Chapter 41:

  "The Weight of Silence"

  Arc 5: Chapter 2

  Pov: "???"

  In the city, completely destroyed, only the dust remained—the ballast of destruction.

  Dozens of soldiers are helping with the reconstruction. Nobles observing. Commoners do the work in exchange for coin.

  Some laughed alongside the nobles and soldiers.

  Others didn't.

  Luna walked along the cathedral's exit, against the wall. Thoughtful.

  Inside the cathedral.

  Alfredo stood there.

  He looked coldly at Bruce's body.

  His eternal rival.

  What did he think?

  I could say.

  But I choose not to.

  He then lowered himself. And hugged the coffin, and began to cry silently, the moment Luna left the place.

  He hugged the coffin.

  Why lower himself to the coffin and cry for the person who despised him most?

  But he continued, his arms on the coffin for seconds.

  The seconds passed slowly.

  Only 'I' could see what happened there.

  But thankfully, I am merely a spectator.

  After a while, in the streets. Alfredo left the Cathedral. Luna is at his side.

  They walked.

  At the hospital, Luna found Flávio on one side, in a bed, completely bandaged. Smiling, she knew he was there and entered.

  "Flávio," she said, "already recovered?"

  "Luna!... I mean... My lady!" he said. Luna laughed.

  "No need..." But the smile disappeared quickly.

  Amanda was beside him in the other bed.

  "Ah, Amanda. You're here too?!" she asked.

  "Yes... Unfortunately, with this chatterbox next to me."

  Juliet was drawing a comic on the chair beside her.

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  "Luna!" she said, the little girl now older.

  "Hi, little one." Luna approached. Hugging the little girl, who then sat back down to draw.

  "Are you recovering, too, Amanda?" she asked the great warrior. "Thank you for your help in the battle. You didn't have to."

  "I did have to. Yes, I'm already recovering," she said, while Juliet ran to hug her father on the hospital bed.

  "Mommy is strong! And Daddy too!"

  "Ow!" he screamed as she jumped on his wounded chest.

  "Mommy is stronger, you know?!" he said, laughing.

  Luna laughed.

  Amanda just watched her smile.

  "Luna..." she said.

  "Yes?"

  "Nothing..." She couldn't finish.

  Luna just said, before leaving.

  "Get well. Don't die, I need you," she said, before exiting.

  Flávio started laughing.

  "You're an idiot," said Amanda.

  "Why are you cursing me out of nowhere?" he asked.

  "Don't curse Daddy, Mommy!" said Juliet, going to hug her mother.

  "You... Didn't notice anything, did you?"

  Flávio just looked curious.

  "The world here is..."

  Luna's face turned completely serious as she left the hospital. With Alfredo beside her, his sword "Dawn's Edge" already in its sheath.

  "...about to change." Amanda finished saying.

  Luna walked to Raphadun's hospital room.

  But no one was there.

  "Where is he?" she asked the nurse. "I don't know!" the nurse replied.

  Luna then ran.

  "Stay, Alfredo. I'll find him."

  Alfredo stayed, nodding and standing still.

  Luna then walked through the destroyed capital and went to the place where Empty had used the stone.

  And there was Raphadun, completely bandaged, sitting on the edge. Luna approached and sat beside him.

  "I knew you'd be here..." she said. Raphadun remained quiet.

  He looked ahead.

  "Look at the city..."

  "Look at the kingdom we fought so hard to return to, destroyed. Because of us, because we brought him here..." he said. Looking down afterward.

  "I..." she said.

  "I want you at the council today."

  "It won't help anything, you know that... We're the guilty ones. We brought him here, and..." When he was about to continue, Luna cut him off.

  "Bruce was the Destroyer..." she said.

  "What?" Raphadun asked. "That's impossible, what do you mean?"

  "Everyone saw it, from the council. I need you there, brother." She stood up.

  "Grief and guilt are for later, Raphadun," she said, the wind moving her short hair, which had already grown longer.

  "You'll see the first step... Of me changing..." she said.

  "THIS ENTIRE WORLD!" she continued.

  Raphadun looked at her and smiled.

  "You look scary like that!"

  Luna looked and smiled.

  "You know I can't be like that with you, Rapha!" she said, smiling.

  He smiled back and stood up.

  "Understood, then. I'll trust that this will help me! And... I won't hold you back now with my guilt."

  Luna smiled and turned back.

  "Come, brother. I'll need you."

  "You know... I'll never be that important," he said, scratching his head.

  "Don't talk nonsense!" she said.

  "Who was the first to make me not act like a fool?!"

  "No... I... I made you trust, I took responsibility for Empty, and all this happened," he said.

  "Rapha, choices are choices. We all make them, we take them. Nothing changes completely. We made them, we took them. They made us who we are. And now, without making the same mistakes. Come with me. Now."

  Raphadun looked at her, nodded.

  "Alright!"

  And he walked with her.

  At the hospital, Alfredo walked through the corridors. Stopped.

  And, in Flávio's room, he heard his voice with Fencer.

  "YOU IDIOT!" he heard Flávio shout.

  When Alfredo entered the room.

  He saw Fencer and Flávio arguing.

  "I told you, idiot!" he said, and when Flávio was about to respond, he stopped. And saw Alfredo at the door. Fencer turned. Seeing him too.

  Amanda also watched, lying down.

  He approached them.

  "You... Got better?" he asked.

  "Yes..." Looking at Alfredo, Amanda's voice came from behind.

  "I already know... Do you think that idiot wouldn't tell me?" she said, looking at Flávio.

  Flávio smiled.

  "Hah! You know how it is! Can't lie to the wife!" while Fencer and Alfredo looked at him seriously.

  "Exactly," she said. Cutting him off.

  Then, Fencer stood up from the edge of the bed he was sitting on.

  "You... ARE A FUCKING RETARD!" And he hugged Alfredo. Flávio stood up. And the three embraced.

  "For... Forgive me..." They cried.

  "Mommy," Juliet arrived.

  "Why are they crying?" she asked.

  "Long story, my love..." And she smiled, looking at them. Especially at Alfredo, thinking. "Even you."

  And then, Luna appeared at the door. Raphadun too, and they smiled.

  They also knew.

  Fencer, Flávio, and Alfredo tried to wipe away their tears.

  "You can let go of the surrogate father," Luna said, smiling.

  They laughed. "Alfredo, we have to go." And Luna's smile disappeared. Fencer noticed.

  Alfredo walked to Luna's front, putting his guard up again and wiping his tears.

  And then, alongside Raphadun, they left.

  Fencer watched every step.

  When they left, Albadon, Fencer's scientist student, appeared at the door.

  "What's happening?"

  "Nothing... It's nothing," he said, standing up.

  The steps through the city were taken.

  And also, alongside the vassals of the other houses.

  And the council meeting would happen.