EP.264 The Imaginary Bullet
Why would Siegfrund, who came from another country, be loyal to the Military Nation?
Because he likes this country? Anyone who says something so transparent is either a fraud or has Public Security watching them. Only someone who lived in the Kingdom would look like a fairy by comparison; how could anyone like this country, which has no mystery and no entertainment?
Because they pay a lot? This crazy country has an extreme structure where even the strongest, the Yukjangseong, cannot live affluently. It is a remarkably honest country where the top 1% occupies 1% of the wealth, with a structure closer to an obelisk than a pyramid. The Military Nation directly operates most of the funds; they will pour money into making weapons, but they give merely a grain's worth of personal property. The fact that there's nowhere to spend it even if you save it also plays a part.
In such a damned country, there is only one reason Siegfrund is loyal.
Because 'she' found him.
The 'she' in his memories—I don't know for sure since I haven't read them directly—found Siegfrund who was hiding his identity.
After a long life on the run, Siegfrund, who had lost sight of who he originally was and what he looked like, used her as an anchor for his ego to form himself.
She is special. But she is not unique.
Because I, too, can recognize him.
"Earlier, and now too. It's the same fabricated face, isn't it? This time it's even worse. At least earlier it was a human face, but now it's like a statue thrown aside because you couldn't be bothered to finish making it. Is it okay to make that your true self?"
"...Okay? I am me. What do you know?"
"I'm asking you to tell me because I don't know. Your real face... no, who the real you is."
Real. At that word, Siegfrund showed an inorganic expression. Rather than deliberately fabricating it to feign composure, it looked like a preparatory stance, tensing up before fabricating something.
"Is who I am that important? I am the Yukjangseong Siegfrund, and changing my appearance is my powerful specialty. That itself defines me. I don't need any other distinguishing characteristics."
"What are you talking about? Who here doesn't know you're you? I'm not asking about characteristics, I'm asking about your qualification."
Fearing he might lose himself, Siegfrund used 'her', who recognized him, as an anchor and worked for her.
Then what should be done to shake him? Naturally, the anchor must be removed.
"I act by listening to people's wishes, their desires. It's a different wavelength from prophets. They see a future with a set answer and change the situation, but I make them get what they desire within a given situation."
"I don't see the difference. To me, they look the same."
"They are different. Because their wishes are real. Real lives. Desires of people who are given only one life from birth, and live fiercely without the time or luxury to doubt whether it's real or fake. I granted those desires."
Real. Fake. Real. Siegfrund, a born actor, didn't show it, but as a mind reader, I sensed his flinching emotion every time real and fake were mentioned.
The anchor is quite light. It shakes every time I touch it. Will it hold firm like this?
"Yet with a fabricated face and fabricated identity, you only follow the Military Nation's orders. Is this the real you that you found?"
"You..."
I grabbed the anchor in his heart, then pulled it out with a smiling face.
"You're just a tool, right? I guess they use the word 'life' for tools nowadays?"
"...Pathetic provocation. Looks like you've run out of things to say, so you're just making things up?"
'It's provocation. I mustn't get dragged in. He reads desires? That must be a type of prophecy too. I need to corner him by using Siati and Historia's hatred and suspicion.'
He trusts my ability without a doubt. Regarding my existence that reached the deepest parts of the Military Nation, he doesn't easily dismiss it as coincidence or luck. He doubts and guards against everything, digging into even the trivial details. It's probably a personality born from being chased for a long time.
However, because his suspicion was so excessive, he completely believed in my ability.
"I told you earlier, didn't I? I read desires."
"...What?"
"You want to get your lost appearance back, don't you? Then why are you acting like that?"
The anchor of existence is not a harbor. He is merely a drifting ship wrecked on the vast ocean.
In other words, even the ego called Siegfrund is actually nothing but a fabrication.
"The more you play the role of Siegfrund, the further you'll drift from your original appearance, right? Fake mission. Fake life. Fake face. Even your goal as a Yukjangseong is just being faithful to the role of Siegfrund, it's not your own desire. Seriously... Lia! Protect me!"
There was no need for any more words. At that moment, his existence threatened, Siegfrund kicked off the ground and charged at me.
There is no reason. When someone tries to stab you with a knife, resisting is a just and natural logic. By rejecting me, who attacked his ego, Siegfrund tried to protect himself.
But Historia is in front of me.
"Taking it out on...!"
Historia, who hadn't let her guard down, reacted in time. Worried that I would get caught in the aftermath of the fight and be hurt, she took two steps forward and confronted Siegfrund. She planted one leg firmly and threw a kick that seemed to snatch the charging Siegfrund.
Boom!
It was a collision close to a disaster. An explosive sound rang out and the shattered floor flew in all directions. Historia's Qi, the Burst Sand Realm, has a repelling property.
It's a type of Qi that's tricky to handle but easy to use roughly. Historia sprayed it without holding back. The clash of two Yukjangseong with immense Qi produced a result similar to two rubber balls bouncing off each other. The two slid back across the ground, moving away from each other like a mirror reflection.
"Huey! Watch out!"
Historia, who realized his goal from a single clash, shouted.
"He's aiming for you!"
Immediately after, Siegfrund charged again. Not at Historia, but straight at me.
He aimed straight at me without even trying to hide his intent. Historia rushed over urgently, blocked his path, and pulled both arms back.
Burst Sand Realm, Burst Shatter.
