The Deadman

Robert had always asked himself if there were Knights as well when he came to this world.

Sir Hawke had the elegance of a Knight. The appearance suited him as well.

He was a Knight with a flaming sword.

Robert got an answer to that as he was called by Juliana. Juliana herself had the habit of calling him now. To which she lovingly explained that he was the closest person to call. Not to mention he and Paul had been called again and again to deal with matters regarding syndicates in the City.

“So… a Knight Family? Noble blood?”

“Aristocrats.”

She made sure to make a point about it. Robert leaned on the counter while she raised an eyebrow at his informal behavior. He had been running around doing things for the last week.

“So, uh, you want us peasants to answer an aristocratic family?”

“You are going to meet with one of the people who hold the bloodline of the Coeur de Lion. The Lionheart has been a patron to CASE and lets me tell you this, Oswald. They are different. Those who have a certain bloodline have certain effects and in their case, they are natural warriors. A drop of blood in their veins and yet they are still LIONHEART.”

Robert found it intriguing at least. He leaned forward as if he didn’t hear her properly. Juliana’s glare became fiercer as the informal way he was leaning.

“Will you ever be friendly?”

“If you behave properly.”

“Right. So what’s the problem with them?”

“They want answers. This means that they will be asking for someone who is involved in this. Paul wouldn’t be in this.”

“No shit. If he was there then he’d be standing.”

Paul was the kind of guy that won’t appear unless called. He’s probably out there enjoying himself with the paycheck he got from the CASE. Robert was about to comment about Paul’s wasteful spending when he realized that he wasn’t that much better. Anyway, the request was for him to deliver the materials in question.

The courier bag was bulky. Inside there were documents sorted from A-Z with videotapes and audio recordings as well.

“Where’s the address?”

She handed him the address. Seventh’s District’s Rocky Road street. The appearance of their mansion’s clear and it is one of the largest in the city.

Robert memorized the street and recalled his memories. He knew the place. He can get there without asking civilians and bystanders about it.

“Anything I should know about this family? Any proper etiquette?”

“Just be on your best behavior. All you need to do is inform the family of the recent activities.”

Robert raised a hand.

“They sound important. If anything I can tell that they are one hell of a sponsor for us. So shouldn’t the Lieutenant be the one doing this?”

“The Lieutenant is unfortunately busy, as always. You’ll have to make do.”

“They know I’m coming.”

“Yes.”

Robert didn’t like that there wasn’t much information. If anything he felt like Juliana wasn’t telling her something.

He went out of the base and contacted Simone. He was one of the few who actually knew about the various Magi Families and anyone who might have chosen blood from them.

The phone rang for a minute before Simone answered.

“Robert Oswald?”

“You didn’t save my number with a nickname, right?”

So, what can I do for you?”

“The Lionheart, what can you tell me about them?”

“What is your business with them?”

Simone’s voice had this wariness. AS if talking about the Lionheart gave him a reluctant feeling.

“Deliver materials.”

“I see. The Lionheart is a proud family of Knights. They are warriors first before magicians and they can be… well, let’s say that some of their bloodline members were suspected to have supported the National Socialist German Workers' Party.”

“Oh… are they?”

“They made bad impressions. Most of the rumors said it was slander to the family name, but it’s easy to think that they really are like that. And considering their bloodline policy, beliefs, and how they only consider those who are strong with abled bodies… well they are troublesome.”

“How should I approach them?”

“Get it done fast. After that just leave and don’t look back.”

“That’s… troublesome.”

“It is. “

“Thank you. So are you practicing again? Finally breaking through and becoming fully-fledged?”

There were four seconds of silence behind the call.

“Might be. Some of the methods here are hard to do with how things are. But I can reach it, I think.”

Robert had partly given up on most of his elemental skills. His binding and sealing were proficient so he at least could keep it with him even if he could only do the elemental attacks five times.

Understanding the arcane arts required years of practice. Enforcers like him were only capable of what they were doing because of the potion of enlightenment that allowed them to learn the basics. Enhancing that learning and cutting off their future progress in the arcane arts as well.

To quickly raise their potential they had to pay the price. And that price was being unable to progress beyond the fourth rank. Then again they were grunts who were supposed to work on both sides of the world. Giving them too much power was asking for trouble.

Not to mention that Lesnik’s grace made him more proficient at sealing and binding than using offensive spells.

The path to magic had been cut off for him. And if this millennium bug lessens or cuts off the path of magic and superstition then it would all be lost.

If anything he wondered if that was the reason why he was transmigrated before the millennium bug. It could have happened after it but instead, he was here before it happened. 

Was that the reason?

He did suspect whatever ritual those cultists tried to do. It brought him here.

“I feel like I’m some lesser demon now.”

Robert found it funny.

He wasn’t complaining about second chances. 

Being saved from perpetual sleep was good enough for him.

 

* * *

 

Robert drove to the seventh district. The place is different from the rest of the city. One good look at it and you’d realize how wealthy the neighborhood was. Not to mention that unlike the rest of the city. This one was separated by a bridge. It occupied the whole island and there were no row houses and buildings that were stuck together and separated only by a firewall.

