Dragon Kimono was soaking herself in a warm bath after their long trip to Seitheargnagh. Her fake kimono was hanging from the ceiling, dripping water on the floor planks. The dirt and mud were easy to wash, but bloodstains had to be scrubbed with saltwater and unraveled strips of cloth had to be replaced with new ones.

Next to the wooden bathtub at the corner of her room, a long row of claw knives, daggers, darts and shurikens were laid out on a short-legged table. On the other edge of the table, there was a neat row of revolvers and carbines. They were waiting for sharpening and cleaning.

Crystal Pencil walked into her room without knocking, but she wasn't troubled by it.

He was wearing a new, clean set of clothes. Under his black knee-length duster jacket, he carried six revolvers: two on hip holsters, two in cavalry draw abdomen holsters, and two in horizontal holsters behind his back.

“I'm going out. I will visit Cordbird for information about the men Speedrun is looking for. If his information is what I expect, I will go to Low City to deliver letters. I will visit Chreilau and Shade of Chasm. I will return at dawn. If I haven't returned before midday, collect everything and wait for me at the northern gate. Speedrun is sleeping. If he wants to leave the house before dawn, stop him. If he still insists on going out, go with him.” (Crys)

“Yes, brother.” (Kimono)

“Something wrong?” (Crys)

“You are being influenced by him.” (Kimono)

“Am I?” (Crys)

“You are using his words.” (Kimono)

“New concepts require new words.” (Crys)

“It is not only words. You are trying to do many things in one night. It's like we are escaping in a hurry again. I don't like it. And I don't like how he treats you, like his favorite puppet.” (Kimono)

“It is true that his outlook fascinates me. But rather than escaping in a hurry, he has presented us a way to move forward earlier than I anticipated. I will count on you to cut the strings, if he ever tries to tie my hands or feet.” (Crys)

“Yes, brother.” (Kimono)

“There's still something else. What is it? Do not answer it's nothing.” (Crys)

“He's hiding things from us. We should spice his food.” (Kimono)

“Yes, he's hiding something. No, I cannot obtain more root. It must be preserved for someone who doesn't speak of his own volition. Also, from what I can tell, he knows we carry Root of Veracity. He would know if you spiced his food and he would spit it out. Your half of the vial would be gone for no gain to us, only loss. I must expend a vial of rare poison tonight, but we must save what we cannot obtain more. There's a long journey ahead.” (Crys)

“Clarity itself, brother.” (Kimono)

“Clarity itself.” (Crys)

----------------------------------------

Cordbird returned to his home in the High City temple district and was about to open the front door of his beloved brownstone townhouse, when he suddenly felt that someone was watching him.

He turned around and saw a shadowy figure standing on a dark alley on the opposite side of the street. Cordbird pocketed his home key and approached the figure on the alley immediately.

“I waited for you at the fountain. I have something for you.” (Cordbird)

“I was busy. Talk.” (Crys)

Crys threw a gold krúrick in the air and Cordbird snatched it.

“There's a rumor in the streets that a southerner named Saif, a man with silvery eyes, works for the chiffonnier gang called Elephant Door at Low City. I suspect he is one of the two you were looking for.” (Cordbird)

“Good. The other one?”

“The little birds have not sang yet.” (Cordbird)

“I see.”

“However, there's something more for you, for another gold coin.” (Cordbird)

“Continue.” (Crys)

A second gold krúrick was thrown into air.

“Yesterday, another person came to me looking for information about a northerner using the name Speedrun. He had a green spiral tattoo on his face. I told him roughly same I told to you, for the same price.” (Cordbird)

“Interesting. Why was he looking for him?” (Crys)

“I'm not one to speculate, as you know. However, he was quite rude and refused to pay more gold for deeper information, so I could only recommend some alternative options.” (Cordbird)

“A tracker, no, a regular bounty hunter?” (Crys)

“It is always a pleasure to trade words with a person who quickly catches the nuances.” (Cordbird)

“I see.” (Crys)

Crys could immediately guess that the man with a spiral face tattoo, Gerany's bodyguard Droser, wanted to avenge his previous humiliation and was even willing to hire help to find him.

----------------------------------------

It was raining when Saif, also known as Self-Destruction Dance, left his rowboat dwelling under a Low City pier and walked through the mud-filled streets to the nearby theater house.

They were currently doing an old play called Friends of the Sun on the stage – a story about masked slaves chained together and dancing through the streets of an unnamed city. All roles were played by women wearing grotesque masks and audience members were invited to throw krúricks at them.

