At the same time (?), on the northern coast of the Mediterranean, inside the combat module of the Dawn.
"Is this the reason why you asked me to bring the [Silver Shadow] here?" After hearing Palamedes' explanation, Vivian had a somewhat unhappy look on her face: "I don't need to emphasize it again.
Right? [Silver Shadow] is just a scientific research ship. It should not participate in such dangerous operations. What if something happens and my ship is damaged? It’s not a big deal if the ship is damaged. If the ship is worth more than a billion
If the sophisticated scientific research equipment of the Great Britain Gold Coin is broken or lost, wouldn’t it make me bankrupt?”
"I know your doubts, Vivian." Her husband Palamedes replied: "But Great Britain will not let you work in vain. They will also compensate you for all the losses caused. It's really nothing.
So worried."
"Yes, they also promised compensation last time. As a result, my research institute was attacked and almost completely destroyed. The compensation has not been paid in full yet..." The succubus snorted dissatisfiedly: "I haven't settled this account with Arthur yet.
It’s over."
"Then can I help with the cost of compensation first?" The Leopard Warrior also groaned: "Father Sphinx left me such a large inheritance, should it be enough to cover the cost?"
"Why should you help them advance money?" Vivian showed an even more unhappy expression: "Isn't your property our family's property? This is just using our family's property to repair our own ship. This
It doesn’t make sense in theory, right? And if you advance money, what should I do if they see that my boat has been repaired and stop compensating me? In the end, we will lose money?”
"Vivian——"
"No, Parami." The succubus rolled her eyes at her husband: "Give me a reason. Why do we have to sacrifice our own interests and do such a thing? I know that the storm will hit Cairo, and the whole city will turn into ashes."
None. But the people there will be arranged to evacuate, and the destroyed city will be rebuilt. The funds for the reconstruction are jointly provided by the insurance company and the Egyptian government. The losses of people and property are covered. So.
What are you afraid of?"
"...Do you really want me to explain?" the Leopard Warrior asked in a low voice.
"Yes. Give me a reasonable reason. I am a scientist after all. You can't convince me without a reasonable reason."
Palamedes sighed.
"Because of the Cairo Casino and the Cairo Hotel." He said: "Because, they are all the hard work of Father Sphinx. Even if Father is gone, his property will still be inherited and managed by others. For those who have
For the orcs who were saved by Father Sphinx and are now serving the Sphinx Foundation loyally, that is their destination. I cannot sit back and watch their destination be destroyed."
"Is it just that?" Vivian asked: "Just because Daddy Sphinx claims to be your father? Just because he gave you a large fortune? Just because it is a country in the human kingdom.
Does the orc gang here give you a sense of belonging? Really, is it just because of this, Paramedes? This is not like you."
Faced with his wife's question, the leopard man warrior remained silent for a long time. And because his wife had been staring at him, he knew that if he didn't tell the truth at this time, the other party would never easily believe his words. Vivian is here
He has an astonishingly sharp intuition about this matter, and can detect lies almost with just his eyes.
"Okay." The Leopard Warrior sighed: "It's because of Phileos. It's because of the sports ground underneath the Cairo Casino. It's because of the sport they are passionate about, dark American football."
"Why?" Vivian looked puzzled, even though she could clearly feel that Palamedes was not lying: "Isn't it just a stadium, a sport, and an entertainment? Destroy it and rebuild it.
Does this matter?"
"I had a phone call with Phileos this morning. The guy told me that [Sandstorm Sphinx Team] disbanded today. And you could hear how disappointed he was from his tone." Palamedes replied
: "I know he wants to call on his former teammates to re-form a team. So that stadium full of memories, the place where they once sweated, must be a very important place. Something is ruined.
Even if it is destroyed, even if it can be rebuilt, it will no longer be the same place and it will no longer have the flavor of memories."
"So, so what? Do we really need to do this to save that stadium, for those athletes, and for your brother Phileos?" Vivian shook her head and said, "I still don't understand.
"
"Then let me tell you a story." Palamedes smiled bitterly: "But that is definitely not a pleasant story."
"Let's talk." Vivian urged without emotion.
"When we were children, Phileos and I and other orc children formed a band of thieves. In order to survive, we went to human towns to steal food. If you steal food, you may be caught and killed, but if you don't steal, you will be killed.
We will definitely starve to death, we have no choice.
It was a really hard and dark time.
Sometimes we are lucky and can successfully steal things and escape; sometimes we are unlucky and are beaten by humans when caught. Many of our friends are even beaten to death. They even hang us upside down in the square to show us that we are alive.
Starved to death. Many companions died because of this, but only the toughest and luckiest people could survive.
Although Phileos and I are the fastest runners and can often escape, humans are more cunning. They will occasionally set traps and surround us in the city. That night we fell into the trap set by humans and were trapped in the city.
In the city, angry people were chasing us all night long with torches. We could only hide in the darkest alleys in the city, trying to escape.
