Chapter 51 - Chapter 22: "If They Strike Me, I Shall Strike Back"
This is no time for "Greetings" and such! It is I, Violia!
I... I, looking at the completely weakened Doran before me and hearing his words... I have realized the existence of the "Gun."
The "Gun."
It is the name of the latest weapon that House Fortesia was secretly developing.
House Fortesia owned several mines. And there, we discovered a stone with interesting properties.
It is a stone that, when combined with powders of other ores, possesses the fascinating quality of igniting and bursting all at once.
Since it was extremely useful for blowing up rocks in the mines, the Fortesia mines flourished instantly.
That secret of the Fortesia mines was named "Gunpowder."
...And it was not long after that House Fortesia set out to develop weaponry using that "Gunpowder."
The "Gun." That was the name of the weapon Fortesia was developing.
The detailed mechanism had not been shared with me, but I had heard it was a weapon with a mechanism that caused an explosion of gunpowder inside a cylinder, and that explosion propelled a metal bullet.
Normally, I should have been able to learn about it as soon as I returned home, but since the mansion burned down, I ended up knowing nothing about the development of the "Gun."
...For now, I shall set aside how that gun came to wound Doran.
I shall also set aside whoever it was that saved Doran.
Right now... what I need to do. That is...
"Say, Doran. Inside your body, could it be that a bullet still remains...?"
To save the man before my eyes. That is all.
"Young lady! Doran is—"
"Ah, perfect timing, Giovan! Could you please hold Doran down!?"
When I called out to Giovan, who had returned at just the right moment... Giovan made a face as if asking, 'Am I perhaps seeing some kind of hallucination?'
Yes. Just now, I have finished tying both of Doran's arms and legs to the bed frame.
"Please hold down his arms, just in case. It seems he might break free if they are merely tied."
"Ha... h-hey, young lady, what on earth are you doing?"
I am currently straddling Doran's thighs, soaking a well-sharpened knife in strong liquor.
"I am going to remove the bullet that is still inside the wound. By gouging the wound, you see!"
Giovan looked stunned, but as I finally brought the knife close to the wound in Doran's flank, he seemed to realize roughly what I was trying to do. Without a word, he held down Doran's arms.
"I shall finish this as quickly as possible, so please endure it."
...And so, I steeled my resolve and thrust the knife into Doran's wound!
"I thought I was going to die..."
"Me too..."
...Yes. Somehow, I managed to remove the bullet from Doran's wound.
After that, I applied medicine (the best one they had in Giovan's shop), wrapped the bandages tightly, and the treatment was complete.
"...Both you and I are covered in blood, young lady. Do you want to use the shower?"
"I suppose so... no, you should use it first. I did not get showered in that much blood."
I merely laid Doran on the bed, stopped the bleeding, and removed the bullet, so the blood I was splashed with was only that much. ...Well, Doran thrashed about when I was taking the bullet out, so at that moment, I really thought both Doran and I were going to die...
"...True. I'm the one looking more disastrous."
On the other hand, since Giovan had carried and dragged Doran back, he was covered in blood from his back to his head. About half of his white hair, which reached down to his shoulder blades, was stained red, and how should I put it, it was truly eerie. Truly eerie indeed!
"Ah, well then, I'll go first... no."
However, Giovan let out a deep sigh and sat down on the floor.
"No good. I can't settle down. ...Can I explain the situation first?"
"When I found him, Doran was crawling along the waterway. ...I couldn't believe my eyes. I never thought that Doran, of all people, would end up like that."
"I see."
Giovan seemed quite shaken by this. His hands were trembling as he spoke.
"I thought the hideout would be closer than the shop, so I brought him back here. The rest is as you know... but on the way here, Doran was muttering something that bothered me."
Saying that, Giovan stared intently at me.
"He said, 'There was someone like Violia.' ...Young lady, where were you?"
"If you ask me where, I was digging a hole underground. If you need proof, I shall present the Roper I captured at that time. Or I could show you the ground that apparently collapsed because I pulled the Roper out."
"Ah... no, it's fine. I'm not doubting you."
Giovan still seemed shaken, and being aware of it himself, he groaned with a rather awkward expression.
