Karene finally gets permission to enter the next room.

Looking at the appearance of the three outer layers of the door guarded by heavy guns and ammunition, she even had the illusion that someone was about to commit here.

Soldiers in Britannia?

Although the Black Knights have been killed in battle, it is a bit too sci-fi to let the enemy soldiers guard their own leader.

The Governor's Palace did not feel at all nervous in the enemy-occupied area, and the Black Knights in the entire building had no more than ten members, all of whom were civilian, and there were zero armed personnel. Largely unsupervised, the Imperial soldiers were heavily armed, standing guard and performing their duties, working wholeheartedly for their new masters, at least on the surface.

Politics is not her specialty, and with her blind trust in ZERO, she silently swallows the question back into her stomach, just like everyone else.

She reflexively wrinkled her nose as she passed the Britannian soldier, as if she had smelled something, and unscrewed the doorknob with undisguised disgust.

Two nurses stood at the top of the room, and a gray-haired Dr. Britannia in an overcoat was sitting in a chair next to the bed, holding out his arm to the patient and motioning for him to hold it.

"Okay, very good, now hard."

Ilan was half-lying on the bed, with various tubes attached to her body, some for blood transfusions, some for fluids, and some for electricity. At this moment, he was pursing his lips and squeezing the other party's arm with a serious expression.

Karene knew the ability of the white hair, when this guy grabbed his elbow with one hand, he almost dislocated himself with pure grip strength, this guy's slender body contains inhuman strange power.

It used to be.

"Okay Your Highness, now relax."

The doctor withdrew his arm with a reassuring smile and wrote something more in the medical record.

Your Highness...

Your Highness・・・・・・

Karene slowly came back to her senses, remembering what she had come here for.

Originally, I thought that at least this punch should be rewarded to him solidly, but now I was suddenly a little overwhelmed.

Bai Mao noticed the figure hesitating by the door, grabbed a pair of glasses from the side of the bed and put them on, looked at them for a long time, and finally smiled.

"Yo, Karin."

"・・・・・・, Your Highness."

Hearing this, Bai Mao shrugged his shoulders awkwardly and motioned for the idlers to leave. The doctor bowed slightly and led the medical staff out of the room.

Elan patted the chair beside her.

Karengo hesitated for a moment but walked over, looking at each other with her arms folded.

"Don't you sit?"

“・・・・・・”

"Healed?"

“・・・・・・”

"Looks like it's right, I don't even need crutches."

“・・・・・・”

Ilan had nothing to do, scratched his head, and raised his hands in surrender.

"Just say whatever you want?"

Want to know what? She didn't know it herself, she already knew what she should know.

The imprisoned prince fled to the New World and organized the aborigines to revolt against the empire. Ill-intentioned intentions are certain, but eventually the colony was able to become independent.

Regardless of the success, the ending is happy.

If you don't mind the other person's blood, you don't really know how clean you are.

If you want to hide your identity and empathize, you may make the same choice.

Karene sighed deeply and sat down in her chair, her eyes looking at the ground.

If you want to say that you are still uneasy・・・・・・

"It's over, isn't it? Our fight? ”

"Hands."

Ilan didn't answer, but held out his hand to the other party.

"Huh?"

"Give it to me."

Grabbing Kalian's hesitant wrist, Elan leaned back on the bed and closed her eyes.

"Do you want to be disarmed and return to the field? Also, everyone is tired. ”

“・・・・・・”

"Yes, your war is over."

You guys?

"The war of the Japanese is over. The war of the Black Knights has only just begun. ”

"Are you going to continue to live like this?"

Drag such a body and rush to the next battlefield, year after year, until life is squeezed dry.

"Life?" Ilan smiled mischievously. "Yes, yes, this used to be my 'life', but now it's my 'job'."

"Work?"

"Fighting, revenge, killing, or... hiding somewhere tormented by memories... waiting to die, I have no other way to live. I'm not an ascetic, Karin, only a psychopath would deliberately make herself miserable, but I really don't have a choice...

She's a part of me, we're symbiotes, here. ”

Ilan placed Karen's hand on his chest.

"It was taken away. A hole has been dug out here. Since that day, I have been living in the past. ”

――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

[Memory should not become a shackle to people.

Memory is supposed to be the motivation for people to keep moving forward when they are tired.

Memories shouldn't be painful.

Memory is supposed to be the antidote to pain.

Memory is not a burden, memory is a bag, a crutch, supporting us in the most difficult times.

