After stepping out of the bathroom, I noticed that Rinne had disappeared, leaving Sara alone on the couch, faintly humming to herself. She swayed back and forth, playing with the arms of the teddy she held.
Looking at the teddy bear reminds me of all the bodies that we found under City Hall. Frankly, I wanted to burn that bear, but Rinne picked it up and brought it back with her. I just hope the souls of those lost children can find the peace they were never given in life.
"Mister?" Sara was now leaning over the edge of the couch, locking her empty eyes with mine. "Are you okay?"
Whether it is childlike intuition or something more, I should be more careful around her. I don't want to add to her worries.
"Yeah," I gave her a forced smile. She didn't seem to buy it as she tilted her head a little. "Where is Rinne?"
She moved her hand with the bear towards the door.
I closed my eye, focusing on just my hearing. Faint sounds, like someone panting heavily. Was Rinne training by herself? If that's the case, I'll leave her be. Given how volatile she is around me, I'd rather not ruin her mood.
I opened my eyes to see that Sara was mimicking me. It was cute, like something I never would have expected to see in my entire lifetime. I couldn't help but give a genuine smile as Sara opened her eyes.
While Rinne is doing that, I should get some paperwork done. A lot has happened in two days.
I made my way toward my room.
"…" I could feel the silent stare of Sara. She must be bored and lonely sitting up here by herself.
Without turning around, I asked, "Wanna come?"
"Mmmhmm!" She jumped off the couch and ran up to my side. I opened the door to my room. She cautiously looked around before plopping herself onto my bed.
Making my way towards my desk, I glanced at my Gearsaw. The broken gears stung my heart, but it was an easy fix. It could have been the blade that was ruined. I sat down at my desk, picked up a pen, and put thoughts into written words.
"What are you doing, Mister?" Sara asked, swaying back and forth with her eyes fixed on the paper. She held the bear close to her chest.
"A case report."
Specifically, Kelly's case—Case 001. It's been two days, and a lot has happened. Finding Kelly after killing a man who killed another by mistake, to having her get taken while she was out of my sight. Of course, nobody is to blame; she had already been brainwashed by the time I found her. I still think I should have been there to protect her; instead, I nearly got killed.
"Mister, you have that look again." Sara's words pulled me out of my thoughts.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." I resumed writing.
"So, are you gonna write everything that happened?" She asked.
"That's the idea."
Then she leaned forward, looking down at the teddy bear in her hands. "Even what happened with Mommy and the man you killed?"
I found moving the pen in my hand difficult as she brought that point up. She was there with Muller, watching from the shadows. Watching me as I slaughtered the man who killed her mother. That happened before I found Kelly, so there was no need to write about it.
"Please, Mister…" Sara stared at me intensely. Those vacant eyes pleaded with all her might. "I-I don't want to forget."
"Some things are worth forgetting."
"No, they aren't."
"Look, Sara, I write in detail about what happens during my cases. What happened to your mother isn't something you should read at your age. No girl needs to know how her mother was violated—"
"I DON'T CARE!" she screamed. Then, she quickly brought the bear up to hide her face. "I'm sorry. But I want to remember how my mother died. Father Muller says knowing painful memories helps motivate you."
Motivates you, huh? More like destroy you. But, maybe…Sara is different. Those eyes, there was a spark of something in there. Something yearning to devour the void that took over her soul. She's moving forward. Something that took me years to do.
"You win." As I said those words, she looked up at me. As I thought, there was a small trace of life in her eyes. "I have something to give you."
After coming home with Kelly the prior night, I placed all my belongings in a small box, away from Kelly's eyes. Inside was the box that spawned a void spawn and a wallet. Looking back, no matter how you twist it, these items were related to Kelly's case.
I pulled out the wallet, leaving the used artifact behind. Inside was a small photograph. It sat where it was that night; it was given to me by that scumbag who killed Sara's mother. Looking at it was heartbreaking. A tool used to capture a moment in time, one that could never be recreated, no matter how hard Sara wished. How can holding onto these make you stronger?
