Volume 3 -A Chapter 6 (1/2)
It was 9:30 AM, a subtle ti and midday
People were beginning to work at that time, but the restaurant inside the Yard was still packed full
It had the dangerous-sounding name of the Human Meat Bar
The entire place was painted red and it was too small for more than around a dozen people to fit
However, it was not just the small size that made it feel busy
The Hu point was its exclusive focus on Glossolalian clientele
The individuals in blue unifor all the lively noise at the counter and tables were Hard Wolves, Half Fish, and the like
They came here to mark the start of the day
The stea from the bowls and pots surrounded the blue of their uniforms and the red of the walls
Mixed in with it all was a pure white that alold
The color took the fors which stood up within the steam
They were Akira's wings
She sat across from Gunmal at a small table in the back of the small restaurant
She had a bowl of fish porridge, but…
”Gunmal, how can you eat that ramen? It's meant for Lin Xiao Ren You know, those forest dwarfs?”
”Hm? Not to worry, not to worry I trainedwhen I was in japan”
”japan? You went there?”
”You know Osaka, right? That city where the kids fight by singing and dancing? One of my brother's Devices ended up there”
Her eyebroered at his use of the word ”brother”
She sighed as she spoke
”I' It was so sudden after Rin brought Kouga back”
He paused before replying
”It had to have been a surprise …Do you feel like quitting the Yard?”
…It's hardly new to get coel
”…is what I'd like to say”
”But you aren't”
He smiled bitterly, so he had to have read her Live
Realizing that, she looked up
She started to say so else instead
”Both of our brothers are causing us trouble, aren't they?”
”The trouble with er, though”
…You make it sound like it isn't your problem
She intentionally let him read her Live
Just as he tilted his head at her sharp words, she swung around her ceramic spoon
”Honestly, as all that? A Tune E Daquan's blood? And it was probably done by him That makes him a suspect for murder and desecration of a corpse… That's two crimes!”
”Yeah, I re They don't knohat it was for, but the giant Tune Emblem could control an Octave of 40,960,000 …Did that delinquent guy investigate the site further after resurrecting?”
”I don't know, but I think the information on the Death Techno Tune E killed”
”I see” Gunmal nodded ”Come to think of it, what is this Death Techno they ?”
”When Hong Kong was burned in the Fifth Divine Punish were burned too Those had instructions on secret techniques beyond nor”
”Secret techniques? Youinstead of the standard ele the space-Tions?”
Akira was stared blankly as he rattled it off like it was nothing
”Wo do you know all that?”
”I'm from Europe's head Buster family”
”Hmm I only have the General and Rin to hear about this stuff from But I have heard of the Three Laws”
”They're called 'secret techniques', but they're really just two types of Lives and soons …So they call that Death Techno here?”
”What do they call it in Europe?”
”Legends My fa, but no one thinks about secret techniques They're too busy fighting wars”
”I see…”
Gunmal tilted his head
”If that Tune E What's-His-Na to draw out the Death Techno power of Yang? …I see Having a skilled brother sure isn't easy For either of us”
”You know…”
Akira frowned, but he stopped her with a hand
”He has my brother's Device, which makes this part of my job …Did you say his Urban Name was Double Lee?”
”His Wild Name is Lee Leed Hence, Double Lee”
…Just to be clear, I' you my Wild Name
He blatantly grihed
”I'”
”Shut up That's just standard etiquette for anyone involved in Tuning or Busting”
”You're not very friendly …Not that I'm much different”
”Honestly, you sure are carefree How did your second questioning go?”
”I had to use ”
”I do get the feeling you don't like using your brain …And don't change the subject”
”You want to know about my brother's relationshi+p?”
…You mean the woman named Genius?
He silently nodded and skillfully used his chopsticks to grab a piece of chicken from his ramen
”Want some?”
”Can you not see s?”
”Is that how that works?”
”Of course”
”So I was right You do primarily eat caterpillar- ow! Don't throw your spoon!”
She ignored his protest, lowered her eyes, and thought
…All of this is centered on Nein Engels This isn't good
”What's wrong with that? Your brother's your brother, right?”
”You can only say that because you don't kno Nein Engels are treated in Hong Kong”
”Really? I doubtht to persecution At least not between the two of them”
”How can you say that? You're being irresponsible”
”I can tell”
He sounded strangely decisive for once
Akira, on the other hand, grew briefly determined
”But…”
However, she trailed off and never finished
Her eyebrows
A short silence fell
Once the silence greard, Gun with his ramen soup
”According to Rin, she contacted my brother to have him ed some after that”
…Changed? You mean…
”Does that kind of thing interest you?”
”Don't even think about asking if I want to experience it for myself”
”Tch”
Gunue, but she still could not see his Live
…But I' of his pattern
She looked to hiht of J-Gun and Genius
A huel
Her parents and Rin and Fei had made the same combination
…Can it just not work?
