42 – After the Task (1)
Time passed. Early in the morning, I walked with Blanca.
“You can’t go alone, right? Tsk…”
Blanca had a bitter expression on her face. It seemed like she wasn’t pleased about not being trusted.
But I couldn’t trust her either. We hadn’t spent enough time together. I didn’t know what kind of person she was.
The conversation that took place in Kobe.
It was difficult to understand her just from that conversation. Traveling together was absolutely necessary.
We boarded the cable car.
The cable car slowly began to descend toward the outpost in front of the festival. It was installed on the outskirts of the city.
“…….”.
“…….”.
The atmosphere inside the cable car was heavy. Blanca, with her chin resting on her hand, was looking down.
It takes 30 minutes for the cable car to reach the other side completely. After 30 minutes, we had to transfer to another cable car.
Afterward, it would take two more hours to reach the festival. And then, another hour. A total of 3 hours and 30 minutes.
That’s not all. Once we got off, we had to move on foot ourselves. Changing into the clothes that Tetis Libra brought separately, we walked for two hours.
Only then could we set foot inside the city called Festival. Adding up the additional time required in between…
We might arrive after a late lunch. It will probably take more time to handle banking affairs.
But if we hurry, maybe we can return in just a day.
“…Hey.”
Blanca opened her mouth.
“You said you were an illegal immigrant? Why did you try to come to a place like this?”
“What about you?”
“Didn’t you see that I’m dressed like a death row inmate? I’m a murderer. Well, everyone in the resistance must have had that experience at least once.”
The cable car made a creaking sound. Blanca trembled slightly.
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“…It’s nothing.”
Upon closer inspection, her complexion was pale. Her feet seemed to be trembling.
“…?”
Come to think of it, this guy…
He hasn’t even looked outside once.
“Do you have some sort of agoraphobia?”
“Do I look like it?”
“Yeah.”
“You speak in a harsh tone. Unlike when you were with Avakusa.”
“Because you’re someone I can trust.”
“I can’t do it?”
“That depends on the future.”
Blanca laughed.
“Hey, kid. Don’t act all high and mighty. You’re just a kid in the end.”
“…”
“Trust is a meaningless word. I used to believe in it too, you know? But eventually, I realized that humans are creatures capable of betrayal.”
“…”
“You should be careful too. If you don’t want to be betrayed, don’t give your trust. In the first place, it doesn’t even exist.”
Blanca’s words were somewhat bitter. It seemed like something derived from experience.
…But still.
Why would they go to the city, risking their saved medicine?
“Ava Kusa sacrificed her life for me. You saw that too.”
“…”
“A person who can betray you anytime…”
He sat beside her.
“Well, maybe that person is just naturally like that.”
“What’s up with you? You have a seat on the opposite side. Why sit here?”
“Forget it. Rest.”
He forced his trembling head against her shoulder.
Talking about betrayal and such, his actions were weak.
The woman who helped him escape from the sewer.
She could easily do this much.
“Just close your eyes. I’ll let you know when we arrive.”
“…”
Blanca let out a sigh.
The tension in her lifted as she ruffled his hair.
“…Tough little kid.”
…
They changed cable cars. As if the story had already been told, the security guards they passed by didn’t stop them.
Reaching the bottom after continuous descent, they arrived at a forward base, not far from Festal.
Usually, we walked the distance that is usually covered by a vehicle. We entered the festival cautiously to avoid encountering the surveillance troops guarding the border.
The city continued ahead. It was a strange feeling to look at the city from within, as it was not our usual mission.
…It felt like briefly returning to the present.
“…Let’s go to the bank.”
We asked for directions and headed towards Blanca’s personal bank account.
“How did you put the items and money in the bank vault of the Festival branch?”
“I have a younger brother who can contact outside. There are only two of us left, but… I entrusted it to him.”
“Didn’t we say there is no such thing as trust?”
“It’s not about trusting, I just handed it over. It was a deal. Once I’m dead, that guy would have all my property.”
“But before that…”
“If he took the money, I threatened to kill him. He knows what kind of person I am. He must have been afraid.”
“He seems to have a bad reputation.”
“No kidding.”
We arrived at the bank. It took some time to wait, but we soon reached the front of the employee.
“Could you show me your ID?”
“Here you go.”
Blanca quickly took out something from her pocket. An ID card I had never seen before.
I muttered quietly.
“How didn’t they take it away from you?”
“When my identity changed, I received all the belongings I entrusted before. I’m now half a free civilian. Isn’t it the same for you? Erase the records.”
The employee tapped on the machine. Anxiously, they asked.
“Sir, for you… Mr. Fedi Palen who uses the safe deposit box number 69, right?”
Is that an alias?
Blanca nodded as if it was obvious.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Sorry, but… there was a theft incident in the vault about ten days ago.”
