Gun of Ashes

His expression was very composed, and Lorenzo realized this while climbing. He had doubts, but thinking that he chose to leave the room and forget about things related to ’it,’ Lorenzo was no longer troubled. He trusted his own decision.

"Is that so..."

The Plague Doctor murmured, his gaze briefly meeting Lorenzo’s before turning to look at the silent Iron Coffin and the darkness further away.

Now the Plague Doctor stands in the hall of Truth, and he is about to leave. He has obtained what he desired, yet his heart seems still not satisfied.

"What is ’it’?"

Something said to be a mistake.

Something one wants to erase but can’t help letting it persist.

Countless hands seem to stretch into the Plague Doctor’s chest, pressing on the heart, collapsing the lungs, and enchanting voices echo beside the ears, calling.

The Plague Doctor remained silent for quite a while before he made a sound.

"Speaking of which... Holmes, when we leave here, when we leave the Silent Sea, we will become enemies once again, right?"

The Plague Doctor turned his body sideways, blocking one side with his arm.

"Yes."

Lorenzo affirmed, he too slowly turned sideways, his blocked arm conveniently gripping the sword hilt in the scabbard.

Like a beautiful dream shattered, leaving behind nothing but absurdity.

Initially, Lorenzo and the Plague Doctor were sworn enemies presenting swords against each other, only temporarily united due to a greater threat. Now everything is over, and the fragile alliance promptly breaks, leaving the two with their own motives.

The atmosphere grew tense momentarily. Watson didn’t respond, just hoping that if they really start fighting, they won’t get near the Iron Coffin. The Secret Keeper lived so long, it would be laughable to die for such a reason.

"Oh dear, no hesitation at all? I thought that after going through life and death together, we could already be considered friends."

The Plague Doctor laughed cheerfully, his thoughts uncertain, while flesh slowly wriggled and swelled, seemingly nurturing something beneath.

"Plague Doctor, if ’friendship’ were so simple, then there wouldn’t be so many disputes, would there?"

White-hot flames curled in the eyes, Lorenzo openly displayed his malice.

"If merely because of this brief journey we became ’friends,’ wouldn’t those who died because of you seem worthless?"

"So are you planning to take action against me after leaving the sanctuary, or is it after escaping the Silent Sea?" His twisted face opened more eyes, six scarlet ones watching Lorenzo.

"Actually, I haven’t decided. I might spare you for now, then kill you next time we meet."

Lorenzo replied, not lying.

Nobody knows what will happen next. Keeping the Plague Doctor alive still serves a purpose for Lorenzo, and the Plague Doctor indeed needs the help of the Morning Glow Advance to leave the Silent Sea.

"Is this mercy from Mr. Holmes?" Lorenzo’s answer somewhat surprised the Plague Doctor, "I thought you wouldn’t let me leave here. After all, being surrounded by Anti-Meme, this would be a good burial site."

"Do you wish to die here?" Lorenzo drew the Nail Sword, cold metal reflecting the twisted figure.

The Plague Doctor did not speak, he looked up at the deep dome, vulnerable neck fully exposed to Lorenzo, like a prisoner awaiting execution.

Lorenzo tightened his grip on the Nail Sword.

The distance between him and the Plague Doctor wasn’t far. With Lorenzo’s speed, he could reach and swing the Nail Sword in an instant, severing the Plague Doctor’s head. Yet Lorenzo wasn’t sure if this was a trap set by the Plague Doctor, exposing his weakness so openly seemed too uncanny.

"You know, Holmes, I’ve imagined countless times what I would be like after obtaining Truth."

The Plague Doctor lowered his head, and Lorenzo missed the chance to execute him.

"I would rejoice, descend into madness, maybe even kill a few people for excitement... but there’s one thing I never thought of."

Lorenzo remained silent, the Plague Doctor turned completely into a scarlet monster, the tone barely suggesting emotions, yet Lorenzo could vaguely sense... sadness.

"I never thought about what happens after obtaining Truth."

The Plague Doctor calmly said.

"We are too attached to certain matters, so much so that after completion, we feel extremely empty, as if living no longer holds any purpose," the six scarlet eyes flickered, "you should have thought similarly, just end this damned existence, dying wouldn’t be bad, right?"

Lorenzo neither confirmed nor denied.

"But, have you thought about what to do once this damned existence truly ends?"

The Plague Doctor was confused, encountering an unprecedented uncertainty at the World’s End.

"There are many things, like continuing to run my agency."

Lorenzo answered, unlike the monstrous Plague Doctor, Lorenzo still had many ties to this world, he had an agency, friends, unfinished ventures, unseen landscapes. His envisioned future was still beautiful.

He genuinely strived for a better tomorrow, the thought alone was terrifying.

"That sounds quite nice; at least you can still blend into the world of mortals, but I can’t. I’m a monster, a perpetually hungry monster. I can’t think of a reason for existing in this world."

The Plague Doctor stepped back, eventually sitting on the extinguished Iron Coffin, right next to the Secret Keeper’s resting place, palm gliding over the surface, feeling the metal’s slight coldness.

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