Chapter 3: Two Bangboo Legends in the Hollow — Anby's Apology Hides the Truth
Inside the Crete Hollow, Anby and Billy—who had been trapped for ages—were still running around like headless chickens.
"Huh?! How are we still in this place?!"
After leaping down from an overpass that carried a Penguinboo billboard, Anby landed cleanly on both feet. Billy rolled to dissipate the impact. Then, after a quick scan of the surroundings—
—he realized the scenery was the same as always.
Billy clutched his head and let out a wail.
But the Ethereals chasing them didn't care about his suffering.
One Ethereal carrying a street sign, and another one-armed "Blade Bro," dropped down after them and advanced slowly.
Billy yanked out his dual pistols and aimed at the two incoming goons, fuming.
"Damn it, more fighting! My ammo consumption is almost past the limit—if this keeps up, my bonus will—"
"They're coming. Prepare to engage."
Anby cut off his whining. She reversed her grip on her tactical knife, body coiled tight, ready to strike like lightning—
—but just as the two goons rushed them, several spherical smoke bombs were thrown from behind.
The smoke burst open.
And through the haze—
A pure-white Bangboo with a black cross on its forehead charged in and smashed both Ethereals' skulls with two heavy elbow strikes.
Faced with this sudden intervention by an "unknown" Bangboo, the two members of the Cunning Hares relaxed instead of panicking.
"That Bangboo! I knew it!" Billy crowed. "Anby, I told you! Doctor Chiya really knows kung fu! Look at those beautiful elbows from Xugeya—he's totally controlling her!"
"Billy," Anby said flatly, cheeks puffing slightly, "that's not Chiya's skill. That's… Xugeya's built-in performance."
"Hey!" a voice snapped. "If you're going to talk, hurry up and get over here!"
From behind, Belle—controlling Eous—called them over.
Xugeya followed Eous's direction and dashed off, and before leaving, she even stepped on Billy while he was still standing there dumbfounded.
Meanwhile, Anby was already moving smoothly along the route Eous indicated.
"Hey! You Bangboo—if I weren't a robot I'd—W-wait!!! Anby! Xugeya! Don't leave me behind!!"
Some time later—inside the Crete Hollow, at a section of the Old Metro Hub Station.
After finally shaking off the pursuit, Anby and Billy at last had a moment to sit down. Chiya—linked through Xugeya—checked them for injuries and injected them with Ether Stabilizer to prevent serious corrosion.
"I can't hear that higher-tier Ethereal anymore."
"T-thank goodness… I swear my hydraulic rods were about to run themselves off!" Billy groaned. "When we get back, I'm making Doctor Chiya give me a full-body inspection."
"Billy," Anby deadpanned, "as a 'high-intelligence tactical body for firepower-based area suppression,' you should be seeing a mechanic, not a Chiya-bangboo."
"And, Proxy, I propose we take an appropriate rest now. Is that acceptable?"
"You're already resting…" Belle shot back. "…Whatever. Eous needs tuning too, so I'll rest for a bit."
While Anby continued to roast Billy with a perfectly straight face, her hands—completely "not straight" at all—had already pulled Xugeya into her arms and started kneading her like a stress toy.
Left tug. Right pull. Occasionally pinching the cute little ears.
Her lips curled without her noticing, and she even began humming some unknown little "da-da" tune.
Belle—having run Eous for so long—was exhausted too. Even though she wasn't thrilled about Anby cuddling the Bangboo currently linked to Chiya's senses, her mental fatigue outweighed her urge to complain. Eous plopped down onto the dusty concrete.
Billy cleared his throat and spoke with forced seriousness.
"Hey—Anby. Show Doctor Chiya some respect. That Bangboo is connected to his senses, you know."
"And Doctor Chiya doesn't just treat people. Sometimes even the lubricant oil for my full-body maintenance is something he mixes."
"But anyway… turns out that rumor is true."
Billy shifted his gaze toward Eous.
"A Bangboo that can speak human language, wears a scarf, and moves through the Hollow like it's a backyard… that can only be Phaethon."
"Heh heh heh, of course," Belle said proudly, hands on her hips through Eous. "But what rumor are you talking about?"
"A-ah, that is…"
"Billy," Anby interrupted. "You go on lookout. I'll explain it to the Proxy."