Humans are vulnerable.

When misfortune strikes, we hesitate, we fear, we lose courage. But when we look back on the past, our lovers, our parents, our children, our homes, all kinds of things, we know that we must go on, and our lives are not only for ourselves. We have to go on, for the sake of our families, and for the sake of ourselves.

When we grow old and recall this past, there will be no tears even if it is painful.

Smiling, serene, contented.

It should have come for us.

Memory.

Evidence of who we are as human beings.

But in the settlement, not long ago, I saw children sitting on the ruins on both sides of the street, curled up in the shadow of the rubble, in their teens, in their brightest years, but their eyes were clouded and devoid of light.

I looked at them and I didn't know if they were alive or dead.

I don't know how to help them, they need more than just food, blankets or clothing.

I didn't even dare to ask them what was going on, because I knew the answer would break my heart.

Their parents were taken away and killed by invaders from another country, perhaps right in front of their eyes.

Their memories began in this ruin, looking at the gray sky, eating leftovers, wrapped in the shabby clothes of some kind people, growing in despair.

There is no sunshine in their memories.

They are a generation whose souls have been robbed of them by war, and I know that this wound will not heal for a lifetime. Even if the war is over, even if Japan becomes independent, and they start all over again, who will be able to give their families back?

I know this pain, and my comrades-in-arms and I have experienced it firsthand. 】

――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

"Actually, you lied to me."

Ilan sighed as she spoke, letting go of Karen's wrist.

"What?"

"I should have known it at the time, it's only been less than two months, how can I react so quickly."

"Ahh

Karen immediately reflected.

How could this guy make such a move as pulling hands and talking about his heart, he had been pinching his pulse just now.

"I'm just..."

"I know・・・・・・ thank you." The corners of Ilan's mouth turned up slightly.

Is that a satisfied expression?

"I thought it was impossible. People who are not related by blood, why should they care about the life or death of each other? Except for the old lady, who would want me to live without asking for anything in return, to be honest, I still don't understand. Humans are really ・・・・・・ weird. ”

"You're weird, aren't you?" Karene muttered quietly.

"I'm a person who rarely dreams..."

Elan took off her glasses, rubbed her eyes, and leaned back on the bed with a self-deprecating smile, staring at the ceiling.

"But every time I wake up, I remember the dream, and even in the dream I know very well that it was just a dream. I knew that what was in front of me was a meaningless illusion, a refraction of my subconscious. So I just stood by and watched quietly.

She's always there, like hide and seek, and I can always find her around the corner.

Her face was blurry, and sometimes it wasn't even humanoid, just a white spot like candlelight, but I knew it was her.

Every time, every time, she would say the same thing to me.

'Still, still, let's go. ’

The tone was crying, maybe the world over there was too lonely.

Every time, I would say, 'Okay, let's go, let's go now.'" ’

The moment I touch her, the dream ends.

If people really have souls and the world after death, I am afraid that I will not hesitate to commit suicide. ”

――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

[But even in this bottomless despair, I still see the light.] I saw two children, the most hurt by this twisted world, standing up with pain and faith.

Suzaku, son of the Prime Minister of Japan; Eastland, Britannian royalty.

A generation that is also tormented by its own 'past'.

I saw in them courage that I had never seen before, and I saw true dedication. Looking at them, I see hope, and looking at them, we have every reason to believe that the future will be better.

I saw the strength of humanity.

They grew up in a prison without sunlight, grew up in an era when their wives were separated from each other, their relatives were taken away, they were despised, discriminated against, and they were insulted, they endured unimaginable injustice, they saw the unimaginable ugliness of ordinary people, they were watered by the original sin of this world, and they grew up, and today, in this land, the flower of justice blooms.

Please take a good look at them and look at these two young men.

This is what hope looks like, and this is our future.

I saw a world where there was no longer a high or low, a world where there was no race. In that world, justice is the only law! In that world, there will be no more tragic memories!

Look at them, now, sue yourself, sue your lovers, children, 'Tomorrow will be better.' ’

From today, this statement is no longer a lie! This is the fact that this land is sprouting!

From today onwards, we have cut off the cycle of suffering! Sadness is a thing of the past!

From today, hopes, dreams, and the future are in our own hands! 】

―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

"But this time it's different, this time... I didn't realize I was dreaming."

Elan stared at his hand.

