Story Reader / Affection / Watanabe: Epitaph / Story
Watanabe: Epitaph VI
It's been almost three hours and still no sign of the oasis...
Tired of the unchanging yellow sands outside, you recline and close your eyes to rest.
What are you planning to do when you get back to Babylonia?
Sounds good. Take a break to recover from this journey.
Is your work at Babylonia that heavy?
Anyway, your help was crucial in dismantling Schneider's group.
The Forsaken will always welcome you with open arms.
No, I hardly have any time to rest.
Yeah. I mean, I bet the Gray Ravens keep you up at night, too.
Watanabe chuckles lightly, in a slightly teasing tone.
So, it's best we stay on our respective battlefields.
Wait, what's that?
The vehicle, which has been moving at a constant speed, suddenly comes to a halt. You open your eyes and see a tiny green point on the distant horizon.
Mirages hover above the horizon. Their height doesn't change.
Let's go check it out.
Watanabe turns the steering wheel and drives straight toward the green spot.
As you get closer, the green area becomes clearer until a lush oasis appears before you in the desert.
As you step out of the vehicle, a fresh, woody scent fills the air.
A few desert foxes lie quietly in the grass, shrubs encircling the lake like lace on a forest fairy's dress, and the emerald green lake is as clear as a giant gem, reflecting specks of light.
As you approach the Oasis, a few white birds take flight, soaring across the azure sky before disappearing into the forest.
Watanabe reaches his hand into the lake, his black steel hand effortlessly breaking the calm surface, causing ripples to spread across the water.
Looks like it's real this time.
Want to rest here for a bit? The water is surprisingly clean.
You crouch down, mimicking Watanabe's gesture, and dip your hand into the lake. The cool sensation slowly creeps up your body, easing much of your fatigue.
Then let's stay here for a while. A little break won't hurt.
You and Watanabe sit by the lake, quietly observing this oasis in the desert.
The desert foxes notice the new visitors but merely glance lazily before resuming their nap in the bushes.
The fish that have fled you slowly return, swimming as if flying through transparent air, casting only faint shadows on the lakebed.
It's easy to forget that peaceful corners like this still exist in the world when you've spent so much time on gruesome battlefields.
Here, there's no threat from the Punishing Virus, no endless human scheming, no constant fear for tomorrow. Only the basic laws of nature are quietly in operation.
Even in the barren sands, life thrives.
[player name], I'm glad you made it back safely.
You turn to see Watanabe gazing intently at you, his eyes filled with complex emotions beyond words.
I've walked a long path, met many people, and bid farewell to many more.
To save more people, I chose to become the leader of the Forsaken. But once I became the leader, I realized that I had to make even more decisions.
Because everyone places their lives in my hands, I constantly question myself. Is this the right choice? Have I lived up to their expectations?
Have I really honored... their sacrifices?
Don't mourn the dead with sorrow, Watanabe.
Let them become your power to carry on.
I'll be back here in an hour...
...It'll be fine, Watanabe.
You watched my son die in front of you. Aren't you his best friend? Aren't you going to fight for him? Will you really forgive these bastards?
...What about my hope? There are tens of thousands of soldiers like me, abandoned, stranded on the surface. What about our hope?
I still can't forgive... Hmm... Maybe the person I can't forgive is myself...
Go back... kid. Someone needs to remember us...
Never let this land... forget that we once fought for it...
Attention to all Forsakens. Prepare to evacuate the space station immediately!
Roger!
Mr. Watanabe, the evacuation route has been sent to you.
...
Can I ask you one last favor?
Please tell Watanabe that the little crybaby who used to be a burden...
...Can now protect others too.
It's too early for you to be here, you little brat.
Thank you for trusting me back then, and for coming back safely.
Even though it's just a thought, if I were to make another mistake and let you bear the consequences alone...
The cost would be too high for me to bear.
Watanabe's hand, holding the old tag, is trembling slightly.
The tag, inscribed with "Watanabe", is rusted and worn, clearly not from this era.
Sensing the hidden unease beneath his calm facade, you reach out to grab his hand.
Scenes of aircraft falling from the space station, the burning flames in Pulia Forest Park, and soldiers battling at the edge of the Hetero Zone forest flash through your mind.
Hearing these resolute words, the ice in Watanabe's golden eye begins to melt, like a frozen lake thawing in the spring.
His palm is warm, silently conveying his emotions.
You clasp your hand that is covering the tag in his palm.
You want him to know that he's never alone in his decisions.
You don't want him to bear all the responsibility alone.
Yeah, I don't know why I forgot that.
Watanabe also grabs onto your hand. His grip is gentle yet firm.
We have always been a team, doing everything together. Every life is inscribed with the trust of others.
We... are never alone.
I won't ask this question again, because even sorrow itself... contains the weight of life.
He gently pats your shoulder, as if to brush off the dust from your cloak.
His gaze is brimming with a tenderness that no one has ever seen before.
[player name], we must all live on.
I will always remember this sorrow. As one who lives, I must remember how they fought.
And to honor their trust, we must see the day Earth is restored to their memory.
Sunlight filters through the leaves, casting irregular patches of light on Watanabe.
A soft halo surrounds Watanabe. The scattered sunlight dances on his hair, shimmering with life.
So, to fulfill this promise, we must protect this place.
Yes, absolutely, just like we've always done.
Watanabe stands up by the water and looks out at the endless plains as if finally making a decision.
He turns to gaze at you who is standing by the water, his eyes no longer confused. He then throws the old tag into the pool.
Let's go, [player name]. It's time to leave for our next destination.
The vehicle slowly leaves the oasis, the clear green colors gradually trailing behind until they become a tiny, indistinguishable dot.
In the endless desert, the tracks you left are quickly erased by sand.
You both know that the oasis is just a chance encounter and that, after this brief rest, you might never set foot there again.
But to embark on a new journey is to find a new destination.
All the nostalgia for the past is left in that oasis, becoming memories forever sleeping at the lake's bottom.
To reach the promised tomorrow, the travelers of this desert set out on a new adventure.