Looking at the humans who were exploring the alleyways deeper and deeper, we originally thought that we could not escape and were about to be caught and have our legs broken. But at that time, an old man in the back alley opened a door and asked us to hide in his warehouse.
Go inside.
That old man...he saved us.
He let us hide in the warehouse of his shoe store all night until the people in the town gave up the pursuit. He said that although it was hateful for a child to steal food, it was not a sin that would lead to death. He did not kill us like other humans.
Discriminating as beasts, he treats us as human beings.
In order to thank the old man, the two of us stayed in the shoe store for three full days and worked for him. At first we just helped with cleaning, and later we also helped with making shoes. The old man did not give us any monetary reward, because he knew
We had nothing to do with the money. He gave us food, two sets of clean clothes, and let us sleep on soft hay. At the end of the night before leaving, he also gave us a little baby
ball.
That was the first time in our lives that Phileos and I were rewarded for our hard work.
After escaping back to the Underdark, Phileos cherished the ball given to him by his grandfather. He began to practice playing football in his free time, and would even invite a group of us friends to play football together. Of course,
We don’t know the rules of ball games in the human world, we just kick the ball around and play blindly. In that era, we were not necessarily full when we ate, but it was very stupid to spend a lot of energy on entertainment.
No one took that seriously. Except Philaeos.
I often see him practicing football alone late at night. It has probably become a hobby of his. God knows that a small gift given to him by a well-meaning old man will have such an impact on him.
big influence.
However, no one took football seriously. At first, everyone just thought it was fun and played along, but gradually they got tired of it. There were fewer and fewer people playing football with us, and in the end, only Phileos and I were left. Later, because of
I broke my leg while escaping and had to rest for a long time. Phileos had to take care of me and practice playing football by himself.
I asked him why he was doing this and he said he didn't want to give up.
I told him that there was no point in doing such a thing. We orcs were discriminated against everywhere and it was already difficult to survive. Even if we practiced playing football hard, nothing would change. He told me that he just wanted to play because he didn’t want to spend his whole life just playing football.
Be a thief.
...Do you understand, Vivian?
At that time, Philaeos was really tired of his life as a thief. He wanted to change, and he wanted to achieve something with his own strength.
Even if no one agrees, even if everyone makes fun of him for being a fool who wastes his efforts, he still stubbornly pursues the path he wants to take.
Even if the form changed, even if fewer and fewer people followed him, and he was left alone in the end, he still did not change his original intention.
After so many years, when I saw Phileos active on the court, I knew that he had probably found his destiny.
So... I want to help Phileos.
I don't want that storm to destroy his home and his shelter. I want to protect that stadium no matter what and give them a chance to come back. And I can assert that even if the Sphinx has been disbanded
, Phileos will definitely regroup the scattered and disheartened players to form a new team.
Some people, for the sake of something they decide to achieve, do so regardless of the cost and without asking for anything in return.
Even if the world is indifferent to his efforts, treats his hard work indifferently, and regards his efforts as worthless;
As long as he doesn't give up, he will be able to achieve something in the end.
And I... I just want to secretly help the idiot who works so hard, that's all.
"
Vivian looked at her husband calmly, with a very complicated expression on her face.
"Then we are the same." She said to herself.
"...What?" Palamedes did not understand Vivian's soliloquy.
"It's nothing." The succubus' attitude softened: "Okay. Since it is my stupid and lovely husband's request, I will comply. Who told you to have such an understanding wife."
"Yes, I was almost moved to tears," Palamedes said jokingly.
Vivian shook her head angrily: "Is it enough to just carry [that] and let [Silver Shadow] rush into the storm?"
"I think so."
"The last breakthrough [Great Storm] almost made us unable to return, and we almost didn't have enough fuel for the return trip." Vivian complained: "How much price will we have to pay this time?"
"This storm wall is much thinner than the Earth's own [Great Storm], so there will be no problem." Palamedes replied.
"But starting [that] also requires a lot of energy, that is, fuel." Vivian said worriedly: "Maybe it will suck up the last bit of fuel from [Silver Shadow], and then my ship will drift in the wind.
, until you are thrown out of the storm."
"Even so, we must try our best." The Leopard Man warrior reached out and caressed his wife's face: "I'll go with you. The two of us bear this risk together. If something happens, even if I am shattered to pieces,
I will protect you."
"Just say some unlucky words..."
"Then let's talk about something festive." Palamedes looked at his wife lovingly: "When all this is over, when we return to Great Britain, when they award me the title of Honorary Knight of the Round Table.
From now on... let's hold a wedding. Over the years, we have only verbally promised to be husband and wife, but I have never officially given you a status. This is still not okay."
"Palami..."
"I will try my best to make you happy, Vivian. After all this is over, and after the wedding is over, you will be my legal wife. Just like Phileos is looking for his own destiny throughout his life, you
With my children, you are my destination."
"You are so ambitious," Vivian said jokingly.
"It doesn't matter if it's a little smaller. Dreams are of all sizes, no matter how high or low they are." Palamedes replied.