Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: White Crow Unit ― Richard (3)
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"You madman."
That was all he could say.
Topple the Leader? The Leader who'd been reigning like a king for 18 years already?
"Come on, you hate Krüger too, don't you?"
"No, even so... That's not the same thing as this! If we keep doing crap like this, we're all dead meat! Yeah, that's why I quit—using you as an excuse. I don't wanna die!"
Lucas burst out laughing.
"Khk, kek! Hahaha!"
It was a bizarre cackle, like his head had gone completely haywire.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Heh, don't wanna die? Me neither. That's exactly why I'm doing this. If we don't take down the Leader, sooner or later it'll be me—or not just me, but countless others—dragged into the abyss of death. Believe it or not, I know of one case just like that. A whole continent crushed and shattered under that war-mad Leader."
His whispering voice sent chills rippling through Richard's ears.
Richard racked his brain reflexively, but nothing came to mind. What the hell kind of history was he talking about?
Lucas, gasping to stifle his laughter, charged at him with tears in his eyes and shoved him. Caught off guard, Richard collided with the scrawny body and slammed the back of his head against the floor.
"Ugh!"
"You're an elite doctor with money and a family, but I've got nothing. To stay alive, I have to do things that risk death. And yeah, some of those involve killing others."
"Kkh..."
Stars danced in his vision for a moment, then Lucas's pale face loomed over him, straddling his chest. At the same time, the heavy press of the pistol jammed between his collarbones choked the breath from his lungs, making him cough.
He's really lost it.
"Why go to such extremes? We can talk it out!"
"Because the world's extreme! You're extreme too. We're just pointed in different directions."
"So you're gonna kill me?"
"What, think I can't?"
"No way. Not someone who wants to survive."
"I have no choice. I'm not gutsy enough to leave a threat hanging outside the organization."
"You think you can handle the fallout from starting something like that?"
"Did you think I could handle shooting that Ossel guy?"
Richard clamped his mouth shut stubbornly and locked eyes with him.
Lucas grinned wickedly.
And then.
"Kruuuuüüüger! The Whi...!"
Suddenly, he started bellowing at the top of his lungs.
The spacious, luxurious room rang with the echoes. At this volume, it had to carry outside. The orchestra on the first floor might drown it out, but the second-floor hallway? No doubt it'd reach there!
Richard went pale in an instant.
He's risking getting us both caught and killed over just me?!
"Stop it, you lunatic!"
He lunged, desperately stretching his arms to cover Lucas's mouth.
"Mmph!"
Lucas thrashed, prying Richard's hands away.
"Whi...! To the pure passion! A toast to the Great Leader's noble convictions, offered solely for the people!"
Richard stared at him in stunned silence for a second, then his strength drained away, and he slumped to the floor.
"Crazy..."
"Puhahaha!"
Lucas laughed uproariously for a good while, even forgetting to keep the gun trained on him.
Now!
Richard seized the moment of carelessness, surging up with all his might. Lucas bounced off him, flailing as he rolled across the floor. The pistol flew from his grip, skittering far away.
Lucas lay sprawled, panting as he looked up at him.
"So, gonna come at me now? I can't shoot you anyway, and you're bigger."
Richard hesitated for a moment. Then Lucas smirked and opened his mouth wide again.
"Kr..."
"Enough!"
He threw himself forward, clamping both hands over Lucas's mouth. But as Lucas wriggled and grunted, the madness in his eyes drained all of Richard's will to fight.
"..."
Richard sighed and let him go.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Am I really that much of a threat?"
Lucas shrugged.
"Of course. Well, with only six of us, losing one would hurt bad. And above all, Erika asked me to convince you."
Richard was at a loss for words.
Erika Braithner.
The one who knew Richard Enke best, the friend with a bond so stubborn she'd never let go.
After a heavy silence, Richard asked stiffly,
"If I rejoin the unit, you'll trust me? Won't try to kill me?"
"I'll trust you with all my heart."
"..."
Richard didn't reply.
As he picked up the pistol rolling idly across the floor, something felt off in his hand.
"Bullets..."
"Hahahaha! Yeah, none."
The chamber was empty.
"It was all an act. No rule says only you get to play a role. If there's guys playing the good guy, there's gotta be some playing the weirdo."
Richard's legs gave out.
To fall for such a cheap trick!
It was the first time he'd felt this humiliated since childhood.
"So, what'll it be?"
Thwack!
He couldn't hold back and finally socked Lucas right in his grinning face.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The party grew hotter as the night deepened.
Erika had stepped out to the garden for a breather, sick of watching women in tight corsets throwing seductive glances at burly generals. That's when she spotted a flicker of light from a second-floor window.
The signal she'd arranged with Lucas.
"Ugh, can't you go easy?"
"Shut your mouth."
They'd snuck into a guest room to avoid prying eyes, and there was Lucas—looking like he'd been punched in the eye—getting treated by a sullen-faced Richard.
As Richard dabbed ointment around Lucas's eye and cheek, Lucas whined.
"What happened to your face?"
"Got hit."
He answered flatly.
"What?"
"Richard punched me."
"You deserved it."
Erika jumped at the irritation dripping from Richard's voice.
Never heard him talk like that before.
Looks like Lucas had a knack for bringing out people's true colors.
"So, you coming back?"
"Who knows. Maybe I should. He shoved a gun in my face and threatened me."
Richard spat coldly, his face twisted in anger.
"You had it coming."
"Right?"
