By this point, even Yu Lian, who was accustomed to slaughter and death, felt somewhat downcast. He knew he would never manage to cultivate a heart of stone, devoid of blood or tears. Perhaps the saddest thing in war was hearing that a promising young man had fallen on the battlefield in the prime of his life.
He had been a battle hero who'd fought in blood-soaked defense of his homeland, someone who deserved to be enshrined in the Heroes' Shrine and honored with offerings. I'll have to look into his commendation report afterward, Yu Lian thought. And make sure his family received the compensation they're owed.
He hoped no one would strip a hero of his honors and achievements just because the fallen man was a Lumina. Otherwise, he wouldn't mind putting the army's discipline in order right in front of Vice President Yero.
Just then, Tai'a said, "But, Little Martial Uncle, if Rorocat had had an Emblem Mech back then, he wouldn't have died. I still remember that, when he was alive, what he wanted most was an Emblem Mech. The first time he saw Colonel Lombarton's mech, he stared at it for ages."
Yu Lian didn't answer right away. Instead, his expression darkened as he looked straight into Tai'a's eyes.
Tai'a seemed to sense something. Her gaze wavered, but she continued, "If the war hadn't broken out, if those Imperial devils hadn't invaded, that kid Rorocat would probably be a disciple of the Spirit Research Society by now, wouldn't he? I found the Society its first nonhuman disciple. Great-grandmaster would surely have rewarded me for it."
"If the war hadn't broken out, there's a good chance you wouldn't have met him at all. But gold always shines. Psionics users awakened among the Lumina people are incredibly rare,