There wasn't any written stageplay; it was believed that the characters and the story resided in the masks themselves. The job of the actors on stage was to fall into trance-like state where they could “awaken” the masks and reveal the hidden ancient myths during performance.

Saif went to the theater house alley every night to collect the rags and props that the actors had thrown away after their last performance of the day. It was the first place on his regular collection route.

When he approached the alley, he suddenly saw a figure in the alley of a theater house. The figure was standing under a dragon beam, just outside the light cone of a hat-shaped street lantern attached to the corner of the building.

Crystal Pencil waited there holding a revolver in his right hand.

“Are you Saif?” (Crys)

“W-who is asking?” (Dancer)

“A man holding a gun. Come to the lantern's light.” (Crys)

“W-why? What do you want? I don't have anything...” (Dancer)

“You must follow my orders. You cannot run away. I know your name and face. Elephant Door will not come for your help. I talked to them; you are no longer part of the gang.” (Crys)

Saif had a look of anguish and resignation on his face. He took reluctant steps closer.

Crys grabbed him with his left hand, pushed his face against the wall under the lantern and forced his mouth open with his fingers.

“W-whaf afe you doinf...?!” (Dancer)

“Yes, sickly gray color and silvery eyes. You are the deviant dancer.”

“I'm not a deviant...!” (Dancer)

“Really now? We can visit Suleiman's outpost and ask the soldiers for confirmation, shall we?” (Crys)

“N-no... Please, I'm not a deviant...” (Dancer)

“Suleiman's soldiers are your second option. Your first option is to come with me and follow my orders. The option to run away does not exist, your gang will not help you. Two options, which one do you prefer?” (Crys)

“D-do you know something about my... Where are you going to take me...?” (Dancer)

“Wise choice. I will take you to High City, a person named Speedrun will have a talk with you in the morning. Before that, you will stay in Warm Revenge Inn and wait until morning–” (Crys)

----------------------------------------

In the middle of an uncharacteristically luxurious cloister in the Low City, in an octagonal pavilion, crime lord and grandmaster Chreilau Vorrelcrych, leader of the Tigerreed Gang, was eating horse meat and drinking wine.

Chreilau enjoyed the sound of rain at night, as he relaxed after a short evening of syndicate-related work and looked forward to a passionate night with his lovers.

Holding an umbrella, his butler walked in to bring news of a visitor.

“Master, a weapon merchant who calls himself Crystal Pencil stands at the front gate and says he wishes to talk with you about a certain matter related to Osman Creyzis-Oughvenien” (butler)

“He wished to talk about Osman? A curious time to talk about such things... Crystal Pencil is the young one who makes contracts in blood, yes? Fine, guide him in.” (Chreilau)

When Crystal Pencil was guided in the cloister, two bodyguards standing at the arcade stopped him. Crys raised his hands and the bodyguards searched his clothes.

“He carries four – no, two more. Six revolvers. Six Caliph's revolvers. This is some good quality stuff. And two daggers.” (bodyguard)

“I must apologize for bringing in wet weaponry. The rain caught me by surprise.” (Crys)

“Hah! A rookie mistake!” (bodyguard)

“Leave your ammo belts as well.” (second bodyguard)

The bodyguards followed Crystal Pencil to the pavilion while eagerly inspecting his high quality revolvers.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“Crystal Pencil.” (Chreilau)

“Lord Vorrelcrych.” (Crys)

“It seems you brought me free samples of your merchandise.” (Chreilau)

“You may take them.” (Crys)

“Oh? Quite lavish gifts. Guards, keep the revolvers.“ (Chreilau)

“Yes, master!" (bodyguard)

“What type of favor are you looking in compensation for this consultation?” (Chreilau)

“May I ask some privacy?” (Crys)

“You must go that far? How boring... Step back, guards.” (Chreilay)

The guards walked back under the arcade. Crystal Pencil stepped under the roof of the pavilion and sat down on the opposite side of the table. Chreilau's butler stood at the side.

“A fine white horse was butchered in the morning, so you must speak while I eat... No, would you like a taste of this meat as well?” (Chreilau)

“No need.” (Crys)

“Oh, I must insist. Bring my guest a full plate of horse meat.”

“Yes, master.” (butler)

The butler left the pavilion.