"I finally got her. I can see her face, her eyes. I was still nine years old, looking up at her, and I could only touch her waist when I hugged her. A qiē is the same as before. She's always crying, and this time was no exception. She grabbed my hand and tried to pull me away..."

"If you say it again, I'll beat you believe it or not!"

Elan noticed that her arm tightened, and she turned her head to find the girl next to her staring at her with a nervous expression. Smiled and waved his hand.

"It's just a dream, I'm not still here. And for some reason, my strength became so strong, and I stood there, and she couldn't pull me.

I don't want to leave this time.

I want to stay.

It's different now, and there's still people waiting for me here.

My family, my future.

My children, our children, our next generation.

Someone needs me.

When I reached the end, Karen, I was afraid that when I could no longer walk, I looked around myself, empty, standing alone in the wilderness.

No matter how much I have done, no matter what the world should become for me, it has nothing to do with me, and it is a meaningless life.

But now I know what I can do.

When that day comes, I want to be surrounded by children and grandchildren, a large area of white flowers, and it will be lively. The children have grown up to be stronger than me, strong enough to protect their families, to protect each other, from generation to generation. My legacy, the evidence of my past in this world, my continuation.

I have to leave them a world where they can live happily.

I don't want to take my kids on a walk in the park and worry about a sniper rifle on the roof of a building in the distance.

My battle is not over yet.

The war has only just begun.

――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

[Evil has not disappeared.

Evil has only temporarily retreated into the shadows, and it still lingers outside the door, spying on our home, and at the slightest slackness it will break down the walls of our flesh and blood. Tenfold, hundredfold revenge, turning this land into purgatory on earth!

I'm not going to let that happen!

We're not the same as before.

Walking through the mountains of corpses and the sea of blood, walking through the abyss of despair, Japan is stronger than ever!

I swear to you as long as I live! As long as there is only one person left in the Black Knights! Japan will never die!

Hold on to this happiness.

This time, we're not going to let go!

The flame of revolution has been lit here, dispelling the darkness! These 400,000 square kilometers are the beacon of the people of the world! One day, the flower of hope will bloom on every inch of this planet! All slaves, our fellow citizens, will stand hand in hand in the sun, and evil will not be hidden!

Seven years ago, Japan perished in humiliation.

Today, Japan is reborn in glory! 】

――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

"How long?"

Karene was silent for a long time and asked in a low voice.

"Five years, ten years, maybe fifteen years, I can't guarantee it."

Ilan sighed softly, tore off the physical monitoring line from her chest, and reached out to remove the needle from her arm.

"・・・・・・ there's no other way?"

"Don't look like that, the world is getting better, isn't it? We already have our own country, it's good to be too greedy. This kind of thing can't be rushed, and people will fall if they are in a hurry. ”

Struggling to sit on the edge of the bed, he reached out and patted Karen's cheek.

"People are creatures that live for the 'past', and what happens one second becomes a memory the next. As long as there is a good ending, then no matter what kind of past you have, you can remember it with a smile. ”

"There's always a bunch of fallacies."

"It's the wisdom of life."

“・・・・・・”

"Well, I wanted to stand by myself, but it doesn't seem to work." Elan frowned and moved his legs. "Can you get that for me?"

Ilan gestured to the wheelchair in the corner of the room.

Karen didn't know what she was thinking, so she silently pushed the wheelchair to the side of the bed and sat down with Bai Mao.

"Let's go! It's about to begin, the founding ceremony! ”

Ilan put on her glasses, reached out and pointed straight ahead, and ordered Karen to start.

"Glasses."

"Huh?" Elan turned to look at Karen.

The girl turned her head to look away, avoiding his gaze.

"It's pretty good, it looks a lot more mature."

"Yes."

Bai Mao heard the sound outside the strings and laughed brightly.

"Thank you."

――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

[A.D., September 9, 2017, this day will be remembered by history, and this day will be passed down from generation to generation.

Today, 150 million people have broken free from the shackles of slavery and are standing on the land of their homeland and standing in the sun as free men to witness this moment together.

On behalf of all the people of Japan, I declare!

United States of Japan! Establish! 】

As ZERO's words fell, he took the hands of Ilan and Suzaku and raised them high.

【ZERO！！！！！！ 】

The endless crowd below the Doge's Palace was completely immersed in a sea of frenzy, their faces red and their necks thick, their eyes bloodshot, their noses and tears in a mess, hooking unknown strangers around them, and frantically shouting ZERO's name. It was as if I had seen the Son coming.