Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: White Crow Unit ― Richard (2)
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“...I guess I have to go.”
Richard was incredibly quick when it came to making decisions and putting them into action.
Whether it was helping a friend, buying something that caught his eye, or picking out a building for his new hospital.
But this time around, he agonized over it right up until a few hours before the party was set to start.
Before he knew it, the sun had set, and it was now too late to send word that he wouldn't be coming without seeming rude.
After clocking out early, he threw on a suit that would fit the party vibe, paced the cramped living room for a bit, and finally headed out at the absolute last minute.
The carriage rattled along toward the Braithner mansion.
Erika had steeled herself not to see him anymore. No, she had already cut off her feelings entirely.
But business was business, and personal matters were personal.
Richard was the Braithner family's personal physician. A doctor was a businessman at heart, after all, so he had an obligation to keep good relations with his clients.
Of course, it wouldn't be hard. It was just business as usual.
The Braithner mansion—the most eye-catching estate in all of District 8—was already ablaze with lights from the rooftop down to the garden.
Horses and carriages were lined up in the backyard, and bursts of merry laughter were already spilling out from inside.
As Richard entered under the butler's guidance, Mr. Braithner—who had been surrounded by guests and laughing heartily—spotted him and broke into a grin.
“Oh! Dr. Enke! So glad you made it. I owe you big time. Erika! The doctor's here!”
Richard swallowed a wry smile. He knew full well that the president only ever spoke to Erika when it was absolutely necessary.
Erika approached, having taken on the hostess role in place of her mother, who had secluded herself due to selective mutism.
To Richard's eyes, she still looked like a scrawny 16-year-old kid, even in her stunning navy-blue dress.
Richard flashed his usual soft smile and extended a hand.
“Good evening.”
“...Hello.”
Erika wore her usual cool, impassive expression.
“Well then, enjoy yourself.”
After she quietly withdrew, Richard let the time slip by pointlessly.
He chatted amiably with Mr. Braithner and his acquaintances, stuffing himself with all the fancy dishes he could never afford on a normal day.
People were dancing to the orchestra's tunes in the grand hall, but Richard sat it out.
He had danced with the “respectable young ladies” the president always introduced him to at these parties, but it had never led to anything romantic.
At 27, he was firmly in marriageable age territory.
His parents, still running their general store out in the countryside, sent letters nagging him to get hitched and come home whenever the mood struck them.
But Richard had zero intention of going back to that nightmare of a place. He'd made that vow on the train to Lüdelheim during his entrance ceremony.
‘And any woman who marries me would end up miserable.’
Richard knew it all too well.
He never let down anyone in a casual fling, but the moment someone tried to step even a foot into his personal space, he shoved them right back out—leaving them hurt in the end.
Erika was the perfect example.
So he'd just have to live alone for the rest of his life.
Lost in these kinds of thoughts as he drank, he ended up fairly tipsy.
“Guess I need to sober up for a bit.”
He headed upstairs to the second floor like it was second nature. There was a guest room kept just for him, since he crashed there every time.
“Phew...”
He entered the dimly lit room, collapsed onto the bed, and yanked loose the tie choking his neck.
Erika kept popping up at the edge of his vision as she played host without a break, so he'd been more tense than usual.
Just rest for ten minutes or so and head back down, he thought.
Then—
Whoosh!
The curtain over the window fluttered, as if caught in a breeze. But there was no wind.
“Who's th—”
“It's me.”
Lucas Redan was already perched on the windowsill.
Under the moonlight, his twisted grin made him look downright demonic.
Piuuuung!
Pop pop bang!
Fireworks launched by some mage went off behind Lucas.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ “Richard's gonna be tough to convince. Trust me, I know.”
Her jet-black bob swayed, and her lips, slick with dark beer, gleamed red.
“Tough, huh? You that confident?”
“I'll give it my all.”
I smirked and topped off her empty glass with more beer.
A fancy beer hall in District 8. A hundred pfennigs a pop—not cheap—but Erika would foot the bill.
Next to us, Daniel and Oscar were scarfing down the free nuts like there was no tomorrow, while Georg nursed a glass of milk.
“Your all? You swore you'd drag him back no matter what!”
Erika shot me a glare, but there was no real venom in it anymore.
From all our hangouts lately, I'd pegged her type: tough to get close to, but once she let someone in, she'd hand over her heart on a platter.
I could sense it.
Give her one ounce of affection, and she'd pay back ten.
She's got some serious affection deprivation going on.
I thought with a pang, then grinned.
“No such thing as absolutes in this world.”
“Hey...!”
“But I told you. I'll bring him back—with all my heart. I swear it.”
I whispered it dead seriously, and Erika's expression melted away.
“So, what's the plan?”
Daniel, who'd been eavesdropping, jumped in.
“He set up that hospital, right? Mind giving me the address?”
“Wait, you're just gonna show up? That's pointless.”
“Gotta start somewhere.”
Erika, Daniel, Oscar, and Georg all stared at me like I was full of hot air.
“First time here? Name?”
“Lucas Redan. Came for some bruise cream.”
Plenty of excuses to go around.
The welts from Ossel's beating had healed ages ago, but with my weak-ass constitution, I got bruises just from wandering around the house and bumping into furniture.
After killing time with the newspaper for about thirty minutes, I got ushered into the director's office.
“What can I do for—”
“Hey.”
I flashed a grin and plopped right into the exam chair. Eyes soft under platinum blonde hair went wide for a second, then curved into a polite smile.
“Treatment's just a cover—you're here to talk me into it, right?”
“Nah, I actually need it treated.”