A bluish Qi pushed everything away. An explosion used by Historia, whose Qi reserves were at the upper echelon of the Yukjangseong. Even Siegfrund couldn't block it head-on. Instead, he swayed his body back and forth.
The foundation of soft martial arts is deflection. Instead of going against the flow, he slipped into the openings. Like a ship that doesn't break even facing a headwind, he calmly advanced step by step.
'He's also a master of combat. I don't know if I'll win or lose in a fight, but I can't protect Huey.'
Historia, having grasped the opponent's caliber, looked at me urgently and shouted.
"Run to a safe place!"
"Got it!"
Nodding, I clung right behind Historia's back. Historia was startled by the sudden contact.
"What are you doing?!"
"The only safe place here is behind your back. I'm counting on you."
"It's dangerous! You can't ignore the aftermath of the Qi either!"
"Being swept up in the aftermath is better than dying. Whoa! Lia, front!"
A hand shot out between Historia's armpits. The moment the long fingers tried to snatch my clothes, Historia noticed it and wrapped her right arm around Siegfrund's arm.
At that moment, Siegfrund slipped inside Historia's guard. By driving his knee in deep and twisting her arm, Siegfrund instantly disrupted Historia's center of gravity.
'Soft martial arts?! Dangerous. I lost the lower stance...!'
Among the weak, it is said that holding the higher position is more advantageous. Because you can add the weight of striking down with force.
For those who have learned Qi, it's the opposite. Mere weight is of little help. Because the pushing force of Qi is stronger than the pulling force, if you lose the lower stance, your feet leave the ground. If that happens, you're left wide open.
'Danger...ous...!'
Moreover, Historia's Qi is the Burst Sand Realm. It's strong in repulsion but lacking in adhesion. Unable to handle the pushing force from below, Historia's body was lifted up.
Of course, taking the lower stance doesn't immediately decide the match. The problem was that Historia wasn't alone right now.
'Huey!'
Siegfrund intended to sweep Historia aside and aim for me. Historia gritted her teeth and held on, but her limit came faster.
"No...!"
Whoosh. Historia's body bounced up, and Siegfrund, having cleared the obstacle, immediately aimed for me behind her and threw a fierce punch. The sound of splitting air filled the control room....
However, his punch missed. Because I was clinging tightly to Historia's back, flying through the air right alongside her.
Phew. It would have been a disaster if I hadn't held on tight. It was worth recklessly hopping on her back as we flew.
Stuck flat against Historia's back, I shouted with a sense of liberation.
"Ahahaha! How unsightly! Did I strike a nerve? It couldn't be helped! Because every single desire of yours that I read was fake!"
"Huey! It's better not to provoke him...!"
"It's too late! If we've come this far, we have to go all the way!"
Even in mid-air, Historia miraculously regained her balance, caught her foot on the wire mesh covering the wall, and stood up straight. With me hanging on her back, of course.
Being in this position, I was practically lying face down, which was secretly comfortable. I sneered at Siegfrund, who was looking up at us from below.
"I'm sorry, but you have no right to say anything to me! Even if I grant human desires from an observer's perspective, they are real. The real me, as the real me. I listened to the desires of humans living fiercely with their real lives! I'm different from you, who discards and overwrites your face, name, and identity whenever necessary!"
Taste the provocation of a mind reader. I'll dig right into your weak spots. At my provocation, Siegfrund immediately leaped toward this wall.
Historia, who was actually fighting, suddenly found herself caught between us and was troubled.
"Huey! You're provoking him too much!"
"I told you there's no turning back now! I'm riding a tiger's back!"
"I can't even guarantee a win in a 1-on-1, I can't fight while carrying you on my back...! Especially without a weapon..."
"You need a weapon?"
If it's a weapon, I have one ready to use right now.
I took out a diamond card from my sleeve. After converting it through alchemy via the bio-terminal, I draped it over Historia's shoulder where Siegfrund couldn't see. Without even looking, Historia recognized the identity of that heavy tactile sensation.
"A gun?"
"It's the alchemy weapon I used. It's loaded."
Historia took the gun, naturally hooked her finger on the trigger, and spun it once. True to her name as a gunner, she grasped the revolver's structure and remaining bullet count from that alone.
And then she got angry.
"There are only three bullets!"
"I didn't have time to load it."
"Still, how am I supposed to... with only three bullets! Why three of all numbers?!"
'Zeroing is a technique that uses three bullets to find the zero. You need at least four bullets to actually use it!'
"Shh! Siegfrund doesn't know it's three! If he doesn't know, three is the same as six! The imaginary bullet will keep him in check!"
"Like hell it will...!"
Still, having no better option, Historia accepted the gun and hid it under her sleeve. I never taught her such petty tricks. It seems the prank I pulled when playing card games a long time ago left quite an impression on her.
Then, suddenly, Historia stroked the revolver's grip with her long fingers and fell into thought.
'This gun. It's the same type as the one Huey gave me when he suggested I try shooting... I don't know if he's trying to make me remember or not.'
"I'll try for now. Hide somewhere safe... No. Hold on tight until we get down!"
Finishing her words, Historia jumped down all at once as if the lattice wire mesh was a staircase. Just before hitting the ground, she decelerated slightly, and in that gap, I grabbed the wire mesh hanging loosely from the wall and jumped down to the floor.
I'm used to rolling on the ground, but I don't want to get used to my back muscles aching. As I staggered to my feet, I saw Historia blocking Siegfrund's path once again.