Endless Dive into the Junkyard
The relationship between the junkyard thieves and their owner had flipped into a full-blown business partnership. Frey, still not quite used to Soo, couldn't keep up with the ironic shift, but it still put her in a good mood.
"Since things have turned out this way, how about adding the name of law firm Eterno to your mercenary office?"
"Ah, not as a subsidiary or anything like that... um, yeah. I'm talking as a sponsor."
A nameless mercenary office run by three people was suddenly backed by none other than Eterno Law Firm. Of course, they wouldn't advertise it outright, but it would ward off any nonsense from shady corporations. Those in the know would find out anyway, without the need for ads. Manpower wasn't an issue, and with Angela joining, their hacking was covered. Now, their legal weak spot was perfectly filled by Eterno. On top of that, names like Salvador Ortega and Lena Marietti were added to the mix. It was like marching into a battlefield where everyone else went in bare-handed, while they rolled up with an aircraft carrier.
One might wonder why Frey felt so good about it, but Enoch's happiness was her happiness. She was the pure type who could genuinely rejoice when things went well for him.
Of course, there were other reasons too.
"And, um, this is embarrassing to call repayment, but... if there's anything you need here, feel free to stop by anytime." They even scored free access to the junkyard. Now they could haul off even the biggest, heaviest stuff without a care.
Clink-clink. Frey could practically hear the coins rolling in her head.
"How far are you planning to search?"
"From there to there." The "there to there" that Soo pointed out spanned from one end of the junkyard to the other. A neatly organized warehouse that size could be thoroughly explored in 24 hours. But this was a junkyard. Even nice folks like Agner and Iva weren't maniacs about sorting trash.
"You really gonna check it all?"
"Yeah."
Trash piled up like mountains, at least six stories high, forming whole ranges—and she planned to see it all. Enoch figured it had to be a joke. Sure, with Soo, it might be serious, but he was heading to the northern front in four days. No way she'd spend the next two digging through garbage. At least throw a farewell party or something. They were comrades, after all... With that modest expectation, he nodded.
"Fine, do whatever. Looking for that weird stone tablet, right?"
"Uh-huh..." Soo's head tilted quizzically.
"Just anything that looks like an old relic?"
"Scope's too broad, but... let's hunt anyway."
"Digging from the bottom'll make it collapse, yeah?"
"Soo! Leave that to me!"
As expected from Frey with five years scavenging the junkyard. She'd reached mastery and already had her paths blazed. Sure, taking pride in stealing others' stuff was a bit off, but it suited her, making it kinda cute.
And so the junkyard expedition began.
One hour, two hours, three hours.
"Sis! Mom says come eat! Huh? Not hungry? If you don't eat, Mom'll scold you... Wah? You're gonna scold Mom? Nooo!!"
Five hours, ten hours, 24 hours.
"Sis! Dad says you can crash over there! Ah, not sleeping? I was gonna show you my doll... It's super cute... Like, really really cute... You sure you won't look...?"
30 hours, 40 hours, 50 hours.
"Sis! Mom made rice balls! Inside? Probably no meat? Huh? No meat means no eat? Mooom! Sis wants meat!!"
60 hours, 65 hours, 72 hours...
"Sis! Someone's here looking for you? Huh? Scammer?! Daaad!! That guy's a scammer!! Soo-sis says to shoot him!!!"
76 hours...?
"Wait, hold up. Stop."
Slowly. Very slowly... Enoch sensed something off. Twenty hours until departure, and they were still digging through trash. Why? What about the farewell party? Booze in a nice spot? A warm gathering? Where? The hell?
"Soo."
"Yeah."
"How long you planning to keep digging?"
Soo blinked at him like why ask the obvious?
"Till I've checked everything here."
"No, no... Wait, you were serious?"
"A man's word is his bond."
"What the... You slammed lightning into Tolgate and now you're talking honor...?"
"Don't remember."
Enoch opened his mouth to retort, but Soo beat him to it.
"You remember, Enoch?"
What would she do if he said yes? He didn't want to imagine...
"...I leave in 20 hours?"
"Safe travels. Stay healthy. Limbs falling off's fine. Earn big, I'll get you prosthetics."
What a convenient world. Science and medicine so advanced even grannies pulled tricks on quickboards. So yeah, Enoch coming back injured was no biggie.
