Corpse March

Chapter 51 Utopia - Ascent

“Haa… Haa… That was close…” 

Florence checks himself to make sure he’s still all there. Hands check, legs check, head check. He breathes a sigh of relief. He just barely managed to slip back into the portal there. Thank Lady Tsubame that he set up this emergency exit to his bedchamber just in time. 

Still, that girl managed to get a shot into his stomach. He tries sitting up but what feels like a spike driving itself into his abdomen prevents him from getting any further. He crumples back onto the ground, panting from the pain. 

He was hoping to not have to use this but it seems he doesn’t have a choice. He reaches into his cloak and retrieves a small vial of red liquid. Uncorking it with his teeth, he pours half of its contents directly onto the wound. Immediately, the wound begins to close, the pain starts to fade, and the bullet pops out of his stomach. He sighs from the relief.

Standing up, Florence lifts the now tattered teleportation cloth up to the light before throwing it to his side. Seems like that’s the last time that’s going to come in handy. Another magic item gone from his collection. 

Walking out of his room, he stares at the wing of the Curia hosting the gala. Based on how the whole thing’s still standing, it seems that that girl was successful in at least partially containing the explosion with her body. 

Tsk. 

That complicates things. Florence took a risky gamble there. On the one hand, that bomb could have killed every single councilor, simplifying his job immensely. On the other hand, now that it’s failed, he’s basically waving a huge flag that says “There’s a conspiracy afoot.” 

He’ll have to consider his next moves very very carefully. He quickly changes his clothes into something formal to get rid of the bloodstains and starts jogging back towards the function, pretending as though he had just heard the commotion and only now decided to investigate. 

As he rounds a corner, he comes face-to-face with Kikimi. There’s fury in her expression. 

“What the hell was that?!”

“That was the plan.”

“I thought nobody was going to get hurt!” 

“We planted a bomb, what did you think was going to happen?”

“No, you planted a bomb. I just listened to you and gave my speech before going back to my room. You could have at least, you know, told me in advance!”

“This whole exchange is why I didn’t tell you. I knew you wouldn’t be on board with the idea.”

“What do I have to do to get you to cooperate with me?”

“Listen, Kikimi. What you need to understand is that I’m willing to achieve that by any means necessary and you need to be to. You’re going to have to get used to getting your hands dirty if we’re going to fulfill Lady Kentomi’s dream.”

“...”

He sighs, takes her arm and continues walking towards the Curia’s wing. It’d be bad if anyone realized that they weren’t at the Gala. That is, until Florence rounds a corner where they’re greeted by a surprising sight.

“Pardon me.” There appears to be someone slumped up against the wall.  “Would either of you kindly spare a dying woman something to drink? I’d like to wash the taste of alcohol out of my mouth.” 

She wears a white dress shirt, black slacks, and a half-cape that hangs over her shoulder. Her jet-black hair is bundled up into a loose ponytail while her eyes are as sharp as a hawk’s. But most curious of all is the rapier hanging from her hip.

“What happened to you?” Kikimi and Florence rush over to the woman’s side and kneel down by her side.

“I went a little overboard with my magic and now I fear that I’m on the verge of suffering a heart attack.” She has an eerily casual tone as she speaks, which contrasts with the grimness of what she’s saying. The woman winces as the color drains from her face. “Oh. Yes. I do think that my heart just stopped beating.” 

“Here.” Florence takes out the vial, still half-filled with red liquid, and lifts it to the woman’s lips. “Drink this. It should help you.”

Weakly, the girl places her lips on the rim of the vial and begins to drink. With every gulp she takes, more and more color returns to her skin. “Ahhhh… that hit the spot. I think… I think that I’m fine. Am I alive?”

“Yes, you are quite alive.” Florence nods. 

“Thank goodness… And thank you both as well. I owe you my life.” She breathes a sigh of relief. “May I have both your names?” 

“Oh, pardon me, I’ve completely forgotten my manners. My name is Florence, and this is Kikimi.” 

“Well, Florence.” She nods her head at Florence. “Kikimi.” She nods her head at Kikimi. “My name is Kazuko Kuzue and I will repay you with my everlasting service.” She starts kneeling at their feet.

“You don’t really have to.”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, I’m not doing this out of the goodness of my heart. I’m doing this because it’s only right to repay a good deed with another good deed.”

So, she’s doing this out of the goodness of her own heart. Kikimi and Florence both think the same thing at the same time. 

“Besides, I think we both have something to gain from working with one another. I am in need of strength.” Lest she let Tot-The-Rocker get away a second time or even worse, if she were to be defeated by her.

“And surely, someone who’d so willingly give away something as rare as a health potion must have affluence in some form or another.” 

“You’re not entirely wrong… But what do I get in return?”

“This rapier of mine isn’t just for show, y’know. I’ve spent the last four years of my life doing nothing but fighting. If you need solutions to… difficult people, I’m more than happy to provide.”

Florence thinks. It’d be nice to have someone else to do his dirty work without getting his fingerprints all over the place. Not to mention that exchange with that girl earlier. If it were a proper magic user in his place, all the councilors would already be dead. “Are you certain about this?”

“To reiterate, I owe you my life. I’m willing to repay my debt by any means necessary… with only one condition.”

“What would that condition be?”

“Two certain someones need to learn that actions have consequences. It just so happens I’m to be the vehicle by which these consequences are delivered.” The girl’s eyes don’t change, but they sense a fury burning deep beneath the surface. “Know that that supersedes my service. But so long as you don’t get in the way of that, we should get along just fine.” 

“That’s surprisingly heavy.” Kikimi swallows her saliva. 

“Fair enough.” She chuckles to herself. “I think the three of us are going to have a very fruitful relationship.”