AHEIAID Chapter 48: He Cried
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Everything happened so suddenly, yet it also seemed inevitable.
It's like when you seriously reflect on something and say, "If only I had known, I wouldn’t have done this or that." Every choice leading to the final outcome appears in your mind like scattered clues.
Then you sigh:
Ah, so that’s how it was.
So this is why I lost, isn’t it?
And then, you think:
If only I could go back to the past.
I would change this ending, no matter what it takes. I would change this ending… Even if… Even if I really couldn’t change it… I would at least want to see his face properly on the last day before our separation…
If only I had known that the person wrapped in a blanket, reclining on the sofa, laughing under the gentle afternoon sunlight, would become just a photo I would never see again in the future…
I…
The crisp white uniform fit neatly on the man's tall and lean frame. Stains and tiny specks of mud on his pants told the story of a seemingly pristine person who had, in truth, rushed back in great haste.
He had just completed a mission.
A difficult one.
An exhausting one.
Yet, contrary to his usual composure, the perfect and cold man made no effort to adjust himself or restore his orderly demeanor.
Inside, he carried a joy and anticipation that contrasted with his handsome but indifferent exterior. He longed to return to a home where someone was waiting for him. And he wondered—what should be the first thing he did?
Would it be indulging in his little habit of threading his fingers through his little companion’s soft, fluffy black curls, rubbing his fingertips against the roots to enjoy that oddly satisfying texture?
Or would it be crouching down to press his palm gently against that soft, pale little belly and whispering to the not-yet-formed child, "I’m home"?
For Garius, tenderness was an unfamiliar thing.
Until a small, obedient, and adorable creature barged into his world, unknowingly teaching him these things and giving him a life completely different from what he and others had ever imagined.
But he did not reject it.
Garius never rejected the unfamiliar.
Because the one who brought this unfamiliar feeling… was a little human.
Was his Joey.
…Standing before the ruins, Garius thought of this.
Golden hair fell over the side of the young "god’s" face. His motionless pupils made the resilient man look momentarily lost.
Not long ago, this place had been a beautiful home.
Joey would be on the sofa playing games. Lucian, who had been eagerly counting the days until he could call himself "Grandpa Butler," would be nearby. But now, all that remained was unrecognizable wreckage.
The remaining fragments had been blasted into charred, blackened pieces—so thoroughly destroyed that it was impossible to tell where they had come from.
Garius stood silently on the grass, his lips pressed into a tight line.
His expression showed neither anger nor sorrow. His gaze passed over the personnel from District 13, who stood by the ruins, heads bowed, tidying up but not daring to speak. His eyes landed on the wreckage before him.
After a long moment, his heavy lashes lowered, concealing half of his eyes.
"Damn lunatic!"
Behind him, Amon, Saxis, and the others clenched their fists, eyes red with emotion. Anger and grief burned through their hearts, and they hated Harry with every fiber of their being!
But they knew that no matter how much pain they felt, it couldn't compare to even a fraction of what the man in front of them was experiencing.
"This is my fault…" Amon choked. If only he hadn't been so careless, if only he hadn't been so useless, then Joey wouldn’t have been taken. They had set up protections, but still…
"Your Excellency, no matter how heartbroken you are, you must regain your composure quickly. Joey is still waiting for you to save him."
The only woman among them, Reina, carefully observed the still-upright figure with dazzling golden hair. She spoke softly, her voice laced with concern.
Then, she saw the man’s body sway slightly.
Her heart leapt with hope.
There’s a chance! she thought excitedly, frantically signaling the others with her eyes.
Bard, Hulman, and the others snapped back to their senses at her cue.
"That’s right! Joey may be missing, but no one has said he's dead! That crazy Third Prince might be using him as a bargaining chip. If that's the case, then it's actually good news—it means Joey is safe for now!"
"Your Excellency, let’s go find Joey right now! His Majesty has already been safely escorted away, and no matter how insane the Third Prince is, he wouldn't dare stay in Ottoman forever."
"Exactly! Now is not the time to grieve—Joey is waiting for you!"
"I think so too…"
"Yes, yes…"
The crowd awkwardly tried to create a lively atmosphere, glancing at Bingfeng's back in an attempt to lift the man's spirits.
They rambled on in a messy and dry manner for quite a while until Garius turned slightly, his expressionless face and golden-green eyes tinged with visible bloodshot veins.
Scarlet—completely unlike the renowned just and rational Controller.
"……"
The group instantly fell silent.
Their clumsy lies meant to comfort had been ruthlessly exposed.
If Harry dared to openly attack the home of the Thirteenth District’s Controller even in his absence, choosing to become a criminal rather than missing such an opportunity, then what else wouldn't he dare to do?
...The air plunged into a dead silence.
And it was at this moment that Amon's communicator suddenly beeped, the tiny sound deafening in the quiet atmosphere, drawing countless gazes in an instant.
Amon thought it was follow-up work from the District 13. Given the inopportune timing and the sorrow hanging over everyone, he immediately answered upon pulling out the device. "Hello, what is it?"
Whatever was said on the other end made Amon's expression turn strange.
He remained silent for a moment before walking past the group, who were radiating sorrow, and whispered a few words to Garius.
Then everyone heard Garius’ icy voice say: "Open it."
His words drew puzzled looks.
The video opened.
To their shock, the face projected into the air was none other than the one they all loathed—Prince Harry!
"Honorable Garius Heine, did you like my gift~?"
"Wow, you look absolutely terrible! Hahaha!"
