“….”
It took a long time for Neo, the 5th Princess, to read all of Mirabel’s records.
It wasn’t because Neo read slowly, but because she crazily repeated the words as if she couldn’t believe them.
She couldn’t believe it.
A single human sacrificing their entire life for a cause, and living as if nothing were wrong in the present.
She couldn’t even imagine how difficult that must have been, and for a while, Neo couldn’t escape her confusion.
‘The Head of Balance, Ezekiel.’
He couldn’t ask the Imperial Family for any compensation. All records of his achievements had been erased from existence.
How could he request a reward for something that doesn’t exist? Impossible. It was like a part used for a while in the massive machine called the Empire.
Even now, he wasn’t free.
Because he was excellent, he was still captured by the Imperial Family, teaching the princesses; even if he got paid, it wouldn’t matter; there wouldn’t be any use for it.
Neo didn’t know how to look at Ezekiel’s face anymore. The conversations they’d had flashed through her mind.
─Tell me an old story.
─If it’s a story about the teacher, it’ll be fun.
─How you’ve lived, what you’ve done….
Neo definitely asked this.
It was a casual inquiry, but it would never have reached the same weight for the person. How tangled were his feelings every time he heard her question?
She clearly remembered Ezekiel’s responses.
─Not really interesting.
─I don’t remember well either.
He must have had no choice but to answer like that.
A truth he wanted to share but couldn’t, and even if he told someone, it wouldn’t be a fact anyone could understand.
What on earth does it feel like to live with a past that no one acknowledges and no one empathizes with? Only the person, Ezekiel, would know.
“Captain Ezekiel….”
A very long silence was broken by Mirabel. Her voice was filled with a tone of lament.
“Even if his expression and tone were blunt, he was kind. He always took on the extremely dangerous missions alone, and he tried not to show any weakness.”
That’s how he could maintain his position as the leader and operate such an extraordinary organization. Neo couldn’t say anything and just let out a moan.
She felt a huge amount of guilt. Sometimes she regretted the words she had thrown at Ezekiel without much thought.
Mirabel continued speaking.
“There was one time when another member sustained a serious injury. It would have been wise to retreat since we were surrounded by enemies, but he fought all night and guarded the area. The captain was always like that.”
“…He was a good leader.”
That was all Neo could say.
Mirabel slowly nodded. The tone of the woman was damp with regret.
“Of course. Even when he got nothing for himself, he somehow managed to bring back the rewards that the members were supposed to get… It’s just that we were too incompetent.”
Tears flowed from Mirabel’s eyes.
Mirabel was always a woman who showed incredible friendliness with a bright smile. But it seemed she had cried over things related to the organization she cherished so much.
“…”
Neo couldn’t bear to look at Mirabel’s crying face and just fidgeted with the record in her hands.
The most detailed records concerning what Balance had done and the members were now in the hands of the princess.
“If only we were as great as the captain and had all survived, the captain wouldn’t have turned out so sadly… It’s all because of the foolishness we created…”
Mirabel’s tears flowed continuously.
“Why does he have to teach the princesses when he could just commit suicide? The captain must want to tell the emperor something one day. Can’t he do something related to the members? Sniff…”
“…Ah.”
Hearing those words, Neo’s head spun.
It made sense. Living a life with no gain must mean there’s something he desires.
Maybe if he obediently stayed close to the Imperial Family, he thought he might eventually make a request related to the members.
But that was impossible.
Neo knew Emperor Verd well.
Whatever Ezekiel did, the emperor would never grant Ezekiel’s demands.
“Your Highness.”
As Neo was stuck in her deep thoughts, Mirabel slowly called the 5th Princess.
Tears were still streaming down her face. Neo carefully faced Mirabel.
“In truth, I’m also quite lacking in abilities… I still don’t know what to do with this record. I wrote it down, but what on earth should I do….”
Mirabel was looking at the records in Neo’s hands like a mother looking at her daughter. It made sense; this was probably the thing she put the most effort into in her life.
“I had the goal of wanting to share it with the world, but I ultimately never thought of a way to do so… Please, keep it for me, Your Highness. I beg you.”
As she spat that out, tears welled up on Mirabel’s face again. The distress rising up her face was truly vivid.
“Ah, I’m sorry, Captain. I’m sorry to the members… It’s just that the last remaining thing is in this foolish country… a country that knows no way… Sigh…! Wail…!”
That was the end of the conversation.
Mirabel, who had always shown a bright smile, was just crying for a long time in her last moments.
As curses intensified and eventually drove her completely insane.
“…”
When Mirabel could finally no longer recognize Neo’s face, Neo finally left the infirmary with heavy steps.
A very heavy boulder settled in her chest.
.
.
.
.
.
.
A week passed.
Neo had not left her room for a single day in that week. The shock of what she experienced was great, and she had no idea what to do.
Knock knock—
Meanwhile, someone had been knocking on the door for a week.
“Neo, you need to take a class today.”
It was Ezekiel’s voice. But Neo couldn’t utter any answer.
She didn’t have the courage to face him. If she did, she wouldn’t know how to act.
A deep sigh could be heard from beyond the door.
“The emperor will surely question this matter.”
Usually, Neo would have trembled and rushed to take the class at the mention of the emperor. But she wasn’t the same right now.
Even the emperor felt trivial. The shock from everything else was that immense.
Only the thoughts about the assignment Mirabel had left him remained in Neo’s mind. This record, how the heck should it be utilized to make an impact?
Another sigh echoed from outside the door.
Then a voice came as if suggesting a compromise.
“Alright. Let’s do your favorite freedom exploration today instead of class. You said you wanted to create a barrier last time, right? Let’s at least do that. Don’t skip today either.”
And suddenly.
A thought struck Neo’s mind like lightning. It turned on in her dark space like a light bulb.
The voice that had been stuck in bed for a week burst out.
“…Barrier.”
Spirit Trap.
It was Neo’s goal and hobby.
While researching magic and scrolls, she had begun to attempt creating barriers.
…If she could utilize this well?
Neo’s eyes slowly regained their vitality.
In truth, what Mirabel requested from Neo was just to keep it, but Neo didn’t want to leave it like that.
And finally, she had just found the answer to what she needed to do.
“Neo. Right now….”
Bang—!
Ezekiel’s serious voice failed to continue as Neo flung open the bedroom door and stepped outside.
“…Neo?”
Ezekiel narrowed his eyes and called her name.
After a week, Neo’s appearance had become quite shabby. He was worried she might be unwell.
The man nodded after a moment.
“If you’re sick, it’s a different story, but why didn’t the maids report on your condition? If you need to rest, then rest.”
“No.”
As soon as Ezekiel’s words ended, Neo shook her head firmly. The girl had already made her decision.
“I want to make the Spirit Trap….”
“Is that what it was? You too.”
Sure, in Ezekiel’s eyes, it must have looked like the girl who avoided class was drawn in by the talk of freedom exploration and rushed out.
It was understandable. The situation was like that.
But Neo was already quickly fleshing out her plans in her head. Very vividly.
‘One record per piece, capturing everything.’
If that could be achieved?
…Mirabel’s goals would surely also be fulfilled.
Neo silently followed Ezekiel.
The first step toward achieving her grand plan.
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