Who hid My Corpse!-Chapter 97 - : Leave Lyra

Chapter 97: Leave Lyra

“You’re here for Affairs Officer 44, right?”

When Gerard heard these words from Carol’s mouth, his entire body stiffened, and his eyes were filled with disbelief.

He really knew, he really did!

Gerard subconsciously took a step towards Carol, “Carol, you…”

But Carol raised his hand to stop Gerard from coming closer, then Gerard saw a hint of hesitation flash through Carol’s eyes, but he didn’t explain anything right away. Instead, he gestured with his hand towards the customers still queuing behind Gerard, “I apologize, Sir Gerard, I’m still at work.”

Carol’s reaction made Gerard feel uneasy, but when he looked back, there indeed were many customers behind him, and most of them were the ones who had given way to him. Now they were looking at him with curious and dissatisfied gazes.

...

Gerard could only nod, “Alright, then I’ll wait for you here.”

Carol hesitated for a moment at this request, but did not refuse. He just nodded and then looked towards the customers behind Gerard, “Next, please.”

So, Gerard waited on the side.

Afterward, Carol became engrossed in his work just like before, not once glancing at Gerard, as if he didn’t exist.

“It’s clear he knows something,” came the slow, leisurely voice of Bai Wei in Gerard’s mind, “but he is still hesitant, unsure whether to tell you or not.”

Gerard could feel it too and, watching Carol deliberately ignoring him, he whispered in response, “I know.”

“But what if he also refuses to reveal the truth to you? What will you do then?”

Gerard was silent.

“Gerard,” Bai Wei said leisurely, “have you really thought it through? For the truth, how much are you willing to pay?”

Gerard still did not speak.

He stood like a statue in a corner for an entire afternoon.

And during that time, Carol indeed did not look at him again, just focused on his work, advising one young person after another seeking to replace their prosthetics with larger ones and then fitting them one by one. From noon until sunset, when the setting sun turned the whole shop a pale gold, Carol finally saw off the last customer.

His colleagues finished their work before him, greeted him, and left laughing and joking.

In the end, only two people were left in the shop.

A former Knight, a former Mechanician.

Gerard walked out from the corner; he looked at Carol standing in the sunset, whose eyes had gone from hesitant to calm.

“It’s been a long time, Sir Gerard,” Carol said to Gerard, “Of course, you might not know who I am. Long ago, I was one of the many who looked up to your silhouette.”

“Carol.” Gerard stood in front of Carol and said softly, “You know why I’ve come.”

“You appearing before me, I knew,” Carol said, “Affairs Officer 44, right?”

Hearing Carol mention Affairs Officer 44 again made Gerard tense up, and then he subconsciously quickened his pace, “You really know something…”

“No, Sir Gerard,” Carol calmly interrupted, “As you and I both know, Affairs Officer 44 does not exist.”

Gerard’s body froze.

“We all know you’re looking for Affairs Officer 44, but she doesn’t exist. There are only up to 43 Affairs Officers,” Carol said, “Even if you came to me, I could only give you this answer, Affairs Officer 44 does not exist.”

Gerard stood completely still, looking into Carol’s eyes, trying to read something different in that calm pair of pupils, “44, she’s really important to me.”

Carol lowered his head, no longer making eye contact with Gerard, “I’m sorry, Sir Gerard.”

“You know me, then you must surely know about Night Star,” Gerard did not give up, for ten years this was the first clue he had found, how could he give up, “That was my squad, those were my brothers, they died in the Polluted Land, and were forever labeled…”

“Rebels,” Carol said softly, “but Sir Gerard, if I also answered some questions I shouldn’t, then I’d be a Rebel too.”

The second half of the words Gerard wanted to say caught in his throat.

He looked at Carol, who still wouldn’t lift his head, and a profound sense of helplessness and exhaustion welled up inside him. After a long silence, he softly said, “Ah, yes, if you answered me, you’d also be a Rebel.”

Carol, head still lowered, remained silent.

Gerard looked at Carol, asking with the last sliver of hope, “Your answer just now, can I take it to mean that Affairs Officer 44 indeed exists, but whatever happened to her, you cannot say, right?”

“No, Sir Gerard, I did not say that,” Carol replied precisely, “Affairs Officer 44 does not exist.”

Another long silence.

Gerard looked up at the slowly setting sun and said softly, “I see, then I understand.”

Then he turned and walked towards the exit of the shop.

“I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve brought you, Carol,” Bai Wei said. “Just take everything today as the last ramblings and obsessions of a madman.”

Carol lifted his head and looked at Gerard’s aged silhouette and the “creak” of the old metal parts as he walked, suddenly feeling somewhat disoriented.

Just as Gerard was about to step out of the shop, Carol stopped him.

“Mr. Gerard,”

Gerard turned back to look at Carol.