Against an unknown background, the handsome young prince, caught between youth and adolescence, let out a delighted laugh, his voice trailing off in an unmistakable mix of pride and malice.
"You bastard, you still dare show up!?"
Hulman’s face instantly turned red with rage. Even though he knew he couldn't physically reach Harry, he still clenched his fists, trembling with fury.
The others also darkened their expressions, glaring at him with intense hostility.
Garius coldly asked, "Where's Joey?"
"Who?" Harry blinked, placing a hand on his lips with a feigned look of confusion. A few seconds later, as Saxis lost his temper and cursed, realization dawned on his face.
"Oh! You mean that little creature I dragged out of the underground safe house? Wasn't he just kitchen reserve food?"
"F***! You’re the goddamn reserve food, you animal!"
Hullman struggled violently as Bard restrained his arms, his veins bulging in sheer rage.
Meanwhile, Garius’ expression remained unchanged, only growing colder. However, the hand hanging by his side trembled slightly, fingers curling in before his knuckles turned pale from exertion.
Harry, who had been observing the man’s every move and expression closely, noticed this detail and grinned widely.
—Are you afraid?
So even you know fear, Garius?
Hahaha, but this is just the beginning! I’m not done destroying everything you cherish!
"It seems my gift didn’t please you all. Ah, what a pity, you’re such picky guests." Harry feigned a troubled expression, shrugging his shoulders before suddenly switching the feed to another video.
The screen was paused, filled with a vast expanse of blue, obscuring the scene.
"Damn it, what is he up to now?!"
"No idea."
Hullman panted, growling in frustration, while Saxis and Reina frowned and shook their heads.
Amon, standing behind his superior, furrowed his brows for a moment before suddenly realizing the truth. His eyes widened as he turned toward the increasingly silent man.
"Sir, don’t look—!"
His outstretched hand was blocked.
His urgent words had barely left his lips before the video resumed playing, revealing the meaning behind that blue hue…
And at that moment, Hullman and the others finally understood.
The blue was the light shield of the estate.
It had shattered.
The fragments of blue energy slowly faded into the sky like a beautiful snowfall.
They watched as countless enemies piloted small battlecraft, descending from above and charging into the estate’s defenders. The moment they landed, they killed—like hyenas tearing into a sick lion!
A mist of scarlet blood bloomed in the air! Even through the screen, the sickly sweet scent of carnage filled the room!
The estate's defenders resisted. Among them were familiar faces from the District 13 squad, as well as gentle servants they had met only once…
These people fought to protect the doors behind them, knowing full well they stood no chance. Even as they became cornered prey, they still held their ground, shrinking into a smaller and smaller circle to fulfill their duty.
Their painful, desperate struggle made everyone wish they could jump into the scene to help.
But reality was cruel—one by one, their comrades fell backward into the growing pile of corpses, never to rise again…
The grotesque, anguished expressions of the fallen burned deep into everyone’s hearts.
Then they saw the humiliating photo Harry had taken, desecrating the warriors' dignity.
They saw the estate explode.
They saw the underground safe house breached.
Inside, a tearful human pounded on the glass in rage.
…And the fragile, pregnant Joey—before anyone could react—was dragged away by Harry, humming a tune as he pulled him across the ground, his leg bumping against the floor.
"Bastard! Bastard!"
"I swear to f***ing—!"
Someone cursed, or perhaps everyone did.
Garius' golden-green eyes, now flooded with crimson veins, fixated on the black-haired human in the footage. His pupils contracted, and his clenched fists creaked ominously.
The group thought that was the worst of it.
Unfortunately…
It wasn’t.
The video continued. The scene shifted to a set of autopiloted combat mechs, where an unfamiliar agent hoisted a limp, pale-faced human, uncertain if he was dead or alive, and stuffed him into one of the mechs.
That mech looked familiar—eerily familiar.
Where had they seen it before?
Oh!
At the factory where they had fought in Sunset City!
As realization dawned, the group barely had time to let out a breath before their blood ran cold, freezing in their veins as though a single touch would shatter them into icy shards.
"…Joey."
Garius opened his mouth. Having remained silent for too long—or perhaps overwhelmed by sorrow—the once-unshakable man now spoke like a lost child. He gazed at his beloved and called his name softly.
"…Joey."
His lips cracked, seeping blood.
"No… No way."
"How could this happen? How the f*** could this happen!?"
Roars of anguish erupted. No one wanted to face the brutal truth.
…But the video did not lie.
They saw Joey, initially confident and grinning, obliterate one mech after another. Then they saw realization dawn upon him—watched his smile freeze and despair take hold.
No—
Joey—run—!!
"Ugh, I can’t watch this. I can’t!"
Reina, already sobbing, buried her face in her brother’s shoulder, her trembling shaking the thick fabric.
Hot-headed Hullman, honest Bard, steady Saxis, and Amon all turned away, covering their faces to hide their reddened eyes.
Only Garius stared.
He watched Joey’s once-plump cheeks tremble with manic muttering, then brighten in joyful recognition, then twist in horror.
He watched as his expression melted into tears, his head lowering as glistening drops stained his pants.
He watched as his past self, emotionless and decisive, broke through the final mech—finally standing before Joey.
His chest suddenly ached.
A sharp, unbearable pain, as though his heart were being ripped apart.
But no matter how much it hurt, it would never compare to the agony Joey felt when he was killed by the man he loved.
Garius thought.
Until death arrived…
Joey’s last words: "I love you the most, I don’t blame you."
And at last—
The hero…
Was destroyed.
—He cried.
T/N: Please give support on my ko-fi page, thank you🍊🍊🍊
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