“You may speak now.” (Chreilau)

“I'll be brief since I have other matters to attend to tonight. I wish to make a simple contract.” (Crys)

“Hm? How is this related to Osman?” (Chreilau)

“I only used his name to get in. My true intention is to make a contract with you about certain sensitive information that has come to my possession.” (Crys)

“Information related to Osman, or...?” (Chreilau)

“Yes. It seems that Osman is one of the syndicate leaders and he will be assassinated by his secretary named Gaogzo.”

Chreilau coughed a half-chewed piece of meat out of his mouth in astonishment.

“You dare to walk into my house to blackmail me?!” (Chreilau)

“I see. It seems I have hit a nerve. Then, are you interested in poisons?”

“What...?! Guards, kill this miserable fool!” (Chreilau)

Chreilau called for his bodyguards, but saw them lying on the ground under the arcade. They were twitching and foaming from their mouths; still alive, but unable to help him.

“It was not because of rain that my weapons were slippery. It is a common mistake to not wear gloves and to not clean your new weapons.” (Crys)

Crys had already slipped around the table to strangle Chreilau with a metal wire extending from his sleeve.

“I want you to deliver a message to the other members of the syndicate.”

“G-gah...!” (Chreilau)

“Still curious about your guards? When we met last time, I made a note about them. They are quite capable and skilled men, but not only they make mistakes out of arrogance, they have a habit of licking the blades of their knives and barrels of their weapons, as if such thing counts as intimidation. Licking the poison is not really needed, as it works its way through skin, but working under you, they have started thinking the same way you think: that their aristocratic blood, fearsome reputation and wealth combined makes their skin invulnerable.”

After strangling Chreilau, Crys slipped a sealed letter in the crime lord's breast pocket and went to retrieve his weapons from the bodyguards.

Chreilau's butler, holding an umbrella in his left hand and a plate full of raw horse meat in his right hand, walked out of the house, but stopped right after taking three steps.

He realized something was wrong, dropped both the umbrella and the meat plate, and tried to return back inside the house, but Crystal Pencil pushed the door shut in front of him.

“It is quite unfortunate that he sent you inside. Did you tell my name to the chef or to the other servants?” (Crys)

“N-no...” (butler)

“You don't sound certain. This will take more time than I thought.” (Crys)

Crys strangled the butler and walked inside the house to take care of the rest.

----------------------------------------

Shade of Chasm was in high spirits as he walked through a dark alley owned by his gang. He was heading for his gang's base in one of the Strangers high-rise towers.

He was smoking a churchwarden pipe and protected the smouldering leaves from rain with a wide-brimmed horsehair gat.

Suddenly Shade had a feeling that someone was behind him in the alley and reached for his revolver, but Crystal Pencil stepped in faster and pressed a revolver on the back of his head.

“Do not move. Drop your gun and your rain cloak, and raise you hands above your head, slowly.” (Crys)

“...My, my, am I becoming popular? My companions will hear it if you shoot and they will run out to kill you.” (Shade)

“Raise your hands, slowly.” (Crys)

Shade followed the instructions with haughty disdain. He dropped his gun and his rain cloak, then raised his hands.

“You sure chose a bad weather for this. Do you know who I am?” (Shade)

“Shade of Chasm.” (Crys)

“You are on my turf. Are you here to make me an offer?” (Shade)

“You work for a crime lord. Give me his name.” (Crys)

“Perhaps. Make me an offer and I might work for you.” (Shade)

“Answer my question and I will let you live.” (Crys)

“If you were here to assassinate me, you would have done it already. How much?” (Shade)

“How much are they paying you?” (Crys)

“If I worked for someone like that, I guess they would pay me forty a month. But if you are who I think you are, I'll settle for thirty and a pair of good guns.” (Shade)

“I see. You might indeed become a troublesome foe in the future, if you deduced my identity from this short exchange. The evaluation is over. I will turn you into a message.” (Crys)

“A mes–“ (Shade)

BANG

Crys shot Shade in the back of his head.

Immediately after that, Crys took a gunpowder bomb from his shoulder bag, lighted the fuse and placed it under Shade's gat to protect it from rain.

When Shade's companions ran in the alley, the gunpowder bomb exploded, but managed to kill only one of the gangsters.

Crys shot a few times to make the gangsters take cover. The gangsters shouted and cursed at him.

“Are you from the Blind Butchers gang?! Come out, cowards!” (gangster)

Crys was already running through the alleys, following an escape route he had planned beforehand, heading back to High City.

