-Vol 6: Dusk of An Era-

-Family Gathering(1)-

“Un, don’t worry. She had just overdrawn her mana. It’s like how you overdraw your stamina in a marathon to win and get sick because you are not supposed to do that. She will be fine after a short rest, don’t worry.” Said Kenshin trying to dispel all the worry Yuki felt.

“Mm, if you say so…” Yuki already knew how strong Kenshin was since he was someone who has the same power as Chiba(being a magic user and all) she decided to trust him. In her head, power comes with experience, so if an experienced man like Kenshin was claiming its okay, then it must be okay.

After a brief silence, Kenshin looked at Yuki as he held back an urge to start a conversation. His mind was filled with matters regarding both the events that happened with the Kawakuchi family as well as the attacks of those alien monsters. Although he wanted to know about these two matters, the timing and place were not for that kind of conversation.

“I can’t believe we have to escape to safe bunkers, just because of some lousy monsters… damn, what are these hunters doing?” suddenly, the awkward moment broken from an unexpected source, although the content was a little…

“Eh! are you unsatisfied with how hunters work?” it was not Kenshin but Yuki who asked the question. She could be considered to be a very high official of the hunter’s office, as well as a girl who personally liked the profession of a hunter.

“Unsatisfied? Haha, girly, have you not seen what happened? We have to hide just because of a few monsters who happen to be escaped from their prisons, how can I be satisfied when something like that happens? Why must we hide like some weakling, don’t we have hunters to stop them, then why do we have to run and hide?” the taxi driver who looked no older than 41, complained with a bellyful of anger. The fact that he had to run and hide seemed to have to hit a nerve in his body, making him feel indignant.

“You know uncle, if you haven’t run and hide, who knows what would happen… you might have gotten killed if any one of them manage to break away the circle of hunters who were fighting… it’s for your safety.” Yuki argued. Her brows seemed to twitch as she answered him. In the background, Kenshin kept his silence, he didn’t refute the uncle, neither supported his type of thinking. He, also, once upon a time, complained like this man about those powerful hunters whenever he heard news of something tragic happening… but now that he stood in those very powerful hunter’s shoes, he knew how wrong it was to blame them.

“Hmph, isn’t that’s why we have those hunters? We have been paying our taxes in time so that people like them enjoy in luxury… now that the time has come to repay, why they have to be such incompetent? It's like paying for bodyguards to save your house, only to evacuate when someone really attacks your house.” The man said while behaving agitatedly.

“I think what you said isn’t true.” Yuki started to argue, “Hunters may be paid from the government, their luxury was actually a result of their own effort,” she argued.

“How so? and what do you mean by their own effort?” the taxi driver asked, seemingly confused.

“The car you are driving, what metal do you think made of?” asked Yuki, a smile could be seen tugging on her lips. Its as if she just won an argument.

“Eh! isn’t this an alloy of iron, steel, and some other metal?” the driver replied with another question.

“That other meatal… what do you think it is?” asked Yuki, then seeing the troubled face of the driver she smiled and said, “that metal is known as Black steel, a very strong and high-yield metal that can only be found in dungeons. In fact, not only your car or this black steel, even the phone in your pocket, the TV or refrigerators in your house… even the stoves you use for cooking have some of this Black steel mixed in them.”

“What, really?” asked the taxi driver, he was uninformed but not a fool. He immediately understood what this beautiful lady beside him tried to convey. He furrowed his brows and thought about this matter deeply. Hunters bring these Black Steel from dungeons as they were only available there, and they sell it outside. Not only that drops like rare items that they didn’t need, potions, etc.… they were actually the real source of a hunter’s income, not their tax money as he had thought.

Yuki looked at him before stealthily looking at Kenshin, who was carelessly looking at the outside of the window, seemingly disinterested at the content of the conversation. She could only shake her head at this. Indeed, Kenshin’s temperament had already become similar to those true powerful hunters, disinterested in everything that didn’t concern them. Although she too knew to argue with someone like this taxi driver is just plain waste of time, but she still wanted to do it. She compelled to make these compel clear that hunters are not as insufferable as they think them to be.

Anyway, in between Yuki and the driver’s argument, Kenshin’s home came, and they exited from the car. After paying him the money he owed, Kenshin brought Yuki to his home. The funny thing was that, when Kenshin gave him money, the driver didn’t have any change, so he waited patiently so that he can get change and return it to him. This little thing stroke Yuki odd, but she didn’t comment on it and simply followed behind him. Her mind was filled with many things, especially the health of Chiba, to whom she had considered her little sister.

‘Hmm, so Joy’s back…’ thought Kenshin seeing his car parked on the driveway. Turnin towards Yuki, he said, “Yuki, you go up, I will follow later.” Without bothering to look at whether she agreed or not, he immediately ran towards the car and started to inspect it from top to bottom.

Yuki could only shake her head and go upstairs. When she neared Kenshin’s room, she could hear a ruckus going around. Laughter and howls could be seen coming from the inside, despite herself, her lips twitched as they stretched and curved. With her lithe white hands, she knocked on the door twice. Soon enough it was opened by a little girl with long blue hair, wearing shorts and t-shirts. She was none other than Ellie.

“Ah, sister Yuki, welcome!!” the easily excitable girl became even more excited and shouted before hugging her with her arms wide. While laughing merrily, Yuki, too, tried to hug her, only to feel another set of small hands circling around her. Looking down she saw another cute girl with black hair and what looked like cat-like ears on top that flickered every now and then. She was wearing the same clothes as Ellie, although she was not that expressive as Ellie.

“Hmm, you must be Axel.” Yuki was initially surprised at how cute Axel was despite being a boy, but soon recovered herself and hugged him too, while smiling at the same time. Lifting them both to cradle them in her hands, she went inside, only to be greeted with the bald monk-lookalike, Joy, who was sitting on the sofa, browsing through his phone.

“Welcome.” It was Ena who welcomed her, then came Mrs. Yui, who too smiled at her and welcomed her inside. Of course, they were familiar with each other. It’s just that they had too few interactions causing them both to feel a little awkward.