Even if the Dawn Abandons You - Chapter 28

The army headquarters in St. Belyskva, the capital of the Kladiev Empire, situated on the border with southern Léans.

“Where are the troops being dispatched to?”

“Basbourg of Léans.”

Upon hearing the story, brought as top-secret information just before it became official from a close comrade, Ilya Belinsky, a lieutenant in the Kladiyev Empire’s army, furrowed his brow, reflecting on the recent international situation.

Come to think of it, there was a major revolution in Léans a few months ago. They also received a request to grant asylum to the aristocrats in their country… and he vaguely recalled hearing a story recently that all the aristocrats were executed.

Léans’ Basbourg is currently divided into the anti-conquest resistance and the revolutionary army, amidst a fierce civil war. And then the sudden news of deployment reached them. Ilya could guess where they would be assigned without hearing any further explanation.

“…It must be the resistance. Are they reluctant to spread republican ideology?”

“Correct. The resistance must have thought it wouldn’t be wise to keep watching when even Wisteria and Valtria were roaring with pain when a republican government was declared in Léans. Our Majesty thought we shouldn’t leave it alone.”

Roman Krukoff responded, giving a thumbs-up, as if their motives were aligned. Ilya immersed himself in his thoughts, ignoring Roman. He wasn’t taken aback by the sudden dispatch. He was a man who rarely panicked, a soldier who never disobeyed orders.

Being sent to a civil war in another country wasn’t exactly his preference, but was there anything particularly special about it? If it were the Wisteria Republic, where the emperor had disappeared, or the Valtria Kingdom where the king was just a symbol, maybe there could be some leeway. But in Kladiev, the emperor’s will was essentially the will of the people.

“What is the scale of the dispatch?”

“For now, our regiment… There is also one squadron from the air corps.”

“For now?”

“The civil war could drag on.”

Ilya couldn’t comprehend the reasons behind it, but it seemed like the higher-ups desired that outcome. Roman continued chewing on his squid and added, “Do they want the civil war to last longer?” Ilya wondered momentarily, but he was well aware of his own limitations.

The matters beyond this point were within a realm that he, as a soldier and not a politician, couldn’t fully grasp. There were plenty of military veterans and politicians who dealt with such matters, but… It was unlikely that it would ever concern him.

Nevertheless, the information Roman brought, though limited in nature, was straightforward. It was information that he would have received in a few days at most. So Ilya asked Roman what made this particular story special. In response, Roman covered his mouth with one hand and began whispering, as if sharing a secret.

“The truth is… This is something I heard about…”

And the story that followed left Ilya Belinsky completely stunned, propelling him straight to the top, utterly bewildered.

? ? ?

Dinner was satisfying. It wasn’t an elaborate feast with all sorts of delicacies, but the potato stew served with rye bread tasted delicious. Marcel claimed it was the first time he had showcased his culinary skills in a while.

During the meal, Marcel mentioned to Anais that Leo was quite adept at cooking, suggesting she should ask him to try it sometime. The mealtime passed harmoniously, thanks to Mari, who had stopped crying after receiving treatment, and Marcel, who was sociable and adept at entertaining her.

When Marcel entrusted Leonard with the dishwashing, saying that the doctor shouldn’t lift a finger due to being a patient, Anais couldn’t help but feel uneasy considering his track record. However, fortunately, Leonard managed to finish the dishwashing without any major accidents, separating the handle of a toothless mug from its body. As the meal and dishwashing were both done and the night grew late, Marie blinked her eyes and asked.

“Doctor, doctor. Can I sleep here tonight?”

“As long as Marie is fine with it, you can stay here as much as you want.”

“Then, can I sleep together with my brother Marcel and Mr. Leo?”

Anais quickly glanced around in an unexpected turn of events. Of course, Anais’ house, serving as a hospital, had multiple beds, and it was common for patients with limited mobility to sleep over. The only issue was that Leonard and Marcel, despite being very agile and tall adult men…

“Oh, if Leo and Ceridwen are fine with it, then it’s okay…”

There was a peculiar enchantment in Marie’s bright canary-colored eyes that made it impossible for anyone to say “that would be a bit awkward,” just as Marcel and Leonard often did. With a mischievous smile, Marie obtained the doctor’s permission and ran toward where Marcel and Leonard were. Judging from the situation, they had already heard the same answer from that side.

Thus, it was decided that Marie Blanc’s impromptu pajama party would have Marie and Anais using the second-floor bedroom, while the two men would use the beds on the first floor.

But even as Marie fell asleep, Anais found it difficult to sleep herself. It was time for her to slowly recover. In fact, just a few days ago when she had resolved the misunderstanding with Leonard, she had fallen asleep regardless of whether he was by her side or not. But now, whenever she anticipated him sleeping, it seemed like sleep would slip away completely.

Anais made sure to cover Marie with the duvet as she slept, then left the bedroom and descended to the first floor. In the dimly lit environment, she observed that three out of the four hospital beds were empty. Could Leonard have returned? However, she hadn’t brought any tools to illuminate the room, so she couldn’t confirm if the sleeping figure was Leonard or Marcel.

The first thing she noticed was someone, sitting on a rocking chair on the front porch. Anais squinted her eyes and examined her figure. Suddenly, the moonlight shone brightly, revealing Marcel’s face.

“Mr. Blanc?”