As that question filled her heart, he clenched his fist
”Okay, I get it now You're worried about the issue of a huel couple”
Before she could complain that he had read her Live, he leaned forward
She tried to resist, but he placed his hands on hers and skillfully held them
Instead of an attack, she only let out a protest
”Wait, wait, wait! Who ever said anything about you and me!?”
”Don't worry I'e session”
”You need to stop doing things so suddenly! And let go of my hands!”
”No thanks If I let go, you'd definitely hit me”
He used a jocular tone and leaned further forward, so she counterattacked with a headbutt
”Gwoh!”
”Go die!”
He leaned back and cried out in pain while she shouted at him, but then she looked around
She had thought the surrounding Lives were awfully quiet and that turned out to be accurate
The customers at the tables and counters and even the cook in the kitchen were looking at her and Gunmal And they all seemed dumbfounded
”You got a problem with us?” she asked
They all quickly turned around, exaggeratedly cleared their throats, and resu
”They sure have a lot of free time,” she muttered
When she faced forward, she saw Gun his face below the nose She watched hiainst his upper lip
…Did I overdo that a little?
For once, she actually felt bad for what she had done
”Should I Tune that for you, Gunmal?”
”No, you don't have to It's not a problem”
”How can you say that when you're covered in blood?”
”It's fine, it's fine It'll stop before long …And didn't I say I don't want anyone to see my Live?”
She tilted her head at that
…Not even me?
”Do you want to see it that badly?”
There was a bitter sht had meant
She chose to give an exaggerated shrug
”Of course not,” she answered
After that, both of them went quiet
They could only hear the surrounding noise
Theyback to their food
After finishi+ng her ot some dessert from the counter
”Here, this will give you so This is made for a Mei Yuan, so it should taste a lot like human food”
”Soup and…what are these?”
”Annin tofu and black sesame red bean soup”
”What was that second one?”
”You can just call it black-red soup It's really dark, but it's surprisingly sweet and good for your hair”
”I see So you are a girl”
”Why do you sound like you just discovered that?”
”Oh, I already knew that I saw you naked earlier and you had everything necessary to be a gir-…”
”Don't say that out loud!”
Her shout gathered the other people's attention once more
…Ugh
She looked around, unsure what to do, and they all resuain
Their Lives all had a soht Word Color
It was not a bad color
”Just calet back to your seat”
She did as Gunested
She dropped her hips down in to the chair and he spoke
”To get back to our discussion, I know very well that you're a girl”
”Liar,” she immediately replied ”You don't have to humor , and my confidence is more masculine than feminine”
”I'el, I' up late, and I like sweets”
”You're getting a little off topic there”
”Oh, you're right”
She cleared her throat and thought
…Guns like that?
”Like what?”
…Like when you compliment me
He smiled bitterly
”It's really not fair to ask h your Live”
”That's because I don't know if I can say it out loud …Will you answer me?”
”These things are best left unsaid”
”But…”
She trailed off and let hihts
He simply nodded and smiled
She did not look him back in the eye and drank the black-red soup in front of her
It was only a little hot, so it must have cooled some
Gunmal followed her lead and tilted his ol
”I see… It's a bit strong, but I can drink this just fine”
”It was originally a Chinese 's desserts tend to be either crushed or hardened”
”You know a lot about this”
”I've learned a lot since I ca Cave Everyone there does things the British way, so there were a lot of heavy sweets”
”Is that so?”
He nodded just as someone entered the restaurant
It was Kouga and the General
When they spotted Akira and Gunh the small room
Akira looked up when she noticed
”What is it?”
The two had already reached the side of the table by then
Kouga was the first to speak
”I know you're eating, but do you have a moment? Both of you”
He brushed a hand through his blond pompadour
”Um, Akira? Rin wants you in the headquarters at 10:30”
”Eh? I thought I had patrol duty today”
”That's right She's supposed to show me around the city tod- ow!”
”Oh, sorry A punch slipped out And there? That had to have hurt …So, Kouga, what's going on?”
”Well… Is that guy all right?” asked the General
”He's fine, he's fine”
Akira answered in Gunmal's stead
Kouga glanced over at Gunroaned in pain, but he quickly answered Akira
”I was originally supposed to go, but Rin stopped me”
”Yeah, you did just grow in your right arm So that's what this is …Well, don't push yourself You've been working all day, haven't you? You should get some rest”
”Sorry about this Can you ask Rin about the job directly?”
Kouga looked over at Gunmal
”It's not so I want to say here”
”So indecent?”
The General smiled bitterly at Gunmal's comment
”Don't be silly You're comin' with me”
”Geh I's with an old man?”
