The Outer Ring. A place where, according to the people of New Eridu, there was nothing. At least, that's what Andrew had always heard during his few months on Sixth Street.
And after the last two days of observation, Andrew could only say that the people of New Eridu weren't entirely wrong.
However, in Andrew's eyes now, the Outer Ring was far from empty. The sensation in his palms told him the girl in front of him was no fleeting illusion.
After getting to know the Sons of Calydon, these girls, with their vibrant personalities and kind hearts, made Andrew feel...that an Outer Ring capable of raising people like this couldn't possibly be the barren wasteland the residents of New Eridu described.
Her green-haired braid fluttered in the wind as the motorcycle sped on, and along with it came the girl's unique scent.
What he felt in his hands was her soft waist. Despite her cool and capable appearance, Caesar's waist wasn't taut with muscle, but rather possessed a distinctly girlish softness and elasticity.
And that scent, its source a mystery, faintly drifted through the howling wind of their ride. It was pleasant and unique, carrying a hint of sunshine that left a lasting impression.
Along the way, the sun beat down mercilessly on the desolate land, illuminating an ochre expanse of nothing but sand as far as the eye could see.
The Hollows, both large and small, dotted the landscape like jarring inkblots on a beautiful painting—abrupt and conspicuous, making one instinctively furrow their brow upon seeing them.
But for Caesar, who was driving, this was all a familiar sight.
He had to admit, the quality of Caesar's custom-modified motorcycle was impressive. It carried Andrew and his Dullahan tachi with absolute ease.
But since this was just a trip to buy a bike, Andrew was only wearing the Gaismagorm armor he'd brought with him, leaving the rest of his armor behind.
Their conversation on the road was light and enjoyable, and the bike flew, quickly bringing them to the not-so-distant Blazewood.
As the front wheel of Caesar's uniquely styled motorcycle skidded to a halt, leaving two tracks from the inertia of braking, the pair arrived at the entrance to Blazewood. Caesar spoke with a hint of regret:
"I didn't notice it before, but now this trip feels way too short."
Recalling the feeling in his hands, Andrew couldn't help but nod in agreement with Caesar's sentiment.
But now that they had arrived in Blazewood, Andrew found himself quite curious about this rare Outer Ring town.
They called it an entrance, but it was really just a giant cactus standing beside a large, iron sign.
To prevent rust from being too conspicuous, the iron gate had been painted a rust-red color, but the four characters for 'Boundless Blazewood' on the sign in front were remarkably complete and finely crafted.
It was clear the people of Blazewood had put a lot of effort into it.
But none of this was what truly caught the eye.
The most attention-grabbing sight wasn't the distinctive gate, but the girl with long, pale-gold hair standing beneath it, yawning uncontrollably.
The familiar and very characteristic tank top and cargo pants made it clear this was none other than the girl they had met yesterday: Piper.
Clearly waiting for Andrew, Piper let out another yawn after recognizing them, then lazily raised her right hand and waved casually in greeting.
"Yaaawn... Morning, Andrew. Caesar suddenly blurted out something about picking someone up and then just bolted. Didn't expect that someone to be you."
Andrew had a vivid memory of this young-looking girl with incredible driving skills. He raised a hand in greeting as well and replied:
"Morning, Piper. Why are you standing guard at the entrance?"
Hearing this, Piper let out a soft chuckle, her eyes half-closed as she spoke in a languid tone:
"Well, when the leader of our Sons of Calydon personally goes out to pick someone up, someone has to be here to give them a proper welcome. Shows respect, you know?"
Caesar, after parking her bike under the shed, asked with some confusion:
"Then why is it you, Piper? Where are Lighter and Burnice?"
Piper scratched her head, replying with a touch of resignation:
"Lighter had a delivery to make, so he left a while ago. As for Burnice..."
Piper paused for a moment before continuing:
"She saw a delivery request where the client was short on Dennies and was offering two cases of fuel drinks as payment instead. She snatched up the job and took off to make the delivery at top speed."
Hearing Piper's explanation, realization dawned on Caesar.
"Oh, so that's what happened. No wonder it was you standing here this time. That explains everything."
Turning to Andrew, Caesar said a bit sheepishly:
"You treated us to such a delicious meal yesterday, I was hoping to have you try one of Burnice's special concoctions. Looks like that's not going to happen this time."
Andrew was touched by Caesar's offer, but after glancing at the food truck in the distance—which was clearly a mobile bar—he politely but firmly declined.
"No, no, even if Burnice were here, it's fine. Don't forget, I'm here to buy a motorcycle."
Piper scratched her head, a little confused, and asked:
"What does one have to do with the other?"
In response to Piper's question, Andrew crossed his hands in a big 'X' in front of his chest and stated firmly:
"A thousand roads you may travel, but safety is always number one. Drive irresponsibly, and your loved ones will cry a river of tears!"
"Drive... what?"
Caesar's mind went a little blank, stunned by the sudden safety slogan. Piper, on the other hand, whose eyes had been half-closed the whole time, suddenly lit up.
"That's brilliant, Andrew! I can't believe you came up with something so educational. Can I print it out and hang it up in Blazewood as a warning sign?!"
Hearing Piper's request, Andrew nodded nonchalantly. After all, it was just a safety slogan; its real purpose was to remind as many people as possible.
And Piper was already planning to hang banners on both sides of the Blazewood entrance.
Seeing Andrew agree, Piper nodded in satisfaction. Though her tone was upbeat, her posture remained languid, and her voice carried an inexplicable, world-weary quality.
"Some of the kids who just came of age have been getting way too excited with their new bikes, racing in dangerous places every day. With this slogan, maybe they'll tone it down a bit when they go out for a spin."
Caesar, standing nearby, finally caught on. She looked at the slogan Piper had written down and nodded in agreement.
"Oh, right! Their moms have been coming to us for help lately, worried sick about them every day. I was planning on having a serious talk with them, or maybe just sending them straight home, but this is actually a much better idea."
Beaming, Caesar turned back to Andrew and said:
"That's our Andrew! You've helped us out in a big way again. When it comes to customizing your bike later, I'll definitely pick out the absolute best parts for you!"
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