Love Begins Without Knowing Why, Then Runs Deep

News of Daidalus Base being suppressed reached the command room aboard Messiah.

As people cheered excitedly over their victory, Durandal left the clamorous crowd behind and sat alone in the chairman's office, pondering that sentiment.

Leaning back in his chair, he tilted his head up and savored the secret delight in his heart.

Though there had been a few twists along the way, he had ultimately obtained the result he wanted.

Thinking back on the long and arduous road he had traveled, Durandal could not help but sigh—did those terrorists who dropped Julius Seven truly believe they could accomplish their grand revenge with their own abilities alone?

Gibril had run amok across western Eurasia for so long and encountered resistance only at the very end. Had he truly never noticed anything amiss?

And Matisse—did she really think everything had been completely silent and unnoticed?

Matisse was indeed smarter than Gibril, but only to a limited extent. She was still inferior to her sister—

Well, there was no use forcing such things.

It was difficult for people to possess awareness beyond the limits of their abilities, nor could they have talents beyond their proper capacities. We could only see things through limited, narrow perspectives, and that was the limit of humanity as a species.

Fortunately, things had developed exactly as he had expected, proceeding as smoothly as a train gliding along its tracks.

This also proved that Durandal's judgment had been correct.

Before long, he could allow all the people of the world to live within their small, limited happiness.

Humanity ought to be this way. The world ought to be this way.

Before making his final move, Durandal allowed himself to bask in a brief sense of accomplishment.

"Athrun."

Someone called from behind him. Athrun turned around and saw Kira