I turned to face Sara; the light in her eyes returned as she stared at the object in my hands. "T-that's!" The words she wanted to say were stuck in her throat.
"It's your mother's," I confirmed her suspicions and tossed her the wallet. She dropped the bear and caught it, immediately opening it.
"Thank you." She said softly. Then, she got off the bed and hugged me as tightly as she could. I could hear the faint snuffling of her nose, but she refused to cry.
It was warming to see her like this. A strong-willed girl, able to face the past and move towards the future despite losing everything.
Maybe I was just pathetic. Running from the past, not willing to believe in a future with me in it.
"Okay!" After what felt like a long time, Sara pulled herself off me and stared at me with vigor. "Father Muller said that I would be his apprentice. What does that mean?"
Did this girl really just accept becoming his apprentice without even knowing what it entails? Muller, you are one messed-up man for taking advantage of this poor girl's trauma.
"It means that you'll take on the same work he does, maybe even replacing him in the near future."
Sara looked at me with curiosity, "So, I'll help get rid of the bad guys like you did?"
…Has Muller already killed someone in front of her?
"That, or just being a hero for the people."
"Umm…" She looked at me awkwardly, "Didn't he yell at big sis yesterday about being a hero?"
That he did. Well, I don't blame him for doing so. He lost a buddy who let those ideas corrupt their judgment.
"Well, hero in the sense of what they do, not for public reception."
"Re-cept-ion?
"Basically doing it to look cool," I said, which seemed to click with Sara as she nodded.
"So what can I do to help him?"
That was a good question. Sara was young and, frankly, a little short. Even with a weapon in her hands, she'd hardly be a challenge for anything that we fight against, human or creature.
"Muller carries a lot of tools with him at all times. So maybe you could help share the load."
"Tools like these?" Sara dug in her pockets and produced a small metal capsule that I had made for Muller.
"Why do you have a flashbang?"
"Father Muller told me to hold on to this and use it if I felt in danger or if he told me to."
That could work.
"That seriously could work!"
"Mister?" Sara gave me a confused look as I made my way back to my desk.
I grabbed as much paper as I could and sketched out an idea that came to mind. Sara walked over and stared at the future creation in progress. Even she seemed excited as she let her mouth hang open.
It was kind of scary seeing her be happy over a weapon at her age. But nobody is perfect.
I made a beeline towards the workshop, where a very flustered-looking Rinne caught my eye. Her clothes were halfway off, and her bandages were loose. I put the plans I had made onto the table and looked at Rinne as Sara eventually made her way down.
"Wha-why are you staring at me, creep!"
"Why are you undressed in my house?"
"I-I thought I had locked the door!"
"You mean the door that doesn't lock?" I said, pointing at the door at the top of the staircase.
The life from Rinne's face drained as she turned towards the door that led to the main living quarters of my hideout. She then slumped low and muttered, "Heh…so it doesn't, huh?"
"That's what you get for assuming, dummy." I grabbed the bandages that Rinne had left out. The end was frayed pretty badly. Did she rip this instead of cutting it? I let out a sigh as I approached her.
There was a fearful look in her eyes as she tried to quickly stand up, only to trip on the ends of the bandages that covered her. She hastily covered her chest and crawled backward. "S-stop!"
"Relax." I grabbed her shoulders. "And face away from me." I forcefully pushed her away as I worked on redoing her bandages.
"…" Rinne sat there silently.
"You know, you have quite the wild imagination," I said. "But you can relax around me. You aren't anywhere near as attractive as Rinara was."
"…that's…not reassuring, creep."
"Well, deal with it." I then pulled on the bandages to check how tight they were, causing Rinne to yelp in pain.
"OWWW!"
"It just means I won't see you in that kind of way."
"Whatever!" Rinne moved away and quickly redressed herself. "Why are you down here, you drunken asshole? Shouldn't you be resting in your room or something of that sort? I refuse to be the subject of your drunken desires—OOF!"
I firmly chopped the top of her head with my hand. "What is up with your imagination?"