"Huh?! Isn't it usually you who keeps watch?!"
"A robot is a bloodless, tearless existence," Anby said calmly. "But I'm not."
"And earlier, if I hadn't drawn my blade and killed that Ethereal, you would've finished your chuuni monologue and then gotten stabbed through the chest because you ran out of bullets."
"Therefore: you go on lookout."
"I think you just want to bully him—h-hey?! Anby, don't draw your knife! I'm going, I'm going!!"
After chasing Billy off at blade-point—just barely before he could voice the thought in his head—Anby's cheeks warmed a little. She looked at the curious Eous and began.
"Ever since forever, there's been a rumor inside the Hollow…"
"They say the Hollow miracle doctor, Asclepius, has always had an inseparable connection with the legendary Proxy, Phaethon."
"Some survivors who escaped the Hollow even claimed they saw this…"
"When I felt my body on the verge of becoming an Ethereal, in a haze I saw a pure-white Bangboo with a cross on its forehead descend from the heavens. It poured sweet dew into my mouth and revived dead wood into living growth. Beside it stood a scarfed Bangboo that spoke human words. When I awoke, I was already outside the Hollow—like it was all a dream."
"So among Hollow Raiders, some suspect Asclepius and Phaethon are best friends… but others guess they're estranged lovers… and there's even—"
Silence.
Still silence.
Thanks to the comm array's excellent pickup, Anby—suddenly brimming with excitement—kept pouring out gossip that Wise, Belle, and Chiya had only vaguely heard of… or had never heard at all.
Compared to her usual calm, taciturn, reliable image, this was an undeniable break from character.
Rumors like:
"The rejected Proxy is too hard,"
"The miracle doctor heiress wants me to confess,"
"The youthful bull-headed Proxy won't meet Miss Xugeya,"
…came like a barrage, practically turning their brains into paste.
Belle didn't doubt Anby could have gone on for another hour—if the distant screeching of Ethereals hadn't interrupted.
"Ethereal noises… already?" Anby muttered, regret creeping into her tone. "That's a shame. Nicole and Billy never listen when I talk about this. I finally had a chance…"
"Forget that!" Belle snapped. "Before they catch up, we need to book it!"
"Mm. Next time I'll tell you more. Oh—Proxy… no, Phaethon."
"W-what?" Belle's voice tightened.
Anby scooped up Xugeya and Eous and got up to flee—then suddenly remembered something and spoke earnestly to the Bangboo above her head.
"I'm sorry."
"For certain reasons, the Cunning Hares never clarified those rumors. Boss Nicole even fanned the flames, saying 'maybe these rumors can trick some bad-hearted idiots.' So I didn't correct them either. I even spread some of them."
"I've always felt guilty about that."
"It's fine," Belle said quickly. "It's just rumors—"
"Mm. I'm glad you understand."
But the moment Phaethon brushed it off so easily, a flicker of real guilt stabbed through Anby.
She kept her head down and followed Phaethon's guidance, unable to say what she truly meant.
Because what she'd said was nine parts truth, one part lie.
The Hollow rumors were real.
Nicole fanning them was real.
But her reason for not clarifying them—her "excuse"—was false.
Because Anby could tell: Boss Nicole harbored certain very girlish thoughts toward Chiya—the one who had been supporting the Cunning Hares almost for free all this time.
That was why Nicole used an excuse and spread those rumors.
But Anby's own motive…
Wasn't pure either.
In fact, she might be even more "despicable" than Boss Nicole.
The more rumors there were, the more Chiya's identity became a mystery.
And the more mysterious he was…
…the fewer people would know who he really was.
The fewer people who knew who he was…
…the fewer people could earn his trust.
And in the end…
…the fewer people could ever make him put a ring on his finger.
I'm sorry, Proxy. I'm sorry, Nicole.
But when I was struggling in an abyss of despair and pain, when I was moments from being erased completely—
he was the one who reached out and pulled me back.
He dragged me into the sunlight.
Under the surgical lights, when I opened my eyes for the "first" time…
I saw his white cowlick.
His emerald-green eyes.
And the way his pupils—first startled, then curving into crescent moons with joy—
His figure—
burned itself into my life forever.
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