Groooowl!
Suddenly, thunder rumbled from somewhere. Louder than the fireworks outside, making Erika and Richard whip their heads around.
"Hey, I'm hungry."
Lucas clutched his gaunt stomach and muttered.
No wonder. He'd been hiding under the guest room bed since morning.
Erika had helped him sneak in that afternoon while the house bustled with party prep.
Lucas had slipped in through the side door where servants got food deliveries, then climbed a gardener's pruning ladder to the second-floor guest room.
Of course, she'd handled opening the door and moving the ladder.
"Where the hell have you been wandering off to?"
Back at the party hall, a hand grabbed her shoulder.
Her father, President Braithner, glared down at his daughter with displeasure.
"Guests were looking for you. Have I ever meddled in what you do on other days? I told you to play hostess properly tonight."
"..."
Erika stared vacantly at the marble floor.
Just five years ago, she'd have fired back at such scolding. She'd argued fiercely with her father, who nitpicked everything, tried to silence her, and correct her thinking.
But not anymore.
She'd graduate university soon and never have to see his face again. No point stirring up trouble.
"Are you listening?"
"...Yes."
She answered tonelessly, doing as her father wished.
Drunken men and women giggling sloppily, sycophants lapping up scraps tossed by the Leader's cronies like favors.
Those who truly believed the Leader was right disgusted her, but the ones who knew better yet served him anyway were even more revolting.
Trash who'd thrown justice and conviction away for money.
"Long time no see, Miss Braithner. Care for a dance?"
A young soldier whose name she'd forgotten took her hand and kissed the back of it. A bug-crawling revulsion made her yank it away.
"Not feeling well today."
"My apologies."
"Does Erika look happy to you?"
"..."
In the corner of the party hall, leaning against the wall of a dingy servants' passage behind a hidden door, Lucas sneered.
Richard averted his gaze, a faint furrow between his brows.
"I haven't known Erika as long as you. But one thing I know: she's miserable. She might hate me saying it so bluntly, but you're a doctor, right? Can't you see her condition?"
"I'm a surgeon, not a psychiatrist."
"Even so, you can tell. You don't seriously think her fights with her dad are just typical parent-kid stuff, do you? Why do they clash? It's all because of Krüger. Erika told me how despicable and cowardly her father became. How many families do you think got wrecked by Krüger across the whole Schupaven Republic?"
Lucas clicked his tongue at Richard's retreating back as he walked away without a word.
"Think it over. I'll wait."
It took Erika a while to sneak some food. She spotted shadows in the dim, shabby hallway.
"Said you'd bring food, so why so late?"
"Sorry."
Lucas wolfed down the apple pie she handed him and asked casually,
"Why'd you turn down the dance?"
"...You were watching?"
"Wondered when you'd show. It's a party—don't you wanna dance? Dance with me?"
"Pass. Why would I dance with you?"
"Why? 'Cause your eyes look like you're about to drop dead any second."
Erika flinched, unconsciously touching the corner of her eye.
"And I've never been to a party like this. Wanted to at least try dancing."
Lucas shrugged and launched into the weirdest dance she'd ever seen. Less a dance, more a spasm.
Flailing limbs with no sense of rhythm or grace—she couldn't help but snort with laughter.
"Don't laugh."
"Fine. One song."
Just then, the music leaking from beyond the door slowed to a waltz.
Erika took his hand and led. Lucas shuffled awkwardly, careful not to step on her feet.
It was a dance with zero etiquette, but strangely, it was fun.
Maybe for the first time ever.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Hi."
"Good to see you."
"Hello!"
"Oh, hey, squirt?"
"Long time."
"Woof!"
It was the season of white frost.
On the day the fiery autumn leaves prepared to fall, Mrs. Schmidt had made breakfast early and left for a relative's funeral.
A cold, lonely late autumn evening.
The White Crow Unit friends, alerted by Daniel, arrived at Mrs. Schmidt's boarding house at staggered times.
"...Guess he's not coming after all."
Daniel muttered, glancing at the wall clock.
"Dunno. He just hung up without a word when I called."
The moment Erika replied,
Knock knock!
Someone rapped on the front door. Lucas dashed over and opened it to find Richard standing awkwardly, medical bag in hand as always.
"Hello."
"Knew you'd come back eventually, no need to play hard to get. Get in here. It's cold."
Richard sighed faintly and stepped inside.
The full White Crow Unit was assembled.
For the first time in three months since that summer day they'd dragged Lucas to the ruins to test him.
The six sat silently around the kitchen table for a while.
Each harbored different surging emotions, but none dared speak first.
Finally, breaking the eternal silence with casual words, was Lucas.
"...Anyone up for dinner?"
The food from Mrs. Schmidt's pantry was delicious.
Georg inhaled it like a vacuum, and even Erika, used to better meals, let out gasps of delight.
With bellies full, the mood warmed up a bit.
Firewood crackled in the hearth, and the drowsy air softened hearts.
"Ahem!"
Daniel cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention.
"Erika, Richard. Thanks for coming back. And thanks to Lucas for going through the trouble."
"Hey, my mess, my fix. So, I'm officially a member now, right?"
"Of course! You're already our friend. Everyone agrees, yeah?"
Oscar said cheerfully, scanning the table. Erika and Georg beamed, while Richard nodded reluctantly.
"Great. Well then, as the newly minted member, I've got something to say."
Suddenly, an ominous smile crept across Lucas's lips.