To enter the district he had to go through a checkpoint. He presented his ghost badge and was allowed entry. Upon entering by a car he noticed that most of the houses were clean and most of the occupants were of higher status.

The further he got into this neighborhood. The bigger the homes were. And there was one homestead that attracted his attention the most. Entering Rocky Road Street which they have occupied, he parked on the shoulder paving of the street and exited.

He went to the guard and showed his ghost badge. The guard saw the ghost badge and opened the gate. Robert thought he was going to be frisked first, but they let him in without a fuss.

Then he felt that very familiar feeling. The living space constricted him without giving it a single thought. He drew a seal on the back of his hand and used all of his senses at once to see a lone figure wielding a sword dropping down on him.

He jumped back and then was about to draw his pistol. Then he thought about where he was and assumed that this was a misunderstanding. He took out the telescopic baton on his belt instead.

“Interloper! You come here to die!”

“I am from CASE!”

“You will not get away!”

The blood-curdling scream. The tone of violence on the attacker’s voice made Robert groan as he ducked under her blow. He had been familiar with HEMA’s stances and yet this one was faster and more natural than what he knew. He wasn’t a practitioner, but he had met many kinds of people who relied on their strong bullet-resistant bodies to wield futuristic swords that could cut through steel.

Robert wasn’t going to let that sword get to him.

“Please settle down! I am here to deliver a package!”

“I will have you speak in the dungeon, coward!”

The attacker made a nearly impossible thrust, but with his senses being much better than before and having mastery over his body. Robert stomped down on the enemy’s weapon. Compared to when he was fighting Sofia, he felt much more confident and had more control of his limbs.

There was a shock on the attacker before she tried to swipe it upwards. Robert didn’t have the time so he lassoed the attacker’s sword with a binding light and pulled with the strength of two men in peak physical form.

Disarming the attacker, he went in, deflected the first punch, sidestepped, ram his elbow on the arm, turned the attacker forward, and kicked the attacker on the shin. Hitting something hard instead.

Robert weaved through the flurry of punches. Using his baton to slap some of the Attacker's deadlier punches. The more he endured through the punches. He started to realize that this attacker was a woman wearing a white lion’s mask.

Her attire was aristocratic. It was formal with gold and silver linings on her tailcoat. Her bountiful breasts were firmly in-placed by the belt over her vest. Her hair was tied and he could tell that the clothing clung to her lithe figure.

“I’m from CASE. I came here to deliver the files!”

“We will hear you from our dungeon!”

Robert caught her forearm and threw her to the ground. This time he didn’t hesitate to slam his fist on the woman's stomach. Where he was born it had always been about anyone deserving equal rights and left. People in the era might hesitate but that wasn’t the case for him. He tried stomping on her. She rolled right, got back to her footing, and tried to tackle him.

Robert curled and threw her back before getting up to his feet. She pointed her hand at the sword. And without thinking again Robert lassoed the sword away with his binding light

However, the attacker went straight to him. Aiming at his throat. Robert manhandled the lasso, wrapped it around her forearm, and then used her own force to throw her away.

Before she could get thrown she mumbled something underneath her breath and launched a concussive blast that threw him back. Robert inhaled sharply, landed on the balls of his feet, and rolled to break his fall.

The sword was back in the hands of the attacker. Robert couldn’t allow himself to be killed without even knowing why so he drew his pistol and shot the sword at her arm.

“Stand down. Pardon if you are a member of this house, but let me clarify it again. I just came here after being allowed in. I didn’t expect to be accused and tried to be stabbed. I said don’t move, miss. I’m not going to miss this time.”

“You should have watched your back first, bastard.”

Robert pressed the button on his left palm and dropped a flashsmoke pellet. He ducked down, turned his other gauntlet on, then with his eyes showing where they are, he palmed them with his stun gauntlet, sending enough voltage and amperage to knock them out.

He avoided a sword slash and then this time went straight for the chin, knocking her out.

As the smoke cleared six of them were laying back-first on the ground. Another person landed on the paving and dropped down. Robert recognized the face.

“Sir Hawke?”

“Enforcer Oswald. I see that you have quite the martial skills. This is a problem.”

“I tried appeasing, sir.”

“Hmm, considering the situation. I say that this is a misunderstanding. I caught the impersonator. Did you knock them out?”

“I hope,” Robert turned off his gauntlet. “I didn’t want to end up like this.”

“I heard the gunshot. I will explain it to them. But we have a problem here.”

“What?”

“Did you knock Miss Leona out?”

Robert pointed at the woman who wore the white lion’s mask.

“That her?”

“Leona Lionheart, the second child, the daughter, she was supposed to be in the final years of her studies… I think you should go, for now, Enforcer.”

“He will stay.”

Sir Hawke blocked as he protected Robert from the booming voice. A huge man that was built like a brick wall landed while carrying a zweihander.

“Sir Kingston Lionheart, it’s a pleasure to see you.”

“Gregory Hawke, I hope that you caught our killer,” his eyes went on his people. “And that I will get a proper explanation for this.”