I should limit how much I drink around her. Goddess only knows what happened up there in the Upper Layer orphanage. Or…I could just not show up wasted.
"I'm down here to make something for Sara."
"For Sara?"
"Mmmhmm." Sara came to me holding the plans that I had placed on the table. "Something that will help me help Father Muller, big sis!"
"Sara?" Rinne's voice lowered. "You seem…brighter." She then looked at me with an unreadable expression on her face. Then she smiled. "Maybe my imagination is wild." She muttered. "Is there anything I can help with?"
Strange, didn't she just express how much she thought I was a creep? Though I suppose an extra hand or two wouldn't hurt.
"You still have your dagger?" I asked Rinne.
"One of them is broken, the other is fine."
Part of me was a bit reluctant, but she was nimble. Even if she ran into trouble, I doubt she'll attempt to fight. While I was working on this, I could have her gather material for her weapons as well.
Two birds with one stone.
"Look around the area and gather as many broken pipes as you can; if possible, collect brass plates as well."
"Oh…" She kept a smile on her face, but her eyes told a different story.
"You asked," I said, "but once you return, I'll have you help me with the hard stuff that Sara is too young to do."
"Fine, so just pipes and plates, right?"
"That is correct," I said as Rinne put on the gloves that I had made for her yesterday.
"I'll be back then." She said as she left the building.
With only Sara and me remaining, we got to work. Hours went by as I tried to turn the hastily thrown-together plan into reality. Partway through, Rinne came back with more than enough materials to assemble everything.
Honestly, Sara was more help than I had imagined. From bending metal to drilling, she made quick work of all the tasks I had given her with precision. She definitely has a knack for this kind of work.
Rinne, on the other hand…yeah…she doesn't seem very good with coordination in the slightest. Often, she managed to hurt herself from basic things, which makes me think that all the wounds on her body might have been caused by her rather than someone else.
But as much as it pained me to sit there and watch. She was trying. Even with each failed attempt to do what I asked of her, she kept going. At the very least, I owe her that much; she did save my life twice yesterday.
"W-what are you staring at, you creep?" Rinne caught my gaze, and her expression soured.
"Nothing, thanks for the help."
We worked for hours, cutting into the night until the prototype was completed.
"Hey…Golden Steam." Rinne was the first to speak at the sight of my glorious new creation that is currently breathing its first breaths of air. But I got the feeling that she didn't sound so excited. "You know Sara's a child, right?"
"So are you." I retorted. "What of it?"
"That…that is a grenade launcher."
"It looks like a grenade launcher from ancient times, yes. But this is a steam-powered support projectile propulsion device. Or SPSPP for short."
"Vetoed," Rinne shut down my idea immediately.
"It sounds weird," Sara added.
"1-2," Rinne smugly looked at me.
"Fine." I cocked my head to the side as I thought of a name. "How about Steam-nader?"
"You are really bad with names." Rinne did not seem to like the second idea.
"I think it sounds cute," Sara said as she swayed back and forth. "Steam-nader!"
I turned to Rinne with a smug look on my face. "2-1." She clicked her teeth in defeat and let out a yawn.
"Come on, Sara." She grabbed Sara by her arms. "Let's go to sleep; it's late."
"But I wanna see how it works." She whined.
"Tomorrow."
"Okay…" Sara then turned back to face me. "Good night, Mister."
"…Good night…" Rinne muttered afterward.
"Good night, you two."
The two girls made their way upstairs, leaving me behind in the workshop. I grabbed the weapon and some empty smoke cells I used to make flashbangs, then walked outside.
In the distance was nothing but a stretch of road. I loaded the empty cells into the rotary magazine and pushed them inwards. Steam hissed out the sides as I could feel pressure building within the weapon. I took aim at a small lamppost a few blocks down and pulled the trigger.
With a quiet *pop* that sounded kind of unwelcoming, the empty cell flew with a cloud of steam trailing behind. The projectile flew further than I had imagined it would.
Looks like I need to reduce the steam buildup, but otherwise it was a complete success.