“Oh, it’s you.”

“I can’t sleep for some reason. Is it the same for you?” Marcel asked. Anais nodded slowly and took a seat in an empty rocking chair. Her voice resonated calmly across the quiet porch.

Silence hung between the two of them as they sat side by side. It wasn’t the kind of silence that arises from having nothing to say or from an awkward situation. It was a momentary silence, a pause before Anais carefully initiated the conversation and Marcel, sensing its start, kept his mouth shut. After that brief silence, Anais cautiously called out to Marcel.

“I… Mr. Blanc.”

“Yes, doctor.”

“Do you feel like the world has changed, Mr. Blanc?”

She posed the question that had been weighing heavily on her mind, refusing to let go. Have their efforts truly transformed the world? There was a time when she believed they had. Having defeated the mighty enemies of the emperor and the royal family, she thought it was impossible for the world not to have changed. In fact, the citizens of Seine used to say that life felt much freer after the revolution. Anais had initially shared that sentiment. But now, she found it peculiar.

Then she arrived in Basbourg, a city engulfed in civil war. Innocent civilians were suffering, and the land was devastated. The children were starving, their lives no different from before the revolution, if not worse.

Since then, Anais had become skeptical of their claim to have changed the country. They must have changed something, but if they hadn’t reached this point, what meaning and value did those changes hold?

Unsurprisingly, Marcel scratched his chin in slight embarrassment, then replied, “I won’t answer because I don’t want to disappoint you.”

“So, you can’t feel it,” Anais said in a somber tone, echoing his response. Marcel scratched his chin again. He didn’t want to disappoint her, yet he didn’t want to lie either. Thus, he chose to disappoint her first, knowing he had more to say.

“But Miss, are only the changes that you can definitely feel valuable?”

Anais didn’t think so. As Marcel uttered those words, she slowly raised her head and looked at him. It wasn’t a gaze that demanded an explanation; rather, it invited Marcel to continue speaking. Sensing the need, Marcel obliged.

“There are things that change even if the changes aren’t immediately visible.”

Things change gradually, at a feeble pace that often goes unnoticed. For example…

“Just like Leo’s cleaning skills.”

“…They were a mess.”

“They were even messier at first.”

No one had told her, but the house Leonard now resided in had belonged to a middle-aged couple who were shot dead by resistance fighters while hastily packing up and fleeing during the outbreak of the civil war. It appeared that the house had also suffered damage from bombing, considering the state of the furniture and belongings left behind due to the hurried packing.

Marie’s assistance in organizing had actually been the beginning of their relationship. Initially, Leonard’s cleaning skills were horrendous.

“But gradually, they improved. And they’re still improving. Who’s to say that one day he won’t become the best cleaner in the world?”

Now, Leonard knew how to dust, albeit somewhat carelessly. He had learned to control his strength when using a broom and even became meticulous with mopping. This change was subtle, imperceptible overnight. Even Marcel hadn’t dared to imagine that Leonard, presumed to be of noble birth, could reach this level of improvement.

“Even if I can’t fathom it right now.”

Anais understood perfectly what Marcel meant—a change beyond imagination. It was a dream she had envisioned and yearned for. Thus, Marcel conveyed that even if the change was invisible and unimaginable, it could eventually become a reality. Consequently, he didn’t place much value on merely “feeling” the change itself.

Listening to Marcel’s response, Anais gently cupped her chin, turning her gaze towards the stars in the night sky. Dunang’s sky was adorned with numerous stars, and its moon shone brighter than Seine’s.

Although she was known as the rider of the dawn light, Anais preferred the night sky with its rising moon and densely scattered stars over the break of dawn. The starry sky resembled a map, with each star seemingly guiding her towards a specific destination. In other words, she didn’t embrace the darkness, but rather the lights that illuminated it. She envisioned moving towards that light.

After silently gazing at the sky for some time, Anais shifted her focus back to Marcel and posed another question, her eyes still fixed on the celestial expanse.

“Then let me rephrase the question. Mr. Blanc, do you believe the world is heading in the right direction?”

“Yes, I do. It’s perfect.”

“I find your response somewhat unsettling, as if you don’t worry much. Can you be completely honest with me?”

“I truly believe so. It may be a time of civil war, and everyone says it’s not unusual to die tomorrow, but it’s merely a part of the process.”

Anais couldn’t help but shed a few tears upon hearing his words. Thankfully, it was late at night, and her tears went unnoticed. When Anais remained silent for a while, Marcel mischievously scratched his cheek, wondering if he had been too harsh. Then, he added his own thoughts.

“Because I have a duty to believe that a world will come where Marie can live safely and happily.”

After all, it was Marie they were talking about. Marcel Blanc always had Marie in mind, considering the world she would grow up in. It was this concern that gave him more patience than others. Even if the world didn’t undergo drastic and immediate changes, when Marie had grown up like them, she would be able to say, “Even now, it’s better than before.” Marcel’s feelings resonated with Anais.

The Marcel Blanc that Anais Belmartier had encountered was warm, lively, and optimistic. Anais felt that Marcel’s vision of the future was far more beautiful and mature than her own as a revolutionary. Consequently…

“Thank you, Mr. Blanc.”

Perhaps, he could be that person. She dared to entertain the thought. If she had someone like him by her side, everything would be fine.

It was a late autumn night, a night adorned with countless stars.