What Weighed on Her Heart
"What's wrong with you lately, Gabi? Why are you always distracted during training? With this attitude, do you still want to become a Marley Titan Warriors?" Magath shouted sternly at Gabi.
On the other hand, Gabi had already fallen three times during this mere 1,500-meter race.
Upon hearing Magath's reprimand, Gabi quickly stood up and sped off to catch up with Colt, Falco, and Udo, who were running ahead.
Magath watched Gabi's retreating figure, feeling utterly puzzled. He wondered why, ever since returning from the battlefield, Gabi seemed to have lost her soul, frequently daydreaming and making mistakes during training.
Of course, he was aware of what had happened to Gabi, but Magath did not think Gabi had done anything wrong. Moreover, Gabi's courageous actions should be praised by Marley. However, the military high command was too arrogant and shameless, using Gabi, a teenager, as a shield for the Middle East public opinion.
As for Gabi's disregard for her Comrade, although Magath also felt it was a bit strange, he didn't think Gabi's behavior was anything seriously wrong. From Marley's perspective, the most important thing for becoming a Marley warrior is loyalty to Marley and superior strength; caring for Comrade doesn't seem to matter much.
While Magath was still pondering, Gabi, who was running, was also filled with thoughts. A familiar scene kept repeating in her mind, making her uneasy.
That day, Gabi came to the vicinity of the medical tent alone. She only wanted to apologize to Zofia. Ever since being ostracized by her Comrade, Gabi had felt guilty. At first, Gabi could numb herself with the goal of becoming Marley Warriors, believing that she had done nothing wrong. However, the daily alienation from her Comrade eventually made Gabi realize that she was losing something more important. She wanted to make amends, but her pride and fear that her Comrade would not forgive her made Gabi hesitate.
Finally, on this day, Gabi Courage and went to the outside of the medical tent to apologize to Zofia.
However, she overheard a shocking secret outside the tent.
"Sister Aili, aren't you Marley Warriors? Why did you Eldia Revival Army?" Zofia asked from her hospital bed, with Aili sitting in a chair beside her.
Hearing Zofia's question, Aili smiled, then smoothed her silver hair and said, "Why so many questions? I also have younger Younger Brother around your Younger Sister, Sophia. My initial thought was simply to give them a better life. But, Zofia, do you know what? No matter what we do, the Marleyan will never truly trust us."
At this point, Aili raised her head, her tone tinged with helplessness, "Even if we become Marley Warriors and enable our families to live a better life, many other Eldia families and many more Eldians are still oppressed by the Marleyan, and our descendants will still be cursed by the Marleyan as descendants of demons..."
Aili's words made Zofia's expression turn dejected, and Gabi, who was eavesdropping outside the tent, also heard it and her pupils dilated.
"So, in order to truly liberate my Younger Sister Younger Brother, my family, more Eldians, more children your age, and future generations, and to rid them of this demonic title, this is the goal of our Eldia Revival Army," Aili said gently, resting her chin on her hand.
A glimmer of hope appeared in Zofia's eyes at Aili's words. Zofia, "Sister Aili, can the Eldia Revival Army really do it?"
Aili ruffled Zofia's hair, looked at the little girl in front of her with hair similar to her own, and said confidently, "Of course we can, we definitely can do it."
Zofia: "Sister Aili, I... I want to be like you!"
"Ah!!" A short but soft exclamation caught Aili's attention. Aili Li immediately rushed out of the tent, but there was complete silence outside, not a soul in sight. Aili frowned and looked around. Had she misheard?
Only after Aili returned to the tent did Gabi, who had been hiding behind a pile of wooden crates, release her hand from her mouth. She could feel her heart pounding. What had she just heard? The Eldia Revival Army? Shedding the title of demon?
Gabi trembled uncontrollably. She had a rough idea of what was going on. No one would have thought that the Marleyan Titan warrior Ere would be the so-called Eldian Restoration Army. Gabi had never heard of the Eldian Restoration Army, but from Ere's conversation with Sophia, she could guess that it was an organization similar to the original Eldian Restorationists.
Now, even Zofia wants to join. What's going on here?
Gabi was left with only two options: either report Aili and Zofia to the Marley leadership or Captain Magath, or pretend Gabi hadn't seen anything.
Gabi was immediately tormented. In the past, she would almost never have hesitated to report them immediately to show her loyalty to Marley. But now Gabi was confused. She didn't know if it was because Aili's words had touched her heart, or if she was worried that betraying her Comrade again would make her lose something.
In short, Gabi did nothing. She quietly left the medical tent without telling anyone about it. The incident remained buried in her heart and often replayed in her mind.
What should she do?
On the other side, Aili felt a little uneasy looking at the dark surroundings, but remembering her mission, she mustered her courage and followed Bill into Ebson's Underground Laboratory.
After navigating through the long, narrow, and dimly lit Laboratory, Aili and Newt finally followed Bill to Laboratory spacious Laboratory, where others were already present.
Litt, Bazel, and Ivanor sat there, while Doctor Ebson, wearing a white lab coat, was busy at the lab table, seemingly working on something.
When Ivanor saw Bill bring Aili over, Ivanor eyes lit up, and she frantically patted the seat next to her, gesturing expectantly for Aili to sit down beside her.
Seeing this, Aili decisively sat down next to Bazel on the far side.
Ivanor's smile froze. Bazel was quite surprised; he was about to greet Aili when a pair of long legs appeared in front of him. Looking up, he saw Ivanor's cold face, and she simply uttered two words, "Get out of the way!!"
"Alright!" Bazel nodded and bowed, turning around in one swift motion and leaving his seat. Ivanor's previously cold, pretty face immediately blossomed into a bright smile, "Aili-chan ~"
Aili: "Don't come any closer!!"