"Just guard your head."
"You... really got no human heart, do you...?"
"I'm a dragon." Soo puffed out her chest proudly.
And then a slender woman's shadow fell over her. Enoch's eyes widened slowly. Angela looked flustered at the woman behind Soo too. Only Frey, who didn't know her, stared blankly.
"Huh...?"
If she could smell, she'd know who it was—but right now, her nose was slathered in cream. So Soo slowly turned around.
"I'm not a scammer, you..."
Damn brat. She swallowed the curse, grinding her teeth.
"Hoo... What the hell's with that photo? Why'd lightning strike from the sky? And why send it to me?"
She phrased it precisely, fearing Soo might spout nonsense. But the target was Soo—no way she'd play along with Serena's script.
"Hey, Serena. Since you're here, help dig."
Northrica was in chaos over that lightning, and she wanted to skip explanations and dig trash together. Serena's face, worn from fatigue and stress, crumpled miserably.
But she couldn't unleash a tirade. Get hit? Fine. She trusted Soo wouldn't kill her. Still, Serena held back the swears. That damn kid's smiling face was too lovable to curse at...
"Why dig trash? Short on cash? I could spot you a decent sum."
"Yeah, think I can find magic here."
"...That lightning too?"
"Yeah, found it here."
Serena swept a hand over her dry-looking face and nodded slowly.
"Heard rumors like that. Someone dodging the Big Three's eyes gathered magic, got caught, hid it up north somewhere... Bullshit, probably."
It wasn't fantasy whimsy or childish power fantasies. Magic could upend every tech achievement—a miracle. So even non-Big Three factions chased it, probing unknown energies for breakthroughs. But they couldn't evade the Big Three. Dozens of corps had "gone bankrupt." Yet the magic they supposedly grabbed eluded even the Big Three. So yeah, hidden somewhere north of Eden... but actually existing, and already found? Unbelievable.
Lightning, huh...
Reports pegged the Tolgate strike as raw natural force. With that power plus Big Three tech? World-changing potential.
"Guess the rumors weren't total bullshit."
Serena finished her quick calculations and nodded.
"I'll help."
She wanted to keep living. A bit freer would be better. And if the one enabling it was this lenient? No reason to refuse. She could invest in the future. She'd skimped on sleep for it already. Time and money? Plenty.
"Yeah, then Serena, start over there. Digging bottom-up'll collapse it, so go top-down carefully."
"Any proof other magic's here?"
"Yeah."
"What?"
"Feel the mana traces."
"...Mana? You mean 'ether'?"
Soo's brow furrowed cutely.
"Not ether. Mana."
"R-right. Mana. Yes, anyway, you sensed mana traces...?"
Serena thought it sounded absurd even as she said it.
"Pardon? What'd you say?"
How do you read ether traces without gear? Even with it, observation's no picnic. She'd never been on-site—HQ staff only—but as an exec, rumors reached her. She knew how grueling it was. Yet Soo claimed she could do it casually.
"How do you sense mana traces?"
"I can."
"But how—"
"Curious?"
Soo stared wide-eyed. This happened before. From their first meeting. Serena asked, Soo countered. Still didn't get the intent. Testing curiosity? Or if she could handle it...?
"Never mind."
No need to pry. Knowing wouldn't change shit.
"Want me to teach you how?"
"...I know how."
"Pro, huh."
"Picked up a few things living as a drifter."
"Impressive. See ya later."
Soo turned and vanished into the trash pile without a backward glance.
"...Arrogant little shit."
Her mutter was for her ears only as she trudged to the spot Soo indicated. Glancing back at Enoch, she asked,
"You get dragged around by that kid too?"
"...Not dragged. Comrades. We, uh... we stick together."
"Smoke?"
Serena tossed him a whole pack without waiting. Enoch eyed it, then lit up—for the first time in ages.
"I'll light it."
Soo popped out from below, a cute flame dancing on her fingertip...
"...Truly, damn grateful."
"Yeah, you should be thankful to me, Enoch."
So smug about it, Soo said, then pop—gone again.
"Getting cold out..."
"Light a fire?"
"...No need. Do your thing."
"Yeah."
"...Hah."
Enoch exhaled pale smoke, eyeing the time left till dispatch. About 18 hours. Somehow, the chill deepened.