Who hid My Corpse!-Chapter 153 - : Thirty-seven So, shall we have a new deal?"_2

Chapter 153: Thirty-seven So, shall we have a new deal?”_2

By now, the sudden encounter battle had finally concluded.

It was called an encounter battle because the location of the fight against the giant creature was not in the Polluted Land, but in… a residential area.

After the battle ended, standing on the highest platform, Gerard looked at the rows of fallen houses with a grave expression.

“Captain!” Helmo rushed over to report, “That damn creature has been dealt with, but the damage it caused is significant. It appeared so suddenly that there wasn’t even time to evacuate, and now it’s uncertain how many people are trapped in their homes.”

Gerard inquired, “Where is the Skeleton Corps?”

“They are on their way here.”

“…We can’t just stand by, we need to start relief work.”

“But we still have to deal with the pollutant.”

“Having Eric assign three people to ensure the pollution doesn’t spread will be enough,” Gerard said as he began to take off his gear to lighten the load, “everyone else, put all efforts into the rescue operation, each second we delay someone could die… Carry out the orders, Helmo.”

“…Yes, sir!”

Gerard, unencumbered by heavy gear, leaped into those colorless memories.

…

“Thanks to your timely rescue, Lord Gerard, who knows how many people would have died without you.”

“We only did what was trivial; the Skeleton Corps completed the follow-up rescue.”

“Heh, be it Knight or Skeleton Corps, we’re all for Lyra.”

“Yes, all for Lyra… Was the loss great this time?”

“As I just mentioned, because of your timely rescue, we’ve minimized the losses. There are many injured, but not many have perished because of that.”

After the rescue work concluded, Gerard and the leader of the Skeleton Corps walked briskly through the disaster area, now a field of ruins.

“With that, the remaining rescue work is passed on to you; we have to attend to the aftermath of the pollutant, and of course, we will also clarify the cause of the mid-sized pollutant’s sudden appearance in the residential area as soon as possible.”

“Of course, that is our duty.”

Gerard nodded and was about to leave, but his peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of two skinny figures.

They were a pair of siblings, standing dumbly under the rain curtain, the torrential rain washing over their bloodied bodies, and in front of them lay two stretchers covered with white cloths, the white of the cloths even more glaring than the fresh blood.

Gerard’s body halted, “What’s that about?”

The Skeleton Corps’ leader glanced over and said, “Ah, those siblings. They are probably the most unfortunate people in this disaster. That damned pollutant crashed right into the center of their house, their parents were crushed to death by the monster right before their eyes, only these two children survived.”

Gerard fell silent, suddenly recalling that moment when the mid-sized pollutant had collapsed under his command.

After a long pause, he asked, “What will happen to them now?”

“They’re too young; they can only be sent to a welfare institute. We’ll see if anyone is willing to adopt them later on.”

This content is taken from fгeewebnovёl.com.

“What are their names?”

“The brother is Ian, and the sister is Ina… Why do you ask?”

Gerard shook his head, said nothing more, and then walked alone into the rain.

This moment’s memory was monochrome like dark clouds.

…

Welfare Institute.

“Lord Gerard, this is already your third visit here this month.”

Gerard stood side by side with the director, watching the siblings in the distance who stood aloof in the corner of the garden. No children wanted to play with them.

“Why has no one been willing to adopt them up to now?”

“Er, do you want the truth?”

“Certainly.”

“Because they’ve been in contact with a pollutant,” the director replied, “typically, no one wants to adopt such children. Parents feel that they have been contaminated too, even the other children don’t want to play with them.”

Gerard fell silent for a moment, then asked, “What will become of them?”

“According to Lyra’s laws, we’ll raise them until they’re adults,” said the director, “after that, it’s up to them to make their way.”

“I see.”

Gerard took one final look at the siblings, then nodded and said, “I appreciate you taking care of them,” before turning to leave.

As the director was about to return to his office, heavy footsteps sounded again. He turned his head, surprised to see Gerard returning.

“Sir Gerard, are you…”

“Can I raise them?”

Then memories gained a splash of color.

…

“From now on, you’ll live with me. My house isn’t that big, but it’s probably better than the orphanage. At least here someone will talk to you.”

Looking at the siblings who were still very reserved, Gerard didn’t know how to talk to them, and after a long silence, he said,

“Ian and Ina, right? You don’t have to change your names or consider me your father; I am just a…”

Before he could finish, the door was pushed open with a bang, and a crowd poured in.

“Whoa whoa whoa, the captain’s got kids! The captain’s got kids!”

“I know you value efficiency, Captain, but isn’t skipping straight to having kids without finding a wife a bit too efficient?”

“You’ve got a point, actually.”

“Hehehe, kids, don’t be nervous. From now on you’re one of us Night Stars, you can strut around wherever you go!”

“Come have a drink, little ones, celebrate having a dad… But how old are you, can you drink? Ah, eight? That’s enough, that’s enough.”

The sudden visit of these people not only startled the siblings but also made Gerard frown. He immediately stood up, intending to drive these fellows out, but then he saw a vitality in the timid eyes of the siblings that hadn’t been there before.

Gerard hesitated for a moment and, saying nothing, sat back down.

The colors of the memory grew more vivid.

…

“Father, I want to join the Night Stars.”

The grown boy, slightly drunk but very serious, looked at Gerard.

“I know you might not agree, but I’ve thought about this for a long time. I’m serious. I also want to be like you, to become a Knight of the Night Stars.”

Gerard watched the boy quietly.

He could feel the nervousness in the boy’s heart; although it wasn’t as evident as his sister’s, his deliberately grown beard, meant to make him look mature, was now trembling, giving him away.

Gerard was silent a while, then slowly stretched out his hand.

He covered the bottle.

“Since you’ve decided to join the Night Stars,” Gerard said calmly, “then you should stop drinking.”

The boy was startled and his alcohol-slowed brain didn’t immediately catch Gerard’s meaning.

But he didn’t need to understand, as the door was once again burst open and more people came flooding in, each carrying a piece of equipment, and began to dress the boy the moment they entered.

“You silly boy, the captain agreed!”

“Is that the captain? That’s his dad.”

“Ah right, our dad agreed.”

In the midst of confusion, the boy was adorned with piece by piece of equipment, swiftly transforming into the person he dreamed of becoming—a Knight of the Night Stars.

Gerard watched from the side, an involuntary smile appearing on his face.

At that moment, the memory, like brushstrokes added to a painting, reached its peak as the boy was fully armed.

But then, in an instant, it ended and condensed into the tattered black and white photo in his hand.

The noise faded, replaced by the incessant, monotonous sound of rain.

The warm little home had become the ruin and rubble of today.

The comrades that once surrounded him had long since disappeared.

Cold reality, carried by the rain, shattered the memories.

Gerard stood all alone, the only thing in the house that could meet his gaze was his own image on the Wanted Notice.

In this realm where reality and memory intertwined, Gerard heard a voice whisper in the depths of his heart.

“I feel your apprehension.”

“So,”

“Shall we make a new deal?”