After eating and drinking their fill, Andrew walked the girl calling herself Jane toward the gates of Blazewood.
Without the intrusive glow of city lights, the night sky over the Outer Ring was clear and bright, with countless stars hanging in the darkness,
Even the moon, which had a rather eerie look to it, was clearly visible.
Although they were already a good distance from the party square, the custom-made flamethrower Burnice had built—the one used to grill skewers for Andrew earlier—was now sitting in the center of the plaza.
Fierce Ether flames pulsed in time with the rhythm of the music, roaring and surging in the middle of it all.
In Burnice's own words, it was an 'outer-ring-style bonfire.'
After filling her stomach, the restless Burnice had quickly slipped away to 'The Steel Jaw' to mix up her signature 'Burnice's Special' for everyone.
Although Andrew had a feeling the ingredients she threw in were ridiculously whimsical, upon tasting it, he was surprised to find it was exceptionally good. No wonder Caesar had recommended it so highly when he first arrived.
Even Andrew, who wasn't much of a drinker, couldn't help but have a few glasses.
And now, there she was, standing on a platform, hoisting a speaker, and getting the crowd hyped.
Feeling the environment quiet down a little after leaving the square, Andrew couldn't help but let out a long breath.
As the great hero of Blazewood, the residents' gratitude was expressed with an enthusiasm that was nearly impossible to fend off.
The adoration he'd managed to dodge by cooking was unleashed with even greater intensity at the party. An endless stream of people wanting to have a drink with Andrew soon sent him into hiding.
After all, the younger folks were fine; they just wanted to drink.
But when the seventy- and eighty-year-olds showed up, it was a different story. They mostly brought all sorts of gifts... and tried to introduce him to their daughters.
Feeling the weight of everyone's stares, Andrew chose to make a run for it.
He had no idea who started it, but his escape kicked off a town-wide manhunt. Though Andrew's skills were on a completely different level, his familiarity with Blazewood was no match for the lifelong residents. He was quickly cornered with nowhere to run.
And that's when Jane, who was nearby, extended a helping hand, leading Andrew to a well-hidden spot and saving him from the predicament.
Though he was a bit disheveled from being chased, Andrew was otherwise perfectly fine. Looking at the girl by his side named Jane, Andrew said gratefully:
"Thanks so much for your help back there!"
Hearing this, Jane's expression didn't change. She kept that same casual smile on her face as she walked unhurriedly beside him, seeming completely accustomed to his thanks.
After expressing his gratitude, despite being a bit flustered from the chase, Andrew couldn't help but smile as he listened to the distant clamor. He said:
"Still, they're a great bunch of people, aren't they?"
Jane touched her red lips and revealed an alluring smile. In the chaos just now, she too had experienced that pure enthusiasm. A game with no deceit or trickery—it had been a long time since she'd felt such genuine joy.
She nodded in unconscious agreement with Andrew's sentiment. But when she turned to look at him, Jane couldn't resist saying:
"But you know, you're the one who really deserves that praise the most, little bro~"
Jane's praise was sincere. She knew full well that everyone else's enthusiasm was built on the foundation of Andrew's selfless help. And as a professional undercover agent, she had seen more than her fair share of scumbags.
Against the backdrop of all those rotten people, a genuinely good person like Andrew seemed to shine all the brighter.
A cool breeze brushed against their faces, carrying away the lingering smell of the party's fire that clung to their clothes and bringing with it the dry scent of distant sand and wind.
For a moment, a wordless silence fell between them.
Andrew was simply relaxing, while Jane was lost in thought.
Getting along with Andrew was delightful, but he was a friend of 'Jane.'
When she changed out of this persona and appeared before Andrew as her true self, they would be nothing more than strangers.
She had many friends, different friends for each of her different identities. Her formidable professionalism had always kept her from mixing them up.
But for her true self, the identity known as Jane Doe... There wasn't a single friend to be found.
In this wordless silence, they finished their short walk, quickly arriving at the edge of a high cliff. Out on the vast, boundless desert was an enormous Hollow.
This Hollow had been here for a long time, obstructing a large part of the view of the night sky.
Just then, Andrew suddenly said:
"The whole 'Jane' thing... it's a fake identity, isn't it?"
Jane was startled by his words, instinctively adjusting her stance into a combat-ready position. The tip of her toe inside her boot had already reflexively pressed against the button that would pop out the hidden blade.
But a moment later, her tensed body relaxed.
She couldn't help but sigh and said:
"I thought my disguise was pretty perfect. I can't believe I was exposed. Are your senses really that sharp?"
After speaking, she leaned in a little closer, her curiosity piqued. Her red hair looked even more vibrant in the faint firelight.
There was no anger in her eyes at being found out, only curiosity as to how.
"Can you tell me where I slipped up?"
"You said you were a biker who grew up in the Outer Ring, but your hands don't have the calluses that come from riding long-term. Plus, a strand of your real hair was sticking out from the back of your head. I'm a Hunter, after all. I have at least that much observational skill."
Andrew didn't hold back. Even though the girl in front of him had hidden her identity, it was clear from their interactions that she didn't have any malicious intent.
And that was enough.
"Besides, I was only a little suspicious before, but your subconscious reaction just now was pretty obvious to me."
Even though Jane's reflexive movement had been incredibly subtle, to Andrew, it was plain as day.
Jane reached to the back of her head and, after a careful search, finally found the stray strand. She carefully tucked it back into the wig, then spread her hands in a helpless gesture and said:
"Your skills really are the real deal, little bro. Aren't you going to ask me who I really am?"
But Andrew just shook his head, dismissing her suggestion.
"In the Outer Ring, people of all identities are accepted. That's what Caesar told me."
The Outer Ring was a place with countless people from different backgrounds. Almost everyone had their own secrets; not wanting to reveal one's identity was perfectly normal.
"I just wanted to tell you that, no matter who you are, I think you'd be a great friend."
Andrew's words left Jane stunned. The best-case scenario she'd imagined for her cover being blown was being driven away as a liar. But from Andrew...
She received a completely different answer.
Looking at Andrew's earnest expression, Jane remained silent.
After swinging a leg over her motorcycle, the girl turned her head back and gave Andrew a smile. It wasn't alluring or dangerous, just an ordinary smile, yet it held a hint of sly playfulness.
"If you can recognize me the next time we meet, we'll talk then~"
The next moment, the motorcycle's engine roared to life. Without waiting for Andrew's reply, the girl sped off in the direction of New Eridu, her rear wheel kicking up a cloud of dust as Jane left the place called Blazewood behind her.
Watching the girl gradually disappear from view, Andrew shrugged. As a Hunter, he had complete confidence in his eyes.
Since she said 'we'll talk then,' he'd just have to make sure to catch her the next time they met and have that talk~
____
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