Chapter 220 – Becoming Char
If there were such a thing as a pill for regret, Char thought that, back then, he should have at least asked for the rank of colonel, instead of settling for captain just to remain on the front lines.
After all, even as a colonel, he could still have fought on the front lines—just like during the One Year War.
What's more, even now, Char was functioning as a de facto commander, despite only holding the rank of captain.
"Is something wrong, Char?"
In Char's arms, Haman noticed the sudden tension in his muscles. She looked up at him, puzzled.
Her hair, damp with tears, clung to her face. Though she had cut it short for a more capable appearance, it now made her look small and endearing.
The reliance in her eyes stirred a protective instinct in Char.
Fortunately, he was wearing a pilot jacket without any rank insignia.
"No, it's nothing."
Char chose to keep the fact that he was only a captain to himself.
"That's good. Give me a moment."
Haman gently pulled away from Char's embrace and took a few steps toward the throne, tidying herself up.
Char, meanwhile, naturally picked up Mineva in his arms and stood.
"Would you mind placing Princess Mineva on the throne? It wouldn't be proper for the others to see us like this."
Having fixed her appearance, Haman turned to see Char still standing there, patting Mineva gently to soothe her tears.
"Ah, you're worried about Mineva."
Haman lowered her head and smiled in relief.
Still the same man—always worrying.
"Don't worry. I don't normally dress Mineva like this."
She walked forward and took Mineva from Char's arms.
"Mm! Haman is really nice to me."
Mineva smiled, reaching her arms out to Haman.
"I don't usually impose Zabi family etiquette on her, either."
Haman's smile was gentle and warm.
Char tilted his head slightly. Somehow, this didn't quite feel like the Haman he remembered.
But the smile on his face grew more genuine.
"Thank you, Haman."
Just as Haman was happy to see Char still had those comforting traits from the past, Char was equally glad to find that Haman was still as gentle as ever.
…
"Glemy? You mean that Gihren's son?"
Char said in disbelief after hearing Haman's explanation.
Glemy Toto—another who had moved to Axis after the One Year War.
The Toto family had handed over most of their possessions to Maharaja in order to secure a privileged life for Glemy.
On Axis, he enjoyed treatment second only to Mineva herself.
Under these conditions, Glemy would occasionally visit Mineva's residence as a playmate.
Over time, Char and the boy had at least become nodding acquaintances.
"Never would've expected this."
Whether out of his own volition or manipulated by that Enzo Benini, Glemy had now become one of the culprits behind Haman's downfall.
"Yes. Even my father didn't seem to see it coming. I believe that's also the reason I was able to get Mineva out."
Because the other side… had a Zabi of their own.
Char let out a faint sigh.
As someone who was also a descendant of a fallen regime, he understood the situation all too well.
The two of them were walking through the corridors of the Argama, while Mineva had returned to her room to rest.
After all, she was only six.
"Char, I'm really glad. I thought you might have hidden away somewhere in the Earth Sphere with Lalah, beyond anyone's reach. I never expected you to have joined AEUG."
At Haman's words, Char awkwardly scratched his cheek with a finger.
He missed his sunglasses.
"To overthrow the Federation's current regime and build a new government where spacenoids can live in equality—that's a cause I admire."
Haman led Char down a hallway.
Everything she was saying now was meant to show Char that she had been paying close attention to him all along.
"That's why I want to help you, Char. I want to fight for that ideal."
She turned and smiled at him.
"When I escaped from Axis, I brought along a copy of some technical data—formulas for the newly developed Luna Titanium Alloy and documentation on the Psycommu system. With this, AEUG should be able to reach new heights."
Char instinctively avoided Haman's gaze, almost wanting to put on his sunglasses.
But he quickly corrected himself.
He forced himself to defy that initial reaction and met Haman's eyes head-on.
"I owe you an apology, Haman. I'm not the leader of AEUG. Within the organization, I'm just Captain Quattro Bajeena."
Even though he had already made up his mind, saying it aloud still triggered that instinct to run.
But he held Haman's gaze.
"Captain? Are you joking?"
"I'm afraid not. But I can promise you this—once I become Char, AEUG's true leader, General Blex will grant me a higher position."
Char responded to Haman's suddenly frosty tone.
"When I first joined AEUG, I was running away from my responsibilities—maybe because of Lalah, or maybe because I just wasn't ready."
In this empty corridor, Char finally laid bare his thoughts to Haman.
"But after seeing you all again, after seeing Mineva sitting on the throne, I realized my mistake."
Char lowered his head and looked at his hands.
"When you run away from your responsibilities, they just get passed on to someone else. Sooner or later, they'll fall on those closest to you."
His voice grew heavy with emotion.
And there was something else that needed to be said—Lalah had been entrusted to General Blex, which gave Char some concerns.
Even though he trusted General Blex, the thought still lingered in his mind.
If he were to attain a high position and the Federation caught wind of something unusual—if they used Lalah's whereabouts to blackmail him… what would he do then?
"Thank you, Haman. You made me realize what I need to do."
Though he said that, it wasn't what he truly wanted.
It all felt like being forced into a role he never chose.
This was never part of his plan.
Still, Char gently patted Haman's head and spoke.
Being pushed by circumstances—was this just the norm now?
"Eli, Amuro… If possible, I still just want to be a pilot."