”Not that You can visit J-Gun's workshop now I'll show you the way”
Gunlance at that
They gave each other a look that sarcastically said ”have fun”
It was a clear day, so the ht down from the heavens
On this day, areas norht
This was true even in Hong Kong Cave
On the sixth floor down, the sun lit up an old residential area with a good view of the blue sky
No Nein Engels lived on this floor
The floors near the surface were abandoned ruins
Nevertheless, a Nein Engel with six wings stood in front of one house on the edge of the hole
It was Double Lee
Without speaking a word, he viewed the plain ehed
He then slowly pulled a Device from his coat
It was the Device called ADs that J-Gun had made
He placed it against the rusted metal door
”Word Accel Oh, you Live of 8,000 Octaves”
He emitted a small Live
”Ha”
He produced a low but definite voice
The Live responded with a slight metallic sound
The door opened
He put ADs away and impatiently pulled the door the rest of the way open
He took a step inside
There, he saw a small entranceway and a small kitchen
Dust was piled up on the sunlit floor The thickness of the dust showed years had passed
Double Lee remained silent
He entered without re his shoes and left footprints in the dust
He looked down and saw no tracks other than his own
As soon as he noticed that, his expression distorted a bit
This distortion was different froer or a smile
He looked back up and to the kitchen sink
There was a discoloration in the dust where water had dripped from the faucet
Other than that, the dust was entirely undisturbed
Sun shi+ning on a sink covered in a thick layer of dust was the perfect iery to make the place feel truly abandoned
He looked away from the sink and faced forward
He walked and his footsteps sounded a bit muffled due to the dust
He opened the door in the back of the kitchen to reach a fairly large living room
It had a proper sofa and table If it was cleaned, it could be used to entertain guests almost immediately
If not for the dust, the room would have looked like someone had lived there quite recently
The bright light from the ashed over him as he looked around the entire room
His gaze suddenly stopped at a certain spot
An upright piano was placed in one corner of the room
It was covered in white dust and a picture frame sat on top of it
He picked up that small wooden frame and he spoke
”I'm home, I suppose”
There was too raph of four people
The two standing on either side were likely the parents
The quiet-looking s, but there was not a wing to be seen on the father whose fearless smile twisted the scar on his cheek
They were an unbalanced pair
So were the two children standing between the parents
One had several white wings that looked too large for his
The child with tings was clinging to her mother If her expression had been visible, it would likely have shown her fear of the camera
The rest of the fa at that
But in the present, Double Lee did not smile as he looked at it
”You were so attached to mother, so why did you flee to the surface?” he asked the photograph ”Even if father's death was near, you still could have saved ht Song”
He sighed
”It could have been you instead of me”
He hung his head and looked at the floor in silence
That silence was broken by a voice from outside
”Double Lee! Are you in there!?”
It was Genius's voice and she sounded somewhat uneasy
”Double Lee! Fei is calling for you!”
He ignored her second call as well
He gently set down the picture fraers
With the dust gone, the Nein Engel girl came into view
His gaze irl from the past
He gave a bitter smile that did not reach his eyes
That e nod and called outside
”Genius! What is it?”
In the time it took him to take a breath, his expression reverted to his normal, composed one
”Double Lee!? Are you there?”
”Yes, I aht there”
He ian to walk
His pace was calh the kitchen and out the front entrance
”Oh”
As soon as he left the diht reached his more than his skin
It took several seconds for his eyes to adjust
Once they did, he saw Genius standing in front of him
She looked relieved to see hihed
”I've been visiting all sorts or ruins these past few days”
”These are not ruins,” he corrected ”You say Fei is calling for me?”
”Yes, he wants to know the details for the Necro everyone out of here before the second repatriation ceremony today”
”I see”
”We're counting on you You're the only one Master Huang told everything to”
”Onlyseemed very attached to my parents”
”Your parents? Not to you?” asked Genius
”I was only talking to myself,” he assured her with a bitter smile
She frowned and he showed her his usual expression
”We have to help Fei prepare, don't we? We should hurry It see for him”
”Eh?”
”I would guess it's only sonore it”
”But… How are they searching for him? He's never revealed his name in his work and he lost his ht?”
Double Lee s
”It may be a connection from before he lost those memories”
He took a breath
”Genius, have you ever hated so force?”
”Eh?”
”I think that is why Fei altered hi without trying to protect J-Gun”
She fell silent with a heavy and stiff look on her face
Double Lee laughed and started walking
”No need to givelike that I do, you do, Fei does, and even Master Huang did”
And…
”There is nothing wrong with it”
He did not hesitate to ju Cave
He spread his six wings
The white wings briefly let the sunlight wash over the Cave
Al into some watery depths
As the sun rose to the top of the heavens on the surface, Akira and Rin were underground
This was not Hong Kong Cave Just as that great pit had been created in Hong Kong Island, a layered sealed space existed below the Kowloon Peninsula
However, no one lived there anymore
Instead, the Yard used it as a ue and catacombs for murder victims
The concrete corridor was fairly wide and about four people could walk abreast The side walls had doors embedded in them like on a shi+p
”No one's reallythe place, but it still doesn't fall apart”