Titanframe Re: Genesis

There was a small silence that fell in the carriage. For obvious reasons, Grey didn’t like hearing this at all, but it was another clue.

A Holy Frame. Didn’t that mean that if he had a Holy Frame, no matter what machinations Terran or whoever was with him were forming, it would all be useless?

Terran had treated even Joaquin with disdain on that day. Despite the latter’s attempt to use him, it had fallen flat. It was obvious that before Joaquin gained himself this so-called Holy Type Frame, he hadn’t had any sway within the Holy Knights at all.

Now his standing was apparently higher than a Holy Knight’s, who by Silva’s implied words probably had standing even higher than a Baron’s.

Grey wasn’t entirely sure of what to do. Should he try to leave the city instead and try to find a Holy Frame in one of the Ruins? Maybe try to run back to the outpost and see if he could buy one at an exorbitant price? Or maybe considering Baron Giyoto was such a fan of collecting Holy Items he might have something related to a Holy Frame in his private quarters somewhere, that was possible.

The trouble was that the power ruins were too far from the city. Even on the way here, it had taken him four to five hours just to run from where the outpost had been back to the city. Unless a Holy Frame reward was lurking somewhere in one of the weaker ruins—something that was highly unlikely—he had no chance of making it.

Plus, there was the problem of the outpost Safe Room being barred from the public. Maybe it was open again by now, but how could he be sure of that?

Raiding Baron Giyoto’s place had some legs to it. But the problem was that the Baron left separately from them and he might very well still be in his estate now. Grey had never laid eyes on him actually leaving.

The Baron was probably not as strong as a Holy Knight, but he was at least close. At the very least, he was certainly not in the Proving Class. So even if he wasn’t there, whatever methods he used to protect his most important treasures were more than Grey could probably handle right now.

No matter how Grey looked at things, everything seemed to end in another dead end.

There was nothing but another loss waiting for him around every corner. The pain of that realization hit once again, but this time Grey didn’t lose his cool. Instead, he made another decision.

"Are you really not going to tell me about Captain Terran and what the issue with him is?" Grey asked.

Silva looked over with an amused smile, but that slowly faded when he saw the cold expression on Grey’s face. There was something about the look in those crimson eyes right now that was completely unamused.

"You know, I can tell when my leg is being pulled, fox man. Maybe part of that is the fact I was raised on folk tales that told me not to trust anthropomorphic foxes, but another half of that is definitely the fact your breath smells of bullshit.

"So how about you tell me what it is you’re hiding about Captain Terran and why you find it so amusing to keep me in the dark."

"I’m sorry that you feel that way—."

"You see, when you’re apologizing, that’s about the worst way for you to start." Grey said coldly. "No, it isn’t my fault for feeling this way. There’s this term on Earth, you know, the Cracked World that you people seem to find so amusing to poke and prod at. It’s called gaslighting. And the last bitch who gaslit me got her little boyfriend kicked off of a very, very tall hill of snow.

"You should have seen his arm when he got to the bottom."

Grey was talking about a little childhood spat, and yet the malevolent grin that spread across his face was anything but childish.

Brad tried to stand in the carriage, maybe rightfully responding to Grey’s obvious hostility. But his head banged against the ceiling with an ironically hollow echo and Silva held out a hand to stop him.

"I can understand your frustration, Sir Temolt. But I have my own orders to follow as well. I am happy to pass along your concerns to Baron Giyoto once the ceremony is completed. I’m sure that he’ll address them to a satisfactory extent."

"Interesting." Grey nodded. Silva was going to relax, but then Grey spoke again. "So very convenient that your little Baron isn’t here right now. What am I supposed to do with that promise? Shove it up my ass with my twiddling thumbs? What do you think your promise counts for?"

A note of anger flashed in Silva’s eyes, a hint of a bestial growl echoing from his throat before it was quickly suppressed.

"Oh, it looks like you’re properly house trained. What a good puppy."

Red flashed in Silva’s eyes, but it was actually Grey who attacked first.

They were seated side by side in the carriage, and Silva was so restrained and forcefully civilized that he didn’t seem to have any real intention of doing exactly that.

Maybe he was suppressing himself for his master, or maybe there was a deeper reason. But whatever that was, it didn’t matter to Grey.

He wanted answers.

He refused to keep dying like a dog. If he was going to die, he was going out fighting.

Unfortunately, Silva was no pushover. Grey attacked first, and yet Silva’s counter was so fast it was almost like he could have landed first if he really wanted to.

That said, there was something unfortunate for Silva as well.

He wasn’t ready for Grey to have a Legendary weapon on hand.

Grey had learned his lesson. His blood was good enough to extend the range of the daggers, but not yet good enough to act as an attacking equivalent.

If he wanted the most power out of the daggers, he had to use them directly.

And luckily for him, Silva was more than close enough for exactly that, and clearly far weaker than Captain Terran.

Grey’s dagger ripped through Silva’s palm and with a twist, he severed the fox man’s hand at the wrist.

BANG.

The carriage exploded.