I rolled up my sleeve and flashed the purple bruises. Richard gave them a quick glance, then started scribbling a prescription.
“When'd this happen?”
“Last night, probably.”
He cracked open the little fridge by his desk and pulled out an ice pack.
A rune-etched magic fridge, huh.
High-end stuff in this world—not even most homes or eateries had 'em. Business must be booming.
His hands were careful as he pressed the ice pack on, full of professional care, but his face gave away zilch.
Tough nut to crack.
Master at hiding his thoughts. Was it just his kind, grown-up vibe... or something more?
“Massage it like this every day, and it'll clear up fast.”
“Gah!”
He jabbed the bruise hard, and pain exploded through me.
“Ow, so... you thinking of coming back?”
“Sorry. You know by now I'm not cut out for that stuff. I won't rat you out, so if you could just go...”
He smiled gently but cut it off clean, then hit the call button.
“See? Told you so.”
Erika sighed like I was hopeless. Couldn't see her face, but it was probably all scrunched up.
We were in a dingy basement cafe in District 13 today. Thick with cigarette smoke and gamblers' yells—perfect for keeping secrets.
“Told me to scram.”
Even I had to admit, it sounded pretty cool.
Pffft!
Oscar choked on his beer next to me.
“His bedside manner was pretty nice, though. He'll cave soon enough.”
“Duh, he's a doctor!”
Georg hollered, looking exasperated.
“Lucas, I warned you. Fail to bring back Erika and Richard, and—”
“Yeah, yeah, you'll kill me. But this was just recon.”
I brushed off Daniel half-assed and dropped my voice.
“Anyway, friends... time for some group brainstorming.”
They all turned my way.
“Spill on Richard's personality.”
Daniel, Oscar, and Georg didn't have much. Lots of anecdotes, but boiled down to:
‘Kinda hard to get close to, but a good guy.’
Erika hemmed and hawed for a good long while before murmuring,
“He's kind, sure. But...”
I perked right up.
“He doesn't open up. Way worse than Oscar made it sound. Ruthlessly cold sometimes. Never really gives his heart to anyone. Feels like he'd ditch anything if it threatened him.”
The mood tanked hard.
That was straight-up savage.
Not empty trash talk, but the raw, lived-in truth from someone who'd been through it—made it hit different.
“Nah, can't be that bad.”
“It is. Eight years I've known him, and after that last mess, it's basically radio silence.”
Oscar tried laughing it off and waving it away, but Erika wasn't budging.
“Hang on, sis. Then why hook up a guy like that with the Whi—no, Daniel bro? And why'd Richard go along with it?”
“Thought maybe that side of him could be useful. As for why he accepted...”
Erika ducked her head, looking lost.
Feels guilty, huh.
I propped my chin and nodded.
She probably hated his guts. Last drinking sesh, she'd griped about how he'd sliced her off cold turkey.
But deep down, she knew the real blame lay with her for dragging him into the White Crow Unit in the first place. Hence the guilt.
Hell, how'd those two even become friends to begin with?
Head buzzing from the booze, I hammered away at the puzzle.
Erika: icy exterior, but a blazing heart underneath. Richard: warm on the surface, ice-cold within.
One wears her soul on her sleeve. The other buries his deep.
Yet their bond went way back.
Which meant...
I lurched to my feet.
“Gonna step out for air. Erika, you coming?”
We hit the surface and leaned against an alley wall. The cold air snapped me sober.
After a beat, I leaned in close to her ear and whispered,
“You got a thing for Richard?”
“What?”
She flinched like I'd zapped her.
I kept staring until her cheeks flushed under that frosty mask, and she let out a sigh.
“Don't be ridiculous.”
“Hmm.”
“Friends now, that's it... Just a fleeting kid-crush back in the day. Thought he was sweet then. Only real person around me.”
“Gotcha.”
I nodded casually.
“I'll bring him back for sure. Your precious friend.”
“...Georg nailed it—you're annoying as hell acting like you know everything.”
“Not acting anymore. I know now.”
She balled her fist tight.
“More importantly, no other way to see him? Besides the hospital.”
Erika dialed back the agitation and thought it over.
“Dad throws this annual party around now. Invites Richard every time. Bet he got one this year too.”
“How come not us?”
“Never invited my friends. It's his networking schmooze-fest. Didn't wanna call you guys.”
She answered my joke deadpan, a flicker of quiet anger crossing her face.
Hold up—party?
Something clicked in my head.
“Thanks, Erika! Just got a killer idea. Gonna need your help.”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ “A trap, huh.”
Richard muttered and launched himself forward. But Lucas was quicker.
Shorter and scrawnier, but damn if he wasn't nimble—he blocked the massive door before Richard could take two steps.
“Not leaving till you talk to me.”
“Why the hell should I—”
“How long you planning to keep running?”
Richard felt the smile drain from his face.
“Why do you keep trying to drag me in? My heart's not in it anymore.”
He asked in a low voice—uncharacteristically subdued—and Lucas let out a low chuckle.
“Quit bullshitting. You're already knee-deep. You don't start that kinda thing without steeling yourself for life—or till they nab you. You know it.”
“Just some kid playing secret society—”
“There we go!”
Bam!
Lucas slammed the wall.
“True colors at last. Yeah, playtime. Dumb kid games. But those kids? They were dead serious! Gave it everything against Krüger. Clumsy as hell, sure—but they stuck to their guns.”
“...”
Lucas's black eyes caught the moonlight and flashed like a madman's.
“I'm gonna remake the White Crow Unit. Turn it into the real deal—a proper secret society. I ain't some prodigy, but I'll grind till we can actually take down Krüger.”