“Compared to you, I’m a selfish coward. I’m truly ashamed of what happened back then. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you until the end.”
“Please don’t say that. At the time, I was too consumed by revenge to see what was around me, but now I understand. Without your help, my whistleblowing would have been buried without a trace, let alone reported in the media. We wouldn’t have even been able to take it to trial.”
There was a time when Iberis blamed people. He had imagined several times that if Winfried or someone else had been more proactive, the result might have been different.
But looking back, he hadn’t fought alone. It must have been Winfried who kept the media writing articles about Livio’s corruption, escalating the incident. Besides him, many others like Brenda had supported and encouraged him. So this time, Iberis completely let go of any resentment he had towards Winfried.
“I don’t think you’re a coward, Lieutenant General. I don’t resent you either. Back then, I just… lacked the strength to bring down former Lieutenant General Logan. I should have prepared more before blowing the whistle… I was too emotional. So there’s no need for you to apologize to me.”
“Is that so… Your words lighten my heart a bit.”
Winfried smiled weakly and looked at Lucas and Iberis alternately with affectionate eyes. Then he gently placed his hand on top of Iberis’s hand, which was holding Lucas’s.
“As I said earlier… I consider Lucas as my son. So, with a parent’s heart, I ask you. Please stay by this kid’s side for a long, long time.”
“…Yes.”
Iberis, who had hesitated for a moment at the words that felt like a plea, answered with a resolute face. He knew that the desperation Winfried was showing now was for Lucas. He seemed to be worried that if he lost another precious person, he might never get up again.
“What you want, Lieutenant General, is my wish as well. So you don’t need to worry. I want to stay with the Captain.”
Iberis smiled as he felt Lucas’s hand, overlapping with his own, twitch slightly.
Winfried was worried about Lucas, who might lose his lover first, but Iberis felt the same way – he couldn’t be without Lucas. Lucas was the driving force of his life.
It was all thanks to him that the embers in his heart, which had burned down to ashes, came back to life. Iberis, who had been waiting for death, wanted to live after embracing Lucas in his heart. There was no way someone like him could endure a world without his loved one.
So he would protect him. To prevent anyone from daring to harm him, no matter who they were. And he would somehow stubbornly survive. To be happy with Lucas.
Iberis was ready to do anything if he could do that. Even if it wasn’t a righteous act.
“Haha, very reassuring. I was wondering what kind of person would take away that stubborn fellow… My worries were unfounded. To think he found such a good match.”
Winfried burst into laughter that could have filled the room, unable to hide his satisfied expression.
“Eat before it gets cold. Steak is best when it’s warm.”
Winfried, as if trying to lighten the somewhat intimidating atmosphere, offered the main course brought by the waiter and removed his hand.
Throughout the meal, the three of them discussed various topics, including anecdotes from Lucas’s childhood, the connection between the Armand couple and Iberis, sharing information passed on by agents infiltrating the Mars Guild, and plans to disqualify the military supply company established by Livio from being selected as a partner company.
“Whew, it’s been a while since I’ve had such a fulfilling time.”
Winfried, who had finished the two-hour meal, sipped his chai tea with a smile all over his face. His voice was slightly hoarse from talking non-stop. That’s how enjoyable and productive the day had been.
“Next time, I hope we can meet more leisurely. I’ll invite you to my house sometime. I’d like to introduce you to my guide as well.”
“Your guide, Lieutenant General… Do you mean Colonel Greyson?”
“That’s right. He retired last year, so he’s a civilian now, but…”
Winfried’s expression clouded as he recalled his guide. Noah Greyson, his long-time partner, had been seriously injured last year while volunteering for an operation. And he retired right after that.
“As you know, guides attached to the military don’t just do guiding. After I became a lieutenant general, I had fewer field duties, so we often moved separately… I didn’t expect him to come back injured like that.”
“Ah.”
“He recovered quickly, but given his age, I suggested that he should rest now. After retirement, if he contracted with the military as my exclusive guide, it would be less dangerous.”
“That’s true.”
Iberis nodded slightly. The military is ultimately just another company. Even if you enlisted as a guide, you had to do various tasks like fissure attacks, civilian support, paperwork, and so on.