“What?”
Blanca blinked. The employee hurriedly continued speaking.
“Of course, the items in your safe deposit box are safe. But we are rechecking the security system for the entire vault in lines 50-100. It has been going on since last week… You can’t open it immediately…”
“Then how long will it take?”
“The estimated completion time for the task is tomorrow at 1 PM. I apologize, sir/madam. Until then, it is impossible to access the vault itself.”
“Who on earth stole the bank’s vault?”
“I apologize for not being able to provide a proper answer regarding internal matters. I kindly ask for your understanding. I am truly sorry, sir/madam.”
Blanca looked back at me.
“What will you do?”
There’s no use wondering about it.
It’s fortunate that it won’t take long. I can wait for a day or so. There’s a grace period of three days as well.
“I’ll wait.”
“Then I’ll come back tomorrow.”
“I sincerely apologize, sir/madam. When you come back tomorrow, we will process it immediately without the need to wait.”
I left the bank. I had extra time, and there was nothing else to do.
Not exactly a relaxing feeling, nor a feeling of doing something. Blanca turned her head quickly.
“I even emptied my pockets because I couldn’t take out the money from the vault.”
“I still have some left.”
“That’s a relief. Lend me some money as I’ll pay you back tomorrow.”
After a simple meal, we chose a place to stay. The cheapest one.
As the creaking sound came from the inside, the innkeeper raised his sleepy eyes.
“One room? Two?”
“One.”
I paid the fee. Blanca followed me without saying a word.
The room opened with a creaking sound. The inside seemed decent at first glance, but upon closer inspection, there were patches of mold here and there.
Blanca sat on the bed.
“Still, it’s better than the huts in Ascal Highland. It’s much more livable.”
The day was gradually turning dark. Blanca glanced out of the window.
“Hey, kid.”
“What?”
“You can use the bed. I’ll sleep under it.”
I wordlessly spread my coat on the floor. It was slightly chilly, but not to the point of being unable to sleep.
“You want me to come up?”
“Forget it.”
“Are you embarrassed? Why? Take a step back.”
“…You.”
I became curious.
“Why are you saying such things?”
“Huh?”
“Are you asking because you genuinely want to know, or is it just a joke?”
“Well, obviously it’s a joke.”
“Is that so?”
I covered my eyes with my arm.
“Then forget it.”
Even the faint light disappeared, and the surroundings fell silent. The only sound I could hear was the passing of cars on the street.
Tall buildings. The sound of wind seeping through open windows.
“…You.”
Blanca murmured as if hesitating.
“Are you pure?”
“What?”
“I’m asking if you’re pure. All you men are the same. Always just staring at women’s bodies and making advances. If I were to tell you to come up, you would come, right? Wouldn’t you?”
I moved my arm that was covering my eyes.
Blanca was looking down at me from the bed. Her clothes were partially undone, emphasizing her collarbones.
Her blonde hair cascaded over her face. The eyes peeking through were glistening with moisture.
“Come up. I’ll let you have a go for real.”
“……”
…Why do people go as far as saying things they don’t want to do because of their pride?
“Blanca.”
“What?”
“Stop with the nonsense and grow up.”
I covered my eyes again.
To be honest, I wasn’t unaffected. If you’re a man, there’s no way you wouldn’t appreciate that face and appearance.
But forcing oneself on someone you don’t want is not in line with my principles.
In the first place, I am not an animal driven by s*xual desire.
“…Coward.”
Although she said that, I could hear the sound of her lying down on the bed as if relieved.
The sound of tossing and turning quickly disappeared.
…
“Here it is, sir. We apologize for any inconvenience caused during your stay.”
The safe opened, and the medicine inside was placed in my hand. Blancar, who took out extra money at the same time, nodded.
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“The debt has been paid.”
She seemed strangely fixated on the word ‘debt’. I checked the medicine.
There was no separate label, nor was there any explanatory text written on it.
“Its effectiveness is guaranteed.”
“Have you actually used it before?”
“…No, but the person who sent it assured me that it is something strange, and it will definitely save my life… Just once.”
We had no other choice. We took it and returned immediately.
When we arrived late in the evening in the Ascald Plateau, it was as quiet as usual. Tethys Libra, who was waiting for us, stood up abruptly.
“The medicine?”
“Here it is.”
We headed straight to the ward. We forcefully fed the dying Avakusa the medicine.
The reaction didn’t occur instantaneously. It seemed to take some time.
I stayed by his side all night, keeping an eye on him, ready for any unexpected situation, sitting on a chair beside him with bloodshot eyes.
When the sun rose and the doctor returned to the ward.
“…Yaw…damn…bastard…”
A voice was heard.
Avakusa’s voice.
“There’s something wrong with my body…”