#42 – Talk in the Mud
“Please excuse me, Mr. Yukito.”
He turned to look at the old man called Taren.
He was like a withered tree. With thin limbs and wrinkles. However, there was a strength in his eyes that held enough pressure to make Yukito focus his attention on him.
And then he noticed the person who was pushing the wheelchair.
Ryu Haoran. While he had been taken away by force earlier, he was not injured.
He just smiled and waved his hand.
“No. They were not serious either.”
Yukito shook his head with a smile while sheathing his sword.
Even if Chen had wanted them dead, the attackers were different.
It had felt more like a test.
Both sides knew, and played the part as if on stage.
“So… How do you know my name?”
The old man smiled.
“While Phonix Town is our home, we cannot survive if we are blind to the outside world. Besides, it seems like you helped us a little in the spring.
He then recalled a certain guild quest in the old capital.
The one where they had to retrieve a suitcase from a gang.
“We will speak in the back room. Ryu.”
“Yes. Chen, clean this up.”
“…Yes.”
Chen nodded and glared at Ryu, who just chuckled and scratched his cheek.
While it looked like these two were in opposition…the air between them was not that cold.
“They are like brothers.”
Said the old man, sensing what Ryu was thinking.
“Even if they fight a lot, as brothers do.”
“Not just Chen. Everyone here is like family.”
Ryu said as he started to push the wheelchair again.
◆ ◇ ◆
“Now.”
Taren began as he sat on the opposite side of the round table.
Ryu stood behind him. And there was one other as well.
“Phew… Lee. You come too.”
There was a grunt, and the other man appeared from behind a partition.
He was wearing the same black clothes as the assassins. A tall man who Yukito had to look up in order to see. But the most distinct thing was his face.
Crush and burned. But his eyes had a strong will and showed loyalty.
“Hmm. You don’t seem surprised after seeing his face.”
“Isn’t he your friend?”
Yukito had offended enough people for one day.
While he was doing it for information about the old man, it was close to invading and robbing.
It was no surprise that Chen had been angry with them. If anything, Chen looked suspicious for being so helpful.
The man laughed.
“You really are Jin Raido’s apprentice.”
Yukito narrowed his eyes.
He understood that they would have had an extensive information net. Well, he had been informed of this just a few hours ago.
“Is he…Jin Raido. Is he here right now?”
“No.”
He answered immediately. Yukito’s eyes widened a little, but was not really surprised.
In the first place, he could not imagine it. The old man hiding from the police.
“I see. Thank you. In that case, we should…”
“Wait.”
Said the old man quietly.
“There is no rush. Why don’t you indulge an old man, and have some tea?”
“Tea…”
The old man turned to Lee, who then bowed and left the room.
He then returned with a tea set that had beautiful, blue patterns.
“I met Jin before the war.”
He began, as Lee poured the tea with surprisingly delicate movements.
“The war…”
“The Yugrile war. Surely you know of it?”
Yukito nodded as the cups were placed in front of them.
They took a sip. It was something like oolong. But much more refined than anything Yukito had drunk before.
“…It will be sixty years ago now. Back then, I was just a low level criminal. But there is nothing worse than a petty criminal who does not know his limits…”
That was when he met with Jin Raido.
“Back then, we had a good source of income. Working for corrupted officers. Of course, we misunderstood, and thought we were the ones in control.”
Of course, they were cut off after being exposed, and nearly lost their lives.
And then he was saved…by Jin.
“We were erased to keep our mouths shut. But he protected us, and had the officials arrested. Of course, we served our time in prison as well… It was the right punishment.”
“Right punishment…”
“I understood then. And I respected him. His strength and will. We are only able to live in this mud. We are called villains. However, even villains need dignity in order to protect.”
Indeed, there was dignity in his eyes now.
That was what this place was like.
It is easy to call people evil and cut them off. But there are people who have no choice but to live like that. And the world was not as black and white as that.
“The Sword Saint is not here. However, we do have other information. Regarding the culprit for these murders.”
Lee, who waited next to the table, took out a single photograph from his pocket.
A group photo—but not of a family. They were men in military uniforms.
Yukito’s eyes were drawn to the giant flag in the back.
And the large letter ‘A’ that was on it.
“The Arviness liberation army. That is what they called themselves.”
“Though they called themselves an army, they were not a very big group. Even if they did have their own chain of command. However, they lacked what was most important.
Yukito gave him a questioning look.
“A country to protect. They are the remaining officers of the Yugrile Kingdom.”
After being defeated by the empire, they were ruled as a colony.
“Kingdom?”
That part was strange.
“Yes, kingdom. Now republic. …How much do you really know about that war?”