Chapter 219: Time to Face the Pressure
The audience chamber doors slowly opened, and the ceremonial music representing the dignity of the Zabi royal family began to play.
This only made Char's heart grow heavier.
The musical arrangement was sparse and out of sync—something that would have never been accepted as royal ceremonial music in the past.
Looking to both sides of the hall, the soldiers who should have stood in formation as a ceremonial guard were few in number and not arranged according to any formal structure.
And yet, everyone aboard this ship still followed the ceremonial protocol, holding their heads high with effort.
Char had more or less confirmed the guess forming in his heart.
This warship, which had suddenly appeared alone in Earth's orbit, carried a member of the Zabi family.
And as far as Char knew, the last surviving member of the Zabi family was...
"Char!"
It had been a long time since someone called his name so directly.
Char looked up. At the far end of the audience chamber, upon the throne, sat a small figure.
She was wearing the formal attire of Zeon royalty—the Zabi family—and was doing her best to sit upright and dignified.
"Mineva…"
"Why aren't you kneeling before a Zabi of Zeon? Have you already betrayed us, Char Aznable!?"
Just as Char was about to take a few steps forward, a harsh rebuke rang out from the side.
That familiar voice made Char close his eyes involuntarily—
As if he couldn't bear to see the person standing before him.
"Haman… It's been a while."
"Mm!"
Char hadn't expected that his simple greeting wouldn't provoke the righteous fury or scolding he had imagined, but instead draw a choked, sob-like sound.
Opening his eyes, he saw the woman in the purple uniform biting her lip as she waved away the soldiers standing on both sides, along with the attendants around Mineva.
"Do you know that it's because you left that we ended up like this?"
Once only Char, Haman, and Mineva remained in the hall, Haman spoke with her back to him.
"Don't tell me—something happened to Axis?"
Char had already started to suspect something when he learned that the Axis fleet had blatantly stirred up a commotion in Earth's orbit.
Something must have gone wrong on Axis for them to take such a radical step.
"The Restorationists launched a rebellion."
"…What about Lord Maharaja?"
"Father is dead!"
As she shouted out the death of her father—Maharaja Karn, the leader of Axis when Char had left—Haman whipped around and glared at him.
"Those soldiers who still supported the old Principality of Zeon rebelled under Enzo's leadership. Father barely had time to get us aboard this ship, the Asam! Do you understand!?"
Tears welled up at the corners of Haman's eyes.
Yet her face still burned with anger toward Char.
"If you hadn't left—if you, the one we all trusted, the one my father believed in, had still been on Axis—none of this would've happened!"
She charged at Char, grabbing his collar, trying to see through his sunglasses and meet his eyes.
Char turned his head away.
"I'm sorry… I had reasons I couldn't stay…"
"All for a woman who'll never wake up!?"
"Haman!"
The moment that topic came up, Char lost control of his emotions and shoved the girl away, sending her tumbling to the floor.
"You should understand—Lalah, she…"
"She'll never wake up! Her soul is no longer in this world!"
"Uwaaah!"
Just as the argument between the two was about to explode, a cry rang out.
"No—don't fight… Char!"
A small figure ran toward him and threw herself into his arms.
It was Mineva, only six years old.
Compared to their last meeting, she had grown a fair bit.
But still…
"Haman, why did you raise Mineva like this…?"
"Because of you, obviously! We've been fleeing all this time, and to keep the people's hearts steady, this was the only way I could do it!"
Still on the ground, Haman glared at Char with fury.
"Hah…"
"Why don't you understand? My father is dead, and all the burden has fallen on me! Protecting Mineva, keeping this ship running—at first, other ships came with us, but they were all lost fending off Axis pursuers!"
Haman stood up and began walking toward Char, step by step.
"If it weren't for you, for a man who refuses to take responsibility, I wouldn't have had to shoulder all this! Mineva wouldn't have had to become a Zabi. She could've lived as a normal child—just like you hoped!"
Smack!
Overcome with emotion, Haman slapped Char across the face.
"I know you love Lalah, Colonel. But why use her as an excuse to run away!? Standing before you now are the people waiting for you to lead them—people counting on you to rise and take responsibility!"
"…Haman."
Even though he had prepared himself for what might happen, Char was still stunned when the girl slapped him.
His sunglasses were knocked clean off.
But even then, Char cradled Mineva protectively in his arms.
Head turned to the side, he fell into silence.
"I kept wondering… If you were here, Char, what would you have done…"
Haman's voice gradually softened, her steps slow and hesitant.
And in the end, just like Mineva, she collapsed into Char's embrace.
"My father is dead… My father…"
This girl, who had struggled to bring the Asam to Earth's orbit, was only seventeen years old.
Char suddenly realized that.
His hands trembled as he slowly pulled the two—one big, one small—into his arms.
"It's all up to you now, Char—no, Casval…"
In a daze, the voice of Maharaja—the man to whom Char owed a great debt—seemed to echo in his ears.
Char didn't say a word. He simply buried his head between the two weeping girls in his arms.
His hands gently patted their backs, trying to soothe their pain.
Was this the fate he had to bear as one who carried the blood of House Deikun?
"It's all right… I'm here."
His expression was conflicted, and the cheek that had been slapped still throbbed with pain.
But that physical sting was nothing compared to the dull ache in his heart.
"…I'm sorry, Char. I hit you."
Haman's voice, now soft and tender, was nothing like before.
"Thank goodness you're still here… that you became the leader of AEUG. Otherwise, I don't know where we would've ended up."
"…Huh?"
Lieutenant Quattro's body stiffened instantly.