----------------------------------------

Droser stepped in the Warm Revenge Inn, pushed an ostler out of his way and looked around the main room.

There were many customers, mainly merchants, sitting on long benches in the middle of the room and eating early breakfast. On the sides, more people sat on round saloon tables, playing cards or drinking wine.

In one of the tables near the corner, Droser saw the bounty hunter he came meet. The bounty hunter named Dirt raised his wine goblet and signaled Droser to come closer.

“Did you find him? Is he here?” (Droser)

“No, but I have news. Sit down, my friend, have some of this wine!” (Dirt)

“Hmph. If he's not here, why did you call me in this place?” (Droser)

“Patience, there is an order to everything. The man you wish to find came to this city recently from the north; Stray Dog, as you said. He stayed in this inn, but under a different name: Timeboy.” (Dirt)

“Timeboy?” (Droser)

“Yes. The name you gave me, Speedrun, seems to be this Timeboy's fake name, or it's the other way around, or they are both fake names.” (Dirt)

“His names don't matter! I told you what he looks like and even drew you a picture! Where is he now?” (Droser)

“The owner of this place said Timeboy took a room for three days and didn't return. But it seems he enjoyed the food greatly, so he might come back.” (Dirt)

“What am I paying you for? Spending my money on cheap wine and rat meat! Do you just plan to wait here and nothing else, you bastard goblin? You don't move enough for your reward!” (Droser)

“My friend, waiting is probably the only option we have for now. I talked with several people in this district and they remember him well; a person from the north with strangely decorated shoes and weird habits. He seems to have left the city, so unless you wish to pay extra...” (Dirt)

“I don't want to wait! I want to kill that leech immediately!” (Droser)

“Now, now, don't get desperate–” (Dirt)

“Gerany kicked me out because of him! I can't get anyone at High City to hire me in anymore! It's his fault! I will take Speedrun's head and kick it down the street!” (Droser)

Behind them, sitting in a half-moon table under the stairs, Dancer sat alone and listened their conversation with a troubled face.

----------------------------------------

Crys returned to High City and headed straight to Warm Revenge Inn. He saw Dancer sitting in the small corner table as he had ordered.

“Get up.” (Crys)

“E-excuse me, a-about that Speedrun person...!” (Dancer)

“What about him?” (Crys)

“Y-yes, two men that just left the inn were talking about him, I heard them mention his name. Th-they were talking about a man named Speedrun, the one–”

“What did they say?” (Crys)

“...I-it seems they want to kill him.” (Dancer)

“I see. Did the man who spoke so have a tattooed face?” (Crys)

“Y-yes! A green spi–“ (Dancer)

“A spiral tattoo. I suppose this is what he would call good arrangee.” (Crys)

“What?” (Dancer)

“A lucky coincidence. How long since they left?” (Crys)

“A few minutes, maybe...?” (Dancer)

“Good. We might be able to catch them.” (Crys)

Crys ran out of the inn dragging Dancer behind him, then looked the street left and right.

“Do you see them?” (Crys)

“N-no...” (Dancer)

There were few street kids standing in a street corner under an awning. Crys let go of Dancer's coat collar, grabbed one of the kids and posed him a question.

“Which way the man with a tattooed face went?” (Crys)

The stunned street kid pointed at an alley on the left.

Crys and Dancer hurried to the alley, and after turning a corner and looking down the next street, they saw two men walking towards Low City.

“Those two, the limping bald one and the one with fancy rain cloak!” (Dancer)

“Good. Now go to that alley over there.” (Crys)

“Huh?” (Dancer)

“Do as I say.” (Crys)

Crys left Dancer behind and ran after the two men.

“Wait a moment, gentlemen! I happened to overhear you are looking for a man named Speedrun?” (Crys)

“Huh? What's it to you?” (Droser)

“It so happens that I know where this gentleman is and I am willing to sell this information to you.” (Crys)

“See now, Droser? Waiting for–” (Dirt)

“How much do you want?” (Droser)

“Two silver krú and I'll show the way to his current dwelling myself.” (Crys)

“...You look familiar. Have we met before?” (Droser)

“In this translucent curtain of rain, all wet dogs look the same.” (Crys)

“Hah, well said! But acquiring a fine rain cloak is what you should do!” (Dirt)

“Tch, my money well spent.” (Droser)

“I thank you for your sage advice, elder brother.” (Crys)

“Well, where is that bastard Speedrun then?” (Droser)

“Gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to my partner, he's actually the one who saw him. We split our two silver equally, if you don't mind. He awaits in the alley over there.” (Crys)

Crys convinced the men to follow him back to the alley.

