Chapter 107: Those Drifting Along with Fate
"You’re not exactly free either, are you?"
At the usual time, Vertor appeared as he always did, and Richard greeted him with his usual demeanor. The only difference was the reinforced glass between them, a thin but sturdy barrier that now symbolized the current state of their relationship.
In a corner of the lunar base, Richard and Frim were being held as prisoners on paper.
This was, of course, a measure to secure and protect them.
"Besides, today’s Lillian’s promotion party. The Emperor himself is making an appearance. It’s not something you can just skip."
"The star of the show is her, and the core of the Sixth Fleet is the *Eris* crew. We’re still part of the Lunar Fleet. Our position is a bit different from that of the acting commander."
"Is that so? Still, she beat us to it. A nineteen-year-old Major General. That’s unprecedented."
Even in the dimly lit room, their conversation flowed as it always had.
They exchanged smiles and spoke without reservation.
"If this speeds up the reforms, it works in my favor too. Lillian’s taking the brunt of it all, standing at the forefront."
"It’s strange, though. Why is she so driven? She never showed any signs of this before."
"Who knows? It’s best not to pry too much into a woman’s private life. Still, I think she’s someone worth trusting, and I find her interesting. I want to see what she’ll achieve."
"Is it because she’s been kind to Stella?"
At Richard’s remark, Vertor’s expression turned slightly troubled.
"I’m not that naive. Besides, I’m the insensitive guy who didn’t understand his best friend’s suffering, remember? I can’t fully grasp everyone’s feelings or predict their actions."
"Bringing that up now? I’ve always thought you had a bit of a mean streak."
"Not as much as you."
"Just so you know, I’ve told you everything I can. There’s nothing left to say."
At that moment, a tense atmosphere settled between them. It wasn’t hostile, but serious conversations always carried this weight.
"No, this time I have something to report to you. About Mikhail and Elvian Yuki."
At the mention of those names, Richard visibly stiffened.
"Through Major Gyuron. It seems Lillian had already arranged it. Don’t worry, they’re both alive. We still need to investigate how much information was leaked. And, well, they’re technically victims too."
The two former Imperial soldiers who had trained spies using their old connections in the operations command had been arrested immediately. They were now being held as political prisoners, undergoing interrogation. It was unclear what methods were being used.
They might be facing harsh questioning, or even truth serum. But that was beyond their control, and it was a consequence of their actions.
In fact, the fact that Richard and Frim were being left alone here was the real anomaly.
Under normal circumstances, they should have been interrogated much more thoroughly.
"You don’t seem too surprised."
Indeed, Richard had stiffened slightly.
But he didn’t lose his composure. If anything, he seemed to understand that this was inevitable.
"It was bound to come out eventually. Besides, my father’s health isn’t great. He probably doesn’t have much time left."
Mikhail had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. While current technology could remove it and cure him, he had refused treatment.
"Oh, and the part-time housekeeper. She’s completely innocent, so I hope you can do something for her."
"Don’t worry. You know how capable Major Gyuron is."
"Right. That’s a relief."
For a moment, the tension between them eased.
But Vertor’s smile faded, and his expression turned serious again.
"Your father’s testimony, along with the truth you’ve told us, will be used to hold the Empire’s upper echelons accountable. Honestly, I never thought it would come to this, but it’s perfect material to drastically shorten our plans."
Vertor often reflected on this.
He couldn’t help but feel that meeting Lillian had been the catalyst.
He had even shared these thoughts with Stella.
"Reforming the Imperial military, huh? Well, this will definitely shake the foundations. With external threats looming, we can’t afford to stay complacent."
Richard added with a hint of sarcasm, "Though half of it’s our fault."
"Yeah, but it was unavoidable, Richard. That’s why I need your cooperation."
"I’ve already given you all the information I can. Oh, but if you’re struggling with what to call them, we’ve been using a nickname. Sarassa."
"Sarassa... Wasn’t that a term from the old Testament?"
"It’s also the name of a sea goddess in Greek mythology. Though the correct pronunciation is closer to Thalassa."
"The sea... They said their biology is similar to sea slugs and snails..."
"It’s what they call humans. ‘Those born from the sea.’ Ironic, isn’t it? Sarassa was said to be a fertile goddess. And now, they’re on the brink of extinction."
Richard answered with a self-deprecating tone.
"That fertility was passed down to us humans, who were captured and physically altered. As I’ve explained before, we’re both male and female. One trait may dominate, but we can all conceive and give birth. Men can impregnate men, women can impregnate women. It’s possible. It happened. And over time, our sense of normalcy changed. Just like them, we stopped caring much about gender. It’s been thousands of years, after all. Must seem disgusting to you, huh?"
"No. Regardless of how it came to be, it’s your culture, your norm. As beings living in the cosmos, we have to understand that."
That was his genuine feeling.
At least, the current Empire wasn’t one to criticize such matters.
"But if that way of life was forced upon you, then... personally, I’d consider it unfortunate."
"Maybe the humans of the past felt that way. But we don’t care anymore. At least, not our generation."
"Then I have nothing more to say. No matter what your body is like, you’re my friend, Richard."
"My friend... That’s nice to hear."
Richard smiled sadly.
"...I’m sorry."
Vertor offered a small apology.
"Don’t apologize. I know you’re infatuated with her."
"But Richard, I truly like you as a friend. That’s why I want to hear your words. Call me cowardly if you want. I need to use your words. I want to hear your true feelings."
"Haven’t I already told you all our secrets?"
"No, that’s not it. There’s something I still haven’t heard from you."
"Something you want to hear?"
Richard couldn’t help but look puzzled.
For a moment, he didn’t understand what Vertor was asking.
But their long history made it easy to guess. After a brief hesitation, Richard realized what Vertor wanted to hear.
"Even if I say it, I don’t think anything will change."
"But we don’t see it that way. Words can carry a certain strength. Your people tried to do that once. But you were consumed by fire."
Vertor stared straight at Richard.
Richard averted his eyes.
"Please, Richard. Let us hear the voices that couldn’t reach us before."
"Vert..."
"I know it’s hard to reach out again after being pushed away. But I want to save you."
Vertor pressed his right hand against the reinforced glass.
Seeing this, Richard’s shoulders trembled.
"I..."
He clenched his fist.
Memories of being engulfed in flames flashed through his mind.
"Please... free us... from this cursed fate that’s been forced upon us..."