"I thought 'someone like Violia' meant someone who was incredibly skilled with a bow. But the weapon wasn't a bow, was it?"
"Yes. A gun is something entirely different from a bow. Well, like a bow, it is a tool for shooting enemies from a distance."
I do not know the details myself. After all, I was scheduled to see the prototype of the gun for the first time when I returned home for spring break.
...Yes. That is right.
The "Gun" should not have been completed yet.
Even at Fortesia, it should have still been in the prototype stage...
"...Does this mean someone stole information from Fortesia...?"
"Eh?"
"Only Fortesia should have known about the 'Gun,' after all."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa... young lady. If you say that, I'll really have to start doubting you."
Giovan has a face that is a mix of exasperation and panic, but well, that is only natural. In a sense, it is as if I have confessed.
But of course, the culprit is not me. Or rather, if I possessed something as convenient as a "Gun," I would have been firing it off many times long ago.
"Of course, I am innocent. I have never attacked Doran. ...However, I do have an idea about this."
On that day I returned home, the mansion was burning... but according to what I heard from the maid, Nerina, someone had come to visit.
In that case, is it not possible that the person who visited at that time stole the information about the gun from Fortesia?
Yes... that is it!
The fact that Doran was attacked means he was 'attacked while investigating information on Fruitier'!
Then the mystery is solved!
"Surely, the place Fruitier is investing in is somewhere making guns! And Doran, who was investigating that, was attacked this time!"
Various things are starting to connect! Though at the same time, the mysteries have increased.
...House Fruitier's investment target is the gun.
And this time, Doran was attacked by someone under House Fruitier who possessed that gun.
I wonder if the opponent already knows that we are moving? Did they not intend to kill Doran? But if they find out he escaped...
...Hmm, I wonder how we should move from here...?
Since the report is over, I shall have Giovan take a shower quickly, and I shall watch over Doran.
...His face looks much better than before. His complexion has improved somewhat, and his expression has calmed to the point of being only slightly grimaced.
It might be because he is a werewolf, but for now, it seems he is not going to die. What impressive vitality.
...Looking at his face gives me a rather strange feeling. He is someone who rarely even shows himself sleeping. To be lying here wounded and asleep... it is far too surreal.
While I was absentmindedly watching Doran, Keeb returned, and Chesta returned from the world of dreams. Yes. Despite being in the hideout, Chesta was not useful at all...!
When I reported the sequence of events to the two of them, they were both so surprised their eyes nearly popped out. Especially Chesta.
"No way...!? That Doran!? What do you mean, Doran got wounded!"
"What do I mean? He is sleeping in that room. Go and see if you are curious."
"Ugh... I don't wanna see..."
Chesta began to curl up on the sofa, collapsing limply like a drunk with a hangover. Well, I understand the feeling. Of course, if he starts using drugs again because he wants to escape reality from now on, I shall naturally strike him.
"Doran... wait, is that 'Gun' thing really that dangerous?"
"Hmm, I do not know the details either. However, it is a mechanism that shoots metal bullets by the explosion of gunpowder... I have heard they fly faster than arrows. Furthermore, it does not require the action of drawing like a bow. Once you take the gun from your breast and pull the trigger, it becomes an instant attack."
Especially for someone who does not know of guns, it must be an incredibly formidable weapon. After all, if one does not know of it, there is no way to prepare a countermeasure.
"Rather, since he returned alive after being shot only twice, it is just like Doran."
To have two shots blasted into his stomach and still be alive... I do not know if it is because he is a werewolf or because he is Doran. But, it was a blessing in disguise.
"...A gun, huh. If even Doran can't match it, that's pretty scary."
Giovan said that tiredly and let out a sigh.
"What should we do? Should we stay in hiding until they overlook us?"
"That is infuriating, so I reject it."
I, too, have understood the terror of the 'Gun.' After all, Doran was defeated. Even if I were on guard, I have no confidence that I could avoid it.
...But.
"But, it is a weapon that can defeat Doran, is it not? ...Are you not curious?"
A strong weapon is, naturally, a threat.
However, that is only the case 'if it becomes an enemy.'
...In other words!
"I shall take back the guns. I shall make them deeply, deeply regret stealing things from Fortesia."