.”
With that, the polar bear roared and charged.
Despite its massive size, its movements were swift, narrowing Arthur’s eyes.
In that instant, the demonic sword seemed to move on its own.
**Shraaak—!**
The suddenly-extended blade grazed the bear’s shoulder.
Both Arthur and the bear were startled.
“So it works?”
“Wh-what is this!?”
Amid their exclamations, Arthur grinned and leapt.
“……!”
Reeling from the blow, the bear hunched defensively.
“No matter how strange your tricks, you won’t pierce my thick hide!”
Arthur laughed.
“Then how about burning it?”
He invoked Julie’s bloodline, cloaking the demonic sword in lightning.
The bear’s eyes widened.
“…That wasn’t supposed to happen.”
Arthur’s blade came crashing down.
The bear tried to retreat, but it was too late.
**Boom—!**
With an explosive roar, white fur blackened and charred under Julie’s lightning.
The polar bear staggered, lost its footing, and tumbled off the train.
Kassel, watching, muttered in shock.
“Wh-what… He can use magic too?”
It was already unbelievable that Arthur had an advanced spirit. But magic as well?
It defied all sense.
As Kassel stared blankly, Shuga lifted her head from his arms.
“…Is it over?”
“Seems like it’s over. So now we can—huh?”
Kassel blinked in surprise.
His eyes dropped to the dagger embedded in his thigh.
“What is the meaning of this?”
“…Sorry.”
Kassel staggered, dropping Shuga.
She slipped from his arms and leapt off the train.
No—so it appeared.
**Fwip—!**
Before she hit the ground, someone caught her hand.
And she disappeared back into the VIP room they had just left.
‘…She went back into the place she escaped from? Why?’
Kassel tried to move, but his body refused.
Not from the wound—but from the poison coating the dagger, paralyzing him.
Shaking uncontrollably, he could only tremble as Arthur approached.
“…What are you doing, Kassel? Don’t tell me you threw her away because you don’t like her?”
“Wh-why would I do that!?”
“Then why are you alone here while Shuga’s gone?”
Kassel pointed downward.
“She stabbed me… and ran.”
“…She stabbed you and ran?”
“Yes. From the start… I think this was all planned. Everything that’s happening now.”
Arthur’s eyes sharpened.
‘If that’s true… this whole ambush was orchestrated by Shuga?’
Kassel’s reasoning made sense, but Arthur couldn’t wrap his head around it.
‘But why? Why would she?’
The attackers were supposed to be after Shuga’s life.
So why would she walk into their arms?
Arthur stroked his chin, then shrugged.
“Guess we’ll just have to ask her ourselves.”
“…You’re going after her?”
“The job isn’t over yet. And honestly, I’m curious too.”
Arthur smirked.
“Whether Miss Shuga is really Lord Balans’ daughter. If I don’t get an answer, it’ll keep me up at night for days.”
Kassel’s eyes widened.
“Hmph… I feel the same. But in this state, I can’t help you.”
“Then rest a bit. Undine.”
At Arthur’s call, Undine appeared and healed Kassel.
**Fwoosh—!**
Cool, pure energy surged into him, widening his eyes.
‘…Holy power? No—something even greater.’
Meanwhile, Arthur reentered the train, smoothing his disheveled hair.
The pirates who had been searching the wrecked cabin sneered and raised their blades.
“…Well, well. Still playing it cool?”
Arthur finished fixing his hair and spun the demonic sword.
“If you’ve got the composure, why not use it? Now then… shall we begin?”
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