~Chapter 07~
How much time had passed?
Drip.
The moment the final drop of fluid fell, Zekart opened his eyes. The black pupils visible through his half-lowered lids were wet with moisture. He wiped away his tears and pushed himself upright.
For some reason, whenever he received Heinrich’s infusion, tears would fall. It wasn’t just him—Rachel and Marcus, who also underwent Heinrich’s treatment, were the same.
Perhaps it was a kind of bleeding.
The bleeding of severed memories.
“—I’ll do it.”
Once again, his memories stopped there. It felt like he had recalled something else as well, but…
Shaking his head once to clear his consciousness, Zekart reached for the needle embedded in his arm.
“Ah—there you go again.”
Heinrich, who had just entered the room, hurried over and reached out.
“Leave it. I’ll do it.”
Pressing alcohol-soaked cotton firmly against the spot, Heinrich removed the needle. Only as the medicinal effects gradually faded did Zekart finally register the acrid smell of medicine soaking into his lungs.
“You’ll feel foggy for a day or two. Try to avoid strenuous physical activity for a while… though there’s no point saying that, since you won’t listen anyway.”
Knowing that Zekart never rested as long as he had a target, Heinrich spoke as if he had already given up.
In truth, Zekart was already going through the documents Marcus had given him, tracking down the whereabouts of the women listed there in order to pursue Perel, who had disappeared from Berg.
Stepping down from the bed, Zekart gave Heinrich a brief bow.
“I’ll be going.”
“See you again in two weeks.”
Zekart turned away.
＊＊＊
Edith and Perel finally arrived at their destination—the home of the resistance member Sasha, located on the outskirts of Bellen.
“Sasha!”
Edith spread her arms with delight. A woman with deep, almost brownish blond hair buried her face in Edith’s embrace. After lightly pressing their cheeks together in turn, the two slowly pulled apart.
“How have you been?”
“I’ve been well. And you, Sasha?”
“Me too.”
Edith’s gaze, which had been resting on Sasha’s face, slowly drifted downward and came to a stop on her noticeably rounded belly.
“Oh my! Your belly’s grown so much already. When are you due?”
“Hehe. February next year.”
“Karon must be thrilled about becoming a father.”
“He is. He’ll be back soon—he just stepped out to the grocery store. You too, Perel, welcome. You look like you’ve lost some weight?”
After greeting Perel as well, Sasha spoke with a flushed face.
“By the way, I was surprised to hear you were coming to Hasmal. I thought you’d head to Glissen.”
At that moment, the smile Edith had been wearing slowly crumbled. It was Perel, standing beside her, who began recounting what had happened.
“So Martin… that’s what happened.”
“I’m sorry to be the one delivering such news.”
A calm yet desolate voice rose quietly, then scattered into silence.
“For now, don’t just stand here. Come inside and put your luggage down. You need to rest after the journey. We’ll talk about the details tomorrow once it’s light.”
“Thank you, Sasha.”
“It’s nothing. Come in.”
Sasha opened the door wide behind her, as if to show them in.
The moment Edith stepped forward, the cozy, familiar scent unique to a family home gently wrapped around her lungs.
“Welcome back to Hasmal, Edith.”
At that gentle voice, Edith smiled faintly.
＊＊＊
The next day.
After finishing breakfast, Sasha and her husband Karon sat around a large table with Perel and Edith. A heavy silence and a solemn tension hung in the air.
It was Karon who broke the long silence first.
“The closest official schedule of Hermann Müller, the Chief Commissioner of the Stifts, is at the end of this month. His next appearance is two months after that, so I think it would be best to deal with it that day. It’s a bit tight, but once Martin’s documents are fully decrypted, the opportunity may disappear forever.”
Unlike the aggressive Karon, Perel responded with more caution.
“By the end of this month… you mean the commendation ceremony?”
“Yes.”
“The level of attention will be enormous. And since it’s an indoor event, escape routes will be extremely limited.”
Edith agreed with Perel. Since it was an event honoring those who had distinguished themselves in capturing resistance members, most of the Stifts stationed in Bellen would be gathered there.
