Lacus Clyne

Time would not stop for anyone.

In the blink of an eye, half an hour had passed since the banquet began.

The guests had long since formed groups according to their respective circles.

The Pro-War Faction, the Neutral Faction, and the Moderate Faction.

Each of the three factions had its own circle.

Although quite a few people moved back and forth between them, their behavior and mannerisms still gave them away.

"I was wondering why I couldn't find you two. Turns out you ran over here to eat!"

Just as Noel silently studied the guests' positioning, Yzak, Athrun, and the others, having finished their social rounds, came over together.

Without realizing it, Noel had also settled into the atmosphere of the banquet.

"Noel said he was hungry. I couldn't exactly leave him here alone," Diakka said as he sat nearby, holding a piece of roasted meat.

"If you could put down that roasted meat in your hand, maybe that would be more convincing," Noel said to the treacherous Diakka beside him after swallowing the food in his mouth.

"You must be Mr. Noel Cassia?"

As the two bickered, Lacus, who had her arm linked through Athrun's, stepped forward and stood beside him, smiling at Noel.

"Hello. I'm Noel Cassia."

Noel looked up at Lacus. This was also the first time he had seen her from such close range.

Some people looked more stunning on television than in real life, while others shone more brightly in person than they ever did on screen.

Lacus undoubtedly belonged to the latter category. At least, compared to the Lacus before him, the Lacus in concert footage seemed somewhat lacking.

"Hello, I'm Lacus Clyne. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Lacus gave Noel a slight bow from Athrun's side and smiled.

"Since you're so pleased to meet me, could you do me a favor?" Noel asked Lacus with a smile after collecting himself.

"What favor?" Lacus blinked in surprise, a trace of confusion appearing on her face.

"Athrun, I remember there's a photographer here. Could you take a picture of Miss Lacus for me, and then have her sign it?" Noel asked Athrun beside him.

"An autograph?" Athrun and the others all froze, unable to understand why Noel wanted one.

"Don't you know? A personally signed photo from Lacus is incredibly popular. If you hype it up, it could fetch at least a few hundred thousand!" Noel was speechless. These people were so rich they had no idea how hard life was.

He was carrying tens of millions in debt himself!

"..."

A brief deathly silence fell over the group. Even Lacus was left at a loss by Noel's answer.

But her talent was no joke. She quickly recovered and smiled. "Thank you for the compliment. If you don't intend to sell it, I happen to have one on me."

"Then forget it."

Noel waved his hand. What was the point of an autograph photo he couldn't sell? Eat it?

"Hehe, Athrun said you were interesting. I thought he was joking."

Lacus's expression never changed. She remained all smiles as she took out a photograph bearing her name and handed it over. "I hope it can help you."

"Then I won't hold back!"

Smack!

Just as Noel reached out to take it, Yzak beside him smacked him and said, "Can you stop being such a money-grubber? You're dragging down my classy image!"

"You, Yzak, have class? Are you kidding me?"

Diakka could not help laughing from the side.

"Yzak, Yzak, do you really think putting on a suit can change who you are? Give it up. You're beyond saving in this lifetime."

Noel chimed in at just the right moment.

"I thought I was the only one who felt that way. Didn't expect you all noticed too."

Latis, who had appeared at some point, added another stab with perfect timing.

"Uh, actually, Yzak isn't that bad."

Perhaps feeling that Yzak was too pitiful, Nicol stepped up to defend him. "He's actually a pretty nice person, though sometimes he's a little—"

"That's enough, all of you! You really think I don't exist?!"

Yzak could not take it anymore. How had he suddenly become everyone's target?

"Haha—"

Seeing Yzak put on a mask of pain, the others exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

Seigell Clyne, who had been discussing and arguing with Patrick Zala, heard his daughter's laughter and turned toward the edge of the banquet hall.

"Looking at them, I suddenly think of us back then."

Watching Athrun and the others' young faces and listening to their hearty laughter, a trace of nostalgia flickered in Seigell Clyne's eyes.

Patrick Zala and the others followed Seigell Clyne's gaze.

"That black-haired one is Noel Cassia from Junius 7?"

Ezalia Joule noticed the unfamiliar face among the group. As Yzak's mother, she had roughly met all of Yzak's friends.

"That's him," Cruze replied with a nod from Patrick Zala's side.

"I heard he achieved quite impressive results the first time he piloted an MS?" Essaria Jul continued asking.

"Yes." Cruze nodded again.

Essaria Jul nodded and said nothing more, but the praise in her eyes could not be concealed.

"They are PLANT's future," Seigell Clyne said slowly.

"That is why we must fight to give them a better future!" Patrick Zala declared solemnly.

He was a hardline and stubborn member of the Pro-War Faction.

Essaria Jul nodded. She too was a member of the Pro-War Faction.

"But war will only bring greater hatred and suffering. There must be restraint." Seigell Clyne belonged to the Moderate Faction.

Of course, the Moderate Faction did not mean the cowardly faction.

He also agreed with war. Otherwise, without the approval of the chairman of the PLANT Council, this war would have been difficult to start.

However, as a member of the Moderate Faction, he did not want the flames of war to spread. He only wished to keep the war within certain bounds. War would only ever bring more war.

"Restraint?"

"Was the tragedy of Junius 7 not enough?"

The moment Patrick Zala stated his position, Essaria seized the conversation. It was not because she wanted to be the first to speak.

It was because she clearly understood that Seigell Clyne and Patrick Zala absolutely could not come into conflict—or rather, could not have a major open conflict.

This was something every member of the PLANT Council tacitly accepted.

"Then how far do you think this war should go?"

Irene Canaver, one of the members of the Supreme Council and a member of the Moderate Faction, stepped forward to refute her.

"Until PLANT achieves victory!" Essaria Zala replied.

"Victory? Do you even know what the victory you speak of looks like?"

"I know very well!"

"Deploying neutron jammers, building frontline fortresses, and deploying weapons on a massive scale—this is what you call knowing?"

"Would you have PLANT stop resisting and let others slaughter us? Junius is still floating out there!"

"PLANT and Earth's Naturals are both human. Must we truly fight until both sides are destroyed?"

"If the fish dies and the net breaks, the fish dies, but the net might not break. Just wash it clean afterward."

"..."

Thanks~ I was just dropping by to take a look, and thanks to Trooper1770 for the donation. I'll note it down in my little notebook for now.

But since I've been organizing the outline these past two days, there may only be one update today. We'll see how things go tonight.

I should probably be able to start paying off my debt tomorrow~~

~

Thanks!