"Hard to imagine someone like you actually letting go of the past and going back to Rhodes Island."
Mostima knew a fair bit about Revy's past—at least, the version of it shaped by his fragmented memories. While some details might have been hazy, the broader picture was clear enough.
"Well… I applied to rejoin as an off-roster operator, so I'll still be keeping up my work as a Catastrophe Messenger as much as possible."
Catching the flask Mostima tossed back to him, Revy gave it a shake—only one swig left. With a wry smile, he tipped it back and drank.
"To be honest, my work was a lot more flexible when I was neutral. Not sure if I'll have that same freedom now that I'm back under Rhodes Island's name."
"I doubt it'll be a problem," Mostima replied with a grin."They don't care who you are—they care what you can do. Your skills, your flawless record… that's what really matters."
"Maybe… who knows."
Revy let the topic drop with a light chuckle.
"Anyway, I've already taken up enough of your time. What about your assignment?"
He knew Mostima hadn't come to rescue him specifically—he'd just been a side quest on her route.
"I'm not in a rush. I had a lot of buffer time built in."
Mostima shrugged casually.
"Besides, with Chernobog in ruins, it's not like any regular ferries are running. Might as well take the scenic route."
"That's awfully laid-back of you."
"Not entirely. I was planning to swing by Lungmen and visit Amiya and the others—but I think I've changed my mind."
"Because of me?"
"Don't flatter yourself."
She poked him lightly on the forehead with her index finger, smiling.
"I just figured the boss would probably dump a new assignment on me the moment I got back. So why not take my time?"
"Huh. Fair enough, I guess."
Of course, Revy knew that wasn't the real reason.
Even if she wasn't literally Texas's older sister, Mostima had shared a deep bond with the late Sankta girl. Texas still treated her like family. Mostima just wasn't saying it.
And if she wasn't going to say it, Revy wasn't going to ask.
"Next, I'm cutting through Kazdel on my way to Leithanien. You in?"
With Chernobog's infrastructure in ruins, there was no direct path west. The only routes to Leithanien were either to the south, through Kazdel, or far north across most of Ursus—a journey that would take triple the time.
And heading south also led to the port where Rhodes Island's ship was docked.
"Nah. I'll tag along for the first leg, but then I'm heading east."
To Mostima's surprise, Revy didn't plan to return to Rhodes Island right away.
"I'm going to Lungmen first. Then I'll go back."
After traveling together for another day, Revy and Mostima parted ways at the edge of Chernobog.
Mostima boarded a scheduled ferry near the city's outskirts. The unrest in the city center didn't seem to have reached this far—life and transit were still functioning normally.
It was almost as if the Chernobog uprising had gone unnoticed by the Ursus government.
But Revy knew better.
This peace was only the calm before the storm. And if he wanted to avoid being caught in it, he had to move before it broke.
Still… that wasn't what mattered now.
He had returned to Lungmen.
Back when he stayed behind to cover Amiya and the others' retreat, Revy hadn't thought much about it.
But after walking the edge of death… he remembered something important:
He had a "little sister" in Lungmen.
Misha.
Back in Ursus, to comfort the girl, Revy had promised—perhaps too casually—to take her in as family.
Now, he needed to think seriously about it.
As a combat operator—someone who could face life-or-death situations at any time—Revy knew he couldn't make empty promises.
If something happened to him… who would take care of her?
"Man… this place really is hard to find."
He hadn't asked the Emperor for help—though he owed the penguin for getting Misha settled in the first place.
Still, Misha was Infected, and even the Emperor couldn't openly break Lungmen law and house her in his own facility.
Thankfully, after asking a few favors from GrayThroat, one of the city's shadowy bigwigs, he managed to secure a decent place for her in the slums.
(Come to think of it… that guy Penguin calls "Rat King"… he's no ordinary man.)
GrayThroat was one of the few people—besides Wei Yenwu—who Revy found impossible to read.
Even Talulah, the leader of Reunion, wasn't as impenetrable.
(For context: The first person Revy found unreadable had been his former superior—the last captain of Kazdel's royal guard, who had died in an ambush during Kazdel's civil war six years ago. The man had slain seven elite Forgiveness Priests before going down. Even today, Revy could only fight three at once—and that's not counting the "Demon King" transformation.)
"A city run by Wei Yenwu and GrayThroat... feels like walking on eggshells."
"I should bring Misha back to Rhodes Island soon."
He sighed as he stopped in front of a small shack.
Though modest in size, the house stood out from its grimy surroundings. Wildflowers had been planted out front. The walls had been freshly painted.
It was a small gesture—but it made all the difference.
On the door, carved into a piece of wood, was a name:
Misha
Revy smiled faintly.
He reached out and knocked gently on the door.