Security would be tight, and even if the operation succeeded, escaping from a sealed indoor venue would be close to impossible.
As Edith sank into thought, Perel’s voice, firmer than before, rang out.
“It would be better to take our time and prepare a covert method.”
“Ahem.”
“For example, poisoning—or some other easier approach.”
Silence fell once more.
Edith, who had been looking down, lifted her head then. The sight of Sasha’s trembling hands gave her pause.
Though she tried not to show it, Sasha had been visibly anxious since hearing about Martin. She feared losing her husband to this cause.
Even someone as devoted to the resistance as Sasha desperately needed the presence of a husband who could become a shield for her child now that she was a mother. Understanding that all too well, Edith’s heart ached.
But—
“No, Perel. That won’t do.”
Eyes of different colors all turned toward Edith.
“This operation must take place at an official event. It has to be made known to the entire world. I promised as much in exchange for funding from Glissen.”
Hasmal was currently invading neighboring countries, and several nations had formed an alliance to oppose it.
Glissen, which shared a border with Hasmal, was the only country maintaining neutrality—at least officially.
As Hasmal’s influence continued to expand, Glissen had begun secretly funding the resistance while outwardly maintaining its neutral stance.
That was why this operation mattered. If they could demonstrate the resistance’s strength and expose Hasmal’s atrocities to the world, Glissen would gain a solid justification to join the anti-Hasmal alliance instead of remaining neutral.
“A quiet assassination with no clear perpetrator must be excluded from this operation.”
“B-but, Lady Edith… that’s far too dangerous…”
The trembling voice belonged to Sasha, who couldn’t even bring herself to finish her sentence, apologetic even as she spoke.
Edith smiled at her with deep affection and continued.
“Karon and Sasha, I only ask that you provide simple support for this operation. Arranging a smuggling route to Glissen afterward, procuring supplies—things like that. The execution will be handled by Perel, myself, and other comrades who will soon join us.”
“What?”
Karon asked in disbelief, while Sasha lowered her head in silence. Edith gently brushed a hand over Sasha’s shoulder.
“But Lady Edith. We understand Hasmal’s situation better than anyone. It would make more sense for us to take part—”
“Karon. I understand how you feel, but this time, listen to me.”
Karon tried to say more, but Edith cut him off by standing up.
“First, we need to investigate the inside of the hall where the ceremony will be held. We’ll finalize the detailed plan after that.”
[……May the journey through Hasmal be safe, so that I can return to Leon unharmed……]
“Karon, please look into a janitorial position that allows access to the hall.”
[And yet, part of me hopes it will be terribly dangerous.]
“I’ll handle the initial reconnaissance.”
[……So that I might reach you.]
The white hand gripping her skirt trembled violently.
＊＊＊
Edith boarded the train around noon and arrived in Kaprang in the late afternoon. The coastline, lined with pure white sand, was fairly quiet—perhaps because it was winter.
Gazing at the scenery beyond her black veil, Edith walked slowly. The dazzling sunlight reflected white off the sand.
In truth, she hadn’t thought she would be able to come here. The schedule was tight, and with her life on the line, indulging in memories felt like a luxury.
But—
“Karon secured the janitorial position. Work starts next week. The members hiding in Berg will join around then as well.”
Perel had said this as he handed her a pistol, recommending that she visit Kaprang. After briefly considering refusing, Edith quietly accepted the gun.
For the few days before the storm broke, perhaps a little romance was allowed.
After walking for a while, Edith sat down on the well-dried sand and hugged her knees. The sea breeze blowing in from beyond the horizon fluttered her clothes.
As her cheeks began to pale from the cold, she took out a sheet of paper and a pen from her bosom. The neatly lined paper was a page torn from her diary.
[To my Maximilian.]
Instead of putting the short letter back into her pocket, Edith placed it on the ground and sprinkled a handful of sand over it.
Sss—
The sand slowly scattered in the wind. Leaving behind the letter that would soon be blown away, Edith brushed herself off and stood up.
[Hoping this letter reaches you—
from Edith.]
