"This is the future of the Nynia Empire! And thanks to our invention, our family will finally be worthy of the ducal title—do you understand? Duke Surge brags about his perfect creation: a magical energy cannon. But me? I can offer the Emperor eternal soldiers—endless, expendable."
The man speaking was none other than the young Duke Arjdin. Standing before him was his wife, the third princess of the Nynia Boreas Voréal Empire. Nynia was known throughout the realm for her immense gentleness—a tender heart trapped in a merciless world.
"I understand, Arjdin. Calm down… So if I've got this right, you're asking me to work on this unit? You know that if my father finds out I'm doing this instead of fulfilling my duties as a wife, he'll be furious."
Arjdin fell silent for a moment. She was right—he knew it. But he also knew his wife: mechanics was her secret passion. On the battlefield he was cold and unrelenting; in front of her, he melted like warm sugar.
"But you want to, don't you? Don't worry about your father. I won't tell him a thing."
The young woman's smile widened. She thanked him with a light kiss on the cheek. Once Arjdin had left, Nynia settled into her wheelchair and gazed at the prototype before her.
"Zero is the one Arjdin is handling, so I'll follow that lineage… Hmm… Ah, I know! 001: Eishen. In Boreas, that means 'freedom'… Different from Nynia, which means 'eternal flower'—born to be unique and unable to change her fate."
She laid a gentle hand on the cold chassis.
"Eishen… My husband surely wants a cruel weapon, but I'm not capable of that. You'll be like a son to me. Forcing you to follow the same destiny as mine would be too cruel. You'll be different from all the others. I'm going to work on it, yes… My greatest challenge: to create a being capable of thinking for himself, of adapting, of improving, of understanding… And above all, a being with no chains at all. Yes, I want that. Haha… Maybe I'm even crueler than Arjdin."
She laughed softly, eyes shining.
"One day you might feel lost, but don't worry: that's how it works for all beings gifted with emotion. Ah, listen to me ramble! Shall we begin, Eishen? I'm Nynia—your mother from now on—and you're my son. We'll start by figuring out how to make you… sensitive…"
Back then, Eishen could not hear—he had only sight. Yet somehow he already knew: this was his creator. It was the most beautiful smile any human could possess.
Now she was gone. She had died giving birth to her third son. At the time, many people mocked the irony: dying at the third child. Those whispered taunts sparked an illogical fury in Eishen… It was his first encounter with that strange virus: anger?
And today, the virus pulsed harder than ever before.
She looks like her! This young girl only wants to be happy—just like his creator… If I destroy her village, then…
"Liora… You know, your smile is similar to someone who was very important to me. And I…"
Eishen suddenly stopped speaking. He rose calmly.
"I'm curious about the location of your village."
Zero was present. Eishen could not allow the perfect soldier to see his flaws.
"Oh yes, you wanted to know where the village is… Liora isn't allowed to go there, but Liora can show you the way!"
What should he do? The emotions had never been this overwhelming! All he had to do was burn her village for the glory of the Boreas Empire… So why was he incapable of it?
The further they walked, the more a storm raged inside him. And at last he understood: it wasn't a virus at all. It was part of his system.
Why, dear creator? Why did you do this to me?!
He hated these feelings… And yet he had to make a choice. And soon. He had to serve the Empire and—
But suddenly a stone flew through the air and struck Liora's head. She crumpled to the ground.
Elven children had thrown it—right in front of him. They screamed at her:
"Stay away, demon-born creature! Silver-haired devil!"
Everything inside Eishen went silent.
She had lost her smile.
That was all that mattered. Zero had gone to fetch the rest of the army? Irrelevant. She was hurt. The elves were about to be massacred? Uninteresting. They all deserved to die. She was bleeding.
"I'm okay, servant… They're always like that with me… It stops hurting after a while."
She didn't speak properly because no one had ever taught her. Malnourished, poorly clothed, missing a tooth… No analysis was needed to understand.
Eishen carried her to rest against a tree at the edge of the village, out of sight. Flames were already rising quickly—Zero's work.
Eishen watched Liora as she fell asleep. Then he raised his blade… lowered it… raised it again… and finally drove it deep into the earth.
Creator… I'm sorry. Today I leave the Empire where you grew up. I know this isn't the purpose for which the Empire activated me, but the decision is made. I'm leaving to serve my one and only queen… One who deserves every emotion you placed inside me.
Blue butterflies rose around him, as if the forest itself acknowledged his resolve.
"I never truly understood my name, creator… But today I finally do. Freedom? I'm certain you would be happy for me. I'm leaving, crea—no… Mother."
He gently lifted Liora. While Zero unleashed destruction on the other side of the village, Eishen slipped away in the opposite direction—away from the Empire. A new journey was beginning… and the possibilities stretched as wide as the world itself.
End of chapter.