“Your body hasn’t been maintained or repaired for a long time, has it?” Carol asked. “May I help you?”

Gerard was slightly taken aback.

Carol bowed slightly, the golden evening glow illuminating his body, the imprint of Lyra shining brightly in the sunset.

“Mechanician Carol, at your service.”

…

“It’s clear that you haven’t had any maintenance for a very long time,” Carol said as he removed the steel plate on Gerard’s chest and glanced inside, involuntarily clicking his tongue, “The corrosion in here is really severe. If it continues, it will eventually spread to the heart… And, you’ve been pouring too much lubricant in there; the stuff isn’t that useful very often.”

Gerard nodded, “I know, but I’ve tried my best.”

“Hmm, you’re not a formal mechanician. It’s already quite impressive that you’ve managed to keep this body functioning without major issues,” Carol said with a smile. “When was the last time you had systematic maintenance? I mean, not the kind you do yourself.”

Gerard shrugged, “Ten years ago, the night before that mission…”

“…I’m sorry, Mr. Gerard.”

“Why should you apologize?” Gerard showed a rare relaxed smile. “I should be thanking you.”

“Thank me for being willing to maintain you? It’s my honor.”

“Thank you for still thinking so,” Gerard said softly. “It’s been a long time since anyone has called me ‘Mr.,’ and just as long since anyone hasn’t treated me as a criminal.”

Carol fell silent once more, but this time he didn’t remain quiet for too long. While he helped Gerard replace the corroded parts, he said: “When I was very young, the Night Star was a hero because you ventured into the terrifying Polluted Land time and again. To me, it was really… pretty cool.”

He finished maintaining the chest part, screwed it in place, and then tapped it lightly, producing a dull sound. Then, he sat on the other side and began dismantling Gerard’s thigh components.

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“As I grew older and became a maintenance staff, the Night Star was still a hero. It’s because I realized you ventured into the Polluted Land not for the thrill but for the vitality of the city. The energy that only the Polluted Land could provide was purchased with your lives. I finally understood that what you did wasn’t as glorious as it seemed on the surface. You faced the harshest environments, doing the most important work. Everyone in the city was blessed by your actions; you were the ones who filled this city with life… Ah, the Dark Type 3 auxiliary limb, a classic model.”

Gerard looked down at Carol, who was busily working on his thigh, and said softly, “It is classic, but it should be outdated, shouldn’t it?”

“No, classics are timeless,” Carol said without lifting his head. “Even now, it’s still one of the best auxiliary limbs out there. Younger folks now prefer to replace their entire limbs with prosthetics and look down upon these types of auxiliary limbs. But they will never understand such beauty, nor will they ever grasp a certain truth.”

“What truth?”

“Machinery should assist, not constitute the entirety,” Carol tightened the last screw, then stood up. “Well, Mr. Gerard, although I can’t make your prosthesis as good as new, I have at least restored about fifty to sixty percent of its functionality, and added some new features as well.”

“New features?”

Carol shrugged, “Like automatic drainage; this way, you won’t have to worry about it becoming sluggish on rainy days.”

“That’s a big help,” Gerard hesitated. “But, I don’t have much money left.”

“What are you talking about, Mr. Gerard?” Carol said calmly. “According to the laws of Lyra, all mechanicians are obligated to maintain the Knights of the Night Star free of charge. I am merely fulfilling my duty.”

Upon hearing Carol say this, Gerard nodded, “Thank you.”

Carol fell silent again for a while, then said, “A long time ago, I, too, thought of joining the Night Star selection, to become someone like you.”

Gerard looked at Carol.

“But at that time, I already had attachments,” Carol said as he lifted his clothes to show Gerard a photo sewn into the lining of his garment, featuring a family of three including himself. “Just like now, I’m no longer alone, and can’t do crazy things as I used to, not even supposed to think about them. So… I’m sorry, Mr. Gerard.”

Gerard looked at the photograph and understood Carol’s sentiments. He was silent for a while, then nodded gently, “I understand. You don’t need to be so hard on yourself.”

“Thank you for your understanding,” Carol shifted his gaze away once more.

Gerard stood up and patted Carol on the shoulder, “Don’t let your son become someone like me.”

This sentence made Carol’s body tremble slightly.

Gerard was ready to leave by now, but just as he turned around, Carol’s voice rang out once again.

“I said before that, as a child and even after I started working, I always thought of the Night Star as heroes, even… still do,” Carol seemed to make up his mind and looked at Gerard’s back, stating each word deliberately. “Mr. Gerard, stop probing into Affairs Officer 44’s matter, and if you can, leave Lyra as soon as possible.”

Gerard was stunned and swiftly turned around, but Carol had already stepped back two paces, half his body retreating into the shadows.

“That’s all I can say,” Carol said softly. “Leave Lyra.”