“May I inquire why you want to kill this man named Speedrun?” (Crys)

“None of your business, bastard.” (Droser)

“I see. I was simply thinking he sounds like an interesting person.” (Crys)

“If you think the dead are interesting.” (Droser)

“Now, now, there's no need to fight over the dead, are we not free men?” (Dirt)

“Ah, here's my partner now.” (Crys)

Dancer stood in the alley, holding rain under an overhang, looking stupefied like someone had just poured a bucket of water on his head.

Dirt immediately stopped when he saw Dancer.

“Wait, you were in–“ (Dirt)

Crys spinned around and buffaloed Dirt in the head with his revolver, fracturing the bounty hunter's skull. Then he pointed his revolver at Droser's forehead.

“On your knees. Do not move or you're dead.” (Crys)

“Help! Guards! Murder!” (Droser)

“The guards won't come on this weather. Be silent.” (Crys)

Crys kicked Droser's leg and forced him to kneel. A poisoned dagger appeared to Crys' left hand and immediately cut a deep wound at Droser's scalp. Droser screamed.

“It seems my poisoned dagger has cut another worthless thing.” (Crys)

“P-poison...?!” (Droser)

“The blade is drenched in rare skin-permeating poison called Heartless Haustoria, collected from the treetops of Fireland birches. Have your heard of it? I see you have. If you don't ingest antidote in few minutes, you will become paralyzed and then you will die.”

“P-please, I don't want to die… I'll do anything...” (Droser)

“Yes, it is fortunate that I can hear the story from the person himself. Tell me everything about your meeting with Speedrun and I will give you the antidote. I promise you will live if you talk quickly.” (Crys)

“...H-h-he came after hours when Gerany was entertaining a woman and sent me to stand at guard outside–” (Droser)

Droser quickly told the events that happened at Gerany's shop.

“I see. You were kicked in the curb like you were nothing. A former soldier of Suleiman's army beaten with simple tricks. Quite amusing, knowing the timid person in question.” (Crys)

“...P-please, the a-antidote, I-I can't raise my hands...” (Droser)

“Both the poison and the antidote are quite hard to obtain. I prefer to guide my krúricks into poison rather than antidote; thus, I carry only one vial for myself. However, as a show of gratitude, I will grant you quick death.” (Crys)

Crys stabbed Droser in the throat.

“You promised you would let him live...” (Dancer)

“It is understandable that you are worried. A simple consideration: this person is more useful as a corpse, you are probably more useful alive. However, your fate is not up to me to decide, it is Speedrun who will decide whether you live or not.” (Crys)

“...W-who exactly is this Speedrun person?” (Dancer)

“A strange seer quick on his feet. Now then, there is still one place to visit tonight.” (Crys)

Crys checked the unconscious bounty hunter and pressed his face down in a puddle to drown him.

Then, before leaving the alley, Crys stopped on a whim and went back to take Dirt's rain cloak.

----------------------------------------

Cordbird woke up and saw a dark figure standing next to his bed, water dripping on the carpet from his cloak.

“Who's here...?!” (Cordbird)

“It's me.” (Crys)

Cordbird took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. He realized the visitor wasn't alone; there was also someone else standing in the hallway, just outside the frame of his bedroom door.

“Crystal Man, I thought I was going to get kidnapped for a moment... We've known for a long time, but breaking into my bedroom in the middle of the night is a bit...” (Cordbird)

“It was necessary.” (Crys)

“...This will cost you. What do you want to know?” (Cordbird)

“You should have continued sleeping.” (Crys)

Cordbird's eyes adapted to the darkness and he finally saw the tip of the dagger pointed at him.

“I see... If you're willing to go this far, I guess my information doesn't matter anymore.” (Cordbird)

“No. It doesn't.” (Crys)

“You won't even give a head start for an old friend? I can disappear from this city.” (Cordbird)

“I want you to deliver a message.” (Crys)

----------------------------------------

Kimono was watching the street through the second floor window, waiting for her brother.

When she saw Crys coming, bringing another person with him, she immediately closed the curtain and went down to the first floor.

Crys stepped in the foyer where his sister Dragon Kimono and a man who called himself Speedrun were waiting. Speedrun welcomed him with another incomprehensible line:

“Sweet coat! Top it off with a deerstalker hat and you're styling!”