"What's wrong with you lately, Gabi? Why are you always distracted during training? With that kind of attitude, you still want to beco a Marleyan Titan Warrior?" Commander Magath shouted sternly at Gabi.
anwhile, during this re 1,500-ter run, Gabi had already fallen three tis in a row.
Hearing Magath's scolding, Gabi hurriedly got up from the ground, picked up her pace, and chased after Colt, Falco, and Udo who were running ahead.
Magath watched Gabi's back, feeling deeply puzzled. For so reason, ever since returning from the battlefield, Gabi seed as if she had lost her soul, repeatedly spacing out and making mistakes during training.
Of course, he knew what had happened to Gabi. However, Magath didn't think she had done anything wrong. On the contrary, her bravery should have been praised by Marley. But the higher-ups in the military were too arrogant—and shaless enough to use Gabi, a re teenager, as a shield against Middle Eastern public opinion.
As for Gabi disregarding her comrades, although Magath found it a bit strange, he didn't think it was a serious fault. From Marley's perspective, the most important things for becoming a warrior were loyalty to Marley and superior strength. As for caring about comrades… it didn't seem all that important.
While Magath was still lost in thought, Gabi, running on the track, was also filled with countless thoughts. Lately, a familiar scene kept replaying in her mind, making her restless.
...
That day, Gabi had gone alone near the dical tent. She only wanted to apologize to Zofia. Ever since being rejected by her comrades, Gabi had felt guilty. At first, she could numb herself with her goal of becoming a Marleyan warrior, convincing herself she had done nothing wrong. But as her comrades distanced themselves from her day after day, Gabi gradually realized she was losing sothing far more important. She wanted to make things right, but her pride—and her fear that they wouldn't forgive her—kept holding her back.
Finally, on that day, Gabi gathered her courage and ca outside the dical tent, ready to apologize to Zofia.
But outside the tent, she overheard a shocking secret.
"Airi, aren't you a Marleyan warrior? Why did you join the Eldian Revival Army?"
Zofia, lying on a hospital bed, asked. Sitting beside her was Airi.
Hearing the question, Airi smiled, brushed back her silver hair, and said,
"Why does there have to be a reason? I have younger brothers and sisters about your age. At first, all I wanted was for them to live better lives. But Zofia, do you know? No matter what we do, the Marleyans will never truly trust us."
At this point, Airi raised her head, her tone sowhat helpless.
"Even if we beco Marleyan warriors and give our families better lives, countless other Eldian families—countless Eldians—are still oppressed by Marley. Our descendants will still be cursed as the offspring of devils..."
Airi's words made Zofia's expression dim. Outside the tent, Gabi, who was eavesdropping, felt her pupils tremble.
"So, for the sake of my younger siblings, my family, and more Eldians—more children like you—and even future generations to truly gain freedom and shed the na of 'devil,' that is the goal of our Eldian Revival Army."
Airi rested her chin on her hand and spoke gently.
Her words caused a glimr of hope to appear in Zofia's eyes.
"Can the Eldian Revival Army really achieve that?"
Airi rubbed Zofia's head and looked at the girl in front of her, whose hair color resembled her own, and said confidently,
"Of course. We will definitely succeed."
"Airi, I… I also want to beco soone like you!"
"Ah!!"
A short but faint cry of alarm caught Airi's attention. She imdiately rushed out of the tent. However, outside, it was completely silent—not a single person in sight.
Airi frowned and looked around. Had she misheard?
Only after Airi returned to the tent did Gabi, hiding behind a pile of wooden crates, slowly release the hand covering her mouth. She could feel her heart pounding violently.
What had she just heard? The Eldian Revival Army? Shedding the na of devil?
Gabi's body trembled uncontrollably. She could roughly guess what it ant. No one would have imagined that Airi, a Marleyan Titan warrior, was actually part of the so-called Eldian Revival Army.
Gabi had never heard of this organization before, but from Airi and Zofia's conversation, she could tell—it was sothing like the Eldian Restorationists from before.
And now, even Zofia wanted to join. What did that even an?
There were only two paths before Gabi. Either report Airi and Zofia to Marley's high command or to Commander Magath… or pretend she had seen and heard nothing.
Gabi's heart was imdiately thrown into tornt. In the past, she wouldn't have hesitated at all. To prove her loyalty to Marley, she would have reported them without a second thought.
But now, she was lost.
She didn't know whether Airi's words had stirred sothing in her heart… or whether she feared that betraying her comrades again would cause her to lose sothing even more important.
In the end, Gabi did nothing.
She quietly left the dical tent and never told anyone about it. The matter remained buried deep in her heart, replaying in her mind over and over again.
What should she do?
...
On the other side, Airi looked at the dark surroundings, feeling a chill creep up her spine. But thinking of her mission, she gathered her courage and followed Bill into Ebson's underground laboratory.
Passing through the long, narrow, dim corridor of the lab, Airi and Newt finally arrived at a spacious laboratory hall with Bill. By now, others had already arrived.
Litt, Bazel, and Ivanor were sitting there, while Doctor Ebson, dressed in a white coat, was busy with sothing at the experint table.
Seeing Bill bring Airi over, Ivanor's eyes lit up. She imdiately patted the seat beside her repeatedly, looking expectant as she gestured for Airi to sit next to her.
Seeing this, Airi decisively… sat at the far end, next to Bazel.
Ivanor's smile froze. Bazel, on the other hand, was quite surprised. Just as he was about to greet Airi, he saw a pair of long legs appear before him.
Looking up, he t Ivanor's cold face. She only lightly uttered a few words:
"Move."
"Right away!"
Bazel nodded and bowed in one smooth motion, imdiately vacating his seat.
Ivanor's originally cold expression instantly blossod into a radiant smile.
"Airi-chan~"
Airi: "Don't co any closer!!"
User Comments
0 comments from readers