Chapter 38: The Sky Grows Cooler

Nekomata’s pupils shook in shock. Stammering, she blurted out,

“B-But… wasn’t Miguel Silver taken out by Cunning Hares?”

“Miguel Silver? What Miguel Silver? What are you guys talking about?” Phaga asked in confusion from the other end of the headset.

“Uh, Not sure why we suddenly switched to talking about Miguel Silver. Phaga, just rest for now and keep driving the train as planned,” Eous said, rubbing the side of his head while speaking with Phaga.

“Alright.”

Not long after, Phaga’s reply came through the headset.

Faintly, the sound of dragging could be heard from his side, as if he was talking to someone else. Then a cold voice drifted through:

“You’re not hiding very well. But I’ll give you a chance to live.”

Uh…

Eous didn’t really understand, but it knew Phaga had already dealt with the problem perfectly. As expected of Victoria Housekeeping!

Though neither Belle nor Wise had ever heard of this company.

【Fairy: Notice. Fairy’s strongest scan suggests Master and Assistant No. 2 may be confused about Victoria Housekeeping. Beginning search.】

【Fairy: Search complete. Victoria Housekeeping specializes in serving high-net-worth individuals and enjoys a stellar reputation within that clientele.】

【Fairy: It is perfectly normal that Master and Assistant No. 2 are unfamiliar, since Master’s assets fall below their minimum service threshold.】

Belle, Wise: “...”

【Fairy: Master, do not be disheartened. You may not be able to afford Victoria Housekeeping, Master, but at least you can afford five times your current power bill.】

Flustered, Belle snapped,

“Fairy, shut up!”

At her rebuke, Fairy finally fell silent.

Belle sighed, refocusing on Eous. She turned to Nekomata and explained,

“Miguel Silver fell into the Hollow and was corrupted into an Ethereal. He wasn’t killed by Cunning Hares.”

“What? But didn’t you—”

Nekomata’s eyes went wide, whipping her head toward Nicole and Billy, who had been fooling around.

Nicole froze on the spot, sheepishly scratching the back of her head before kicking Billy in the shin.

Billy quickly caught on and blurted,

“We tried explaining so many times, but the moment we looked into those sparkling eyes of yours, the words just got stuck in our throats!”

Anby nodded with a steady voice.

“That’s part of it, yes. But more importantly, it was Nicole who—mmph!”

Before she could finish, Nicole clamped a hand over her mouth, laughing awkwardly.

“Ahaha, Anby always talks nonsense.”

“Ahem... Sure, Nekomata was mistaken in thinking we killed Miguel Silver, but we do bear some responsibility too…”

“But now’s not the time to argue about blame. We need to get Perlman to cough up the detonator for the bomb train!”

Nicole’s gaze fell on Perlman, still lying on the ground. Her eyes lit up, seizing the excuse.

“Right, the controller! You haven’t taken it yet?”

Eous jumped down from the rebar, not noticing the shift in Nekomata’s expression.

Cunning Hares noticed, but they assumed it was just disillusionment in Nekomata’s eyes. None dared comment, instead turning their frustration on Perlman.

“Talk! Where’s the controller? Or you’re dead!”

Nicole’s brows arched sharply as she glared at him.

Terrified, Perlman trembled under their attention and dared not hold back.

“I-It’s… in my arms.”

Nicole narrowed her eyes. Billy immediately stepped forward, flipping Perlman over and running his mechanical hands all over him.

“Found it, Boss Nicole!”

Soon, he held up a small mechanical button gleaming in the sunlight.

“Don’t hold it so high! Who’s supposed to see it like that?”

Too short to catch sight of it, Nicole angrily kicked Billy again.

Rubbing his head in frustration, Billy handed the controller over.

Nicole tossed it lightly in her palm, then turned to Eous.

“That means we can start the third step of the plan now, right?”

“Mhm.”

Eous gave a firm nod.

Step One: Victoria Housekeeping seizes control of the explosives train.
Step Two: Cunning Hares captures Perlman to obtain the remote detonator.

At this point, Nekomata raised her hand, looking as wilted as an eggplant.

“Step Three falls to me, the most agile of us. I’ll take Perlman to negotiate with the fake Officers surrounding Canvas Street and stall for time.”

“That’s true…”

Eous tilted his head. From within came Belle’s doubtful voice:

“But why do you sound so unmotivated, Nekomata?”

“Ah, haha, do I?”

Her voice pitched up, and she darted forward, scooping up the short, stocky Perlman with one hand before bolting off like she was running away.

Her sharp Thiren voice echoed through the Hollow:

“I’m off to complete the mission! Tonight, I’ll have a big feast, meow!”

Nicole tilted her head. Her sharp instincts immediately picked up on something. She whispered,

“I feel like Nekomata has something on her mind.”

Anby glanced once, face calm.

“Probably because we still haven’t found her family heirloom.”

After all, their first meeting with Nekomata began with a commission.

According to Nekomata, the Red Fang Gang had stolen her family heirloom. Since their leader, Miguel Silver, had died at the hands of Cunning Hares, she hired them to recover it.

But during the job, they stumbled upon the Dead End Hollow and discovered that Vision Industry had not actually dispersed Canvas Street’s residents, contrary to news reports.

The residents had never left, with the area sealed tight by Vision Industry’s fake Officers.

And over the past week, Vision Industry had even deployed signal jammers, cutting off all outside communication.

Which led to the absurd reality:

Canvas Street was scheduled for demolition today—and its residents were the very last to know!

Anby continued,

“Nekomata is the one who commissioned us, yet we’ve spent the whole time dealing with Canvas Street.”

“Now that she knows we didn’t kill Miguel Silver, she must feel betrayed.”

“Ugh… I feel bad for her. Let’s treat her to bluefin tuna once we leave the Hollow.”

Even Nicole, stingy as she was, couldn’t help but agree. Cunning Hares had indeed neglected Nekomata, and she could only grit her teeth and agree to split the cost.

“Alright, everyone. No more delays. Let’s move to the rendezvous point with Phaga!”

The bell on Eous’s back finally locked onto the Dead End Butcher’s positio. She leapt onto Billy, who carried her forward.

At the same time, Eous pressed her headset:

“Phaga, can you hear me?”

...

“Phaga, can you hear me?”

The voice in his ear prompted Phaga to calmly press his earpiece.

“I can… Hey, turn your head back. If you dare eavesdrop again, our agreement is void.”

Phaga shot a cold look at the man strapped into the driver’s seat.

He was the leader who had commanded the fake Officers in the second carriage’s ambush. Now, Phaga had forced him into the driver’s seat to run the train.

Startled, the leader quickly looked away, not daring to turn back.

Satisfied, Phaga shifted his attention back to Eous’s voice in the headset.

“Alright. See you soon.”

Once the call ended, Phaga leaned close to the leader’s ear.

“Drive carefully. I’ll put in a word for you with New Eridu Public Security. Not that you have to care.”

“But you should understand—attempted murder and abandoning a crime mid-act with meritorious service are two very different charges.”

“Yes, yes, yes!”

Sweating buckets, the leader gripped the controls with all his strength, too afraid to resist.

Once, he’d had no choice. Now, he only wanted to live as a good man.

Phaga sat down casually, turned his gaze out the window, and murmured at the setting sun,

“The sun sinks in the west, and the sky grows cold..”

“Night—that’s when vampires rule the stage!”