Just look at Lucas – he only guides Iberis, but as a military doctor, he treats and cares for many people. He also oversees the education and training of military doctors and guide unit members while serving as both the head of the medical office and the guiding team leader.
“I’m happy that Noah can focus only on me, but it seems he’s not. He only comes to work when I have to go outside headquarters, so he seems to be getting restless. He’s been more irritable lately.”
Winfried muttered bitterly. Although Noah had agreed to it, sometimes he regretted making him retire too early because of his own desires.
“So originally, he was supposed to accompany me to Paris for a change of scenery, but the puppy we’re raising suddenly got sick, so he stayed home.”
“Puppy?”
“Yes, it’s a puppy born to our neighbor’s dog. We started raising it because Noah said he felt lonely after quitting work. You’ll be able to see it when you come to our house. It’s tiny, licking everything as it moves around, and it’s incredibly cute.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“Haha, want to see some pictures?”
Winfried took out his phone and proudly showed a few photos of the puppy.
“Anyway, Noah was really looking forward to meeting you, but it’s a shame it didn’t work out. On top of that, my stay in Paris is getting longer than expected, so I’m getting scolded every time I call these days.”
“I’m sorry, it’s because of us…”
Iberis trailed off, feeling embarrassed. Winfried had decided to stay in Paris to help them.
“Hm? No need for that. This is what I want to do. Noah understands it all.”
Winfried waved his hand as if to say there was nothing to be sorry about.
“Anyway, I hope everything gets resolved soon so we can relax. Then I’ll be able to invite you over.”
“…I have something to give you, Lieutenant General.”
Iberis, who had been staring at the kindly smiling Winfried, moved his lips as if he had made some decision.
“Hm? For me?”
“Yes, this.”
“That’s…”
Winfried’s eyes widened as he saw the object Iberis carefully took out from inside his jacket. Lucas, who had been listening intently to their conversation, showed a similar reaction.
“This is the USB left by the late Team Leader Ryan. It contains evidence of the corruption committed by former Lieutenant General Logan. From what I’ve checked, it has a summary of his activities from about 13 years ago up until just before the scandal.”
Iberis explained as he placed the small USB on the table. At his words, Winfried’s eyelids trembled. This was what he had desperately wanted for the past few years.
“As you know, Lieutenant General… When I was about to blow the whistle internally, I didn’t trust the investigative bureau.”
At that time, Livio was the director of the Special Crime Investigation Bureau for Supernatural Abilities and was considered a powerful figure mentioned as a potential future marshal. The military investigation bureau’s corruption audit team was very reluctant to investigate someone like him. Even after a special prosecutor was introduced and the investigation officially began, the atmosphere didn’t change.
“Unable to trust the military, I responded by revealing necessary information improvisationally. I did my best in my own way, but being a novice in this area… I couldn’t properly utilize this information.”
“…”
“And I didn’t have anyone I could ask for help. So when the trial started going weird, I chose to hide it, hoping for the next opportunity.”
“Hmm.”
“Afterwards, I wanted to continue the work that the Team Leader was doing and investigate former Lieutenant General Logan, but I lacked the ability. The environment wasn’t conducive either.”
A complicated smile appeared on Iberis’s lips as he was engulfed in old memories. In the early days of his assignment to N-0 unit, he was half out of his mind. If it weren’t for his sense of responsibility towards Brenda and the families of his deceased colleagues, he might have gone seriously astray.
“All I could do was protect the USB and prevent former Lieutenant General Logan from taking it.”
“Former Lieutenant General Logan was after this?”
“Yes. After the trial ended, he sent people to the N-0 unit’s office and quarters several times. They always came up empty-handed because I always kept it on me wherever I went. After failing a few times like that, he stopped trying.”
Iberis revealed the circumstances while fiddling with the USB. He always carried this with him except when bathing and sleeping.
“As you might expect, Lieutenant General, this USB contains quite a lot of material that wasn’t disclosed during the trial.”
Swish. After finishing his words, Iberis pushed the USB towards Winfried.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
