Chapter 117: Is It Okay for My Jim to Stop at the Door?
Starting from the Republic of Munzo, the citizens of Side 3 had lived independently for nearly twenty years.
In terms of self-identity, they had long ceased to consider themselves part of the Federation.
Thus, Ramba Ral's first promise upon taking office was to restore pre-war living standards, and his second promise was to guarantee independence.
General Revil understood this all too well.
"Prepare the reception hall. Use that overly ostentatious one Gihren set up, and hang both the Zeon Republic and Federation flags. If only the Principality of Zeon could be thrown into the trash starting today."
As he watched his subordinates tear down the old flag, General Revil silently hoped that the Principality of Zeon would collapse just as completely.
However… of the Zeon fleet that retreated from the A Baoa Qu fortress, only a portion had aligned themselves with the newly established Zeon Republic. Although pursuit forces had been dispatched, it was impossible to track down every last fleet.
According to reports, some were moving beyond the Earth Sphere, while others had gone into hiding.
The coming years would be no time for complacency.
Revil began considering how to deal with the remnants of Zeon's forces.
Meanwhile, the ship carrying Ramba Ral in secret was approaching A Baoa Qu's airspace.
"Eli? Yes, Eli—that's an idea. Go bring Eli and Sayla here, as soon as possible."
Revil ordered his adjutant, Arthur, to summon the individuals he saw as the best solution.
And Sayla—she was Revil's show of sincerity to Ramba Ral, or rather, the foundation of mutual trust between the two sides.
However, this also meant Eli might suffer a bit.
Feeling a twinge of guilt for the young man he had high hopes for, Revil quickly put that emotion aside.
As the de facto supreme leader of the entire military—and in practice, the one with the greatest power—he had to prioritize the larger interests at stake.
Knock, knock.
"General, Ramba Ral has arrived."
Revil adjusted his military cap and left the command room where Gihren had been found "killed in action" with a bullet to the back of the head.
Heading toward A Baoa Qu's reception hall, he was accompanied by General Tianem, Rear Admiral Kowen, and several officers of the so-called "Revil faction," all seated at the long table in the reception room.
Seated across from them was Ramba Ral, now the de facto leader of the Zeon Republic, along with officials from the provisional government.
What followed would inevitably be a long and tedious meeting.
With a faint sigh, Revil met Ramba Ral's gaze head-on.
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"We've been waiting forever. What exactly are we supposed to do…"
Eli lay sprawled across the sofa, resting his head on Sayla's lap.
Summoned here by General Revil, they had received no orders—just instructions to wait in this high-class room.
Eli had initially thought, like last time, that someone would come to commend him again. But since they were alone, he felt completely at ease, even acting a bit like a spoiled child.
By the way, the room even had an extravagant bed, a testament to Zeon's luxurious tastes.
"Don't be like that, Eli. You're already twenty years old."
Sayla gently smoothed Eli's messy hair, though he would soon ruffle it again by moving around.
Even so, she patiently ran her fingers through his hair, over and over.
She wasn't sure why, but she just wanted to do it.
"At least act a little more serious. What if General Revil walks in right now?"
"He won't. Someone like General Revil wouldn't barge in unexpectedly. Besides, we'll probably report to him only after he's done with his meeting."
Eli was indulging in the warmth and scent of Sayla, relishing in her presence.
Just being with her made him feel at ease.
There was none of the composure he displayed on the battlefield. If Amuro were to see him like this, his image of Eli as a "mature adult" would probably be shattered.
Click.
The sound of the door opening suddenly echoed.
"General!"
Eli immediately stood at attention and saluted.
Sayla blinked in surprise, her hand still mid-stroke, as she stared at Eli in disbelief.
That was… incredibly fast.
Still, she quickly followed suit, preparing to stand at attention.
But before she could, General Revil raised a hand, signaling that she didn't need to salute.
Then, he stepped aside, revealing the figure behind him.
"…Uncle Ramba Ral?"
Sayla murmured in disbelief before abruptly covering her mouth, looking at Revil with apprehension.
But at the same time, she understood—since Revil had brought Ramba Ral here, he must have already known her identity.
Sayla wasn't surprised; Eli had previously told her that Revil likely knew about her being Artesia.
She glanced at Revil. The old general's expression showed no sign of scheming—only a calm, gentle gaze.
Turning to Eli, she saw him looking at her with quiet affirmation, giving her a reassuring look.
That look told her that no matter what she chose to do, he would support her.
Even if she decided to run away right now.
With that sense of security in her heart, Sayla finally turned to Ramba Ral.
He had remained still until she looked at him. Then, he slowly removed his military cap and met her gaze.
"Greetings, Princess Artesia. And it's been a while, kid."
At his words, Sayla trembled slightly.
Even though she had prepared herself for this moment, admitting it openly in front of General Revil still carried immense psychological pressure.
Noticing her reaction, Revil subtly gestured to Eli.
Then, he bit down on his pipe, signaling Eli to follow him out.
Revil stepped out first, and as Eli passed by Ramba Ral, the older man suddenly shot him a fierce glare.
"Thank you for taking care of the princess all this time, Eli."
Compared to their last meeting—where they had even developed a sense of mutual respect—Ramba Ral now exuded a clear sense of hostility.
It was, in a way, the unmistakable gaze of an overprotective father!