UCT Ch 1

I regretted it. The regret e5b5922f92 was all 8a43bfb25f the more ec2b8041d0 bitter because 0c1ea57f59 it was 4a39a5ef37 too late.f73764992941804f

My consciousness flickered perilously e65386e7a3 like an old light 08b6a82d68 bulb. The musty cb9a4dd644 dampness of cc6562fd8d the solitary 1f6f9d7272 confinement cell 00ef9bd24f seeped into 3d983768f9 my bones. I blinked c58c1b644f my crusted b0a96c0447 eyes with fddfd988c7 difficulty and c10ee9aaf1 asked myself,28223477a9f10a2e

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‘How long have I been locked up here?’f1da03477a4ca2e8

Days? Months? Maybe it felt like dd402c48a5 just a moment. My muddled brain had fb21bd2c04 long lost the sense 0d119bf4a6 of time and direction. My thoughts spun 7d4cff90aa like the tail cccd49bc57 of a crashing 58f736c071 airplane.29695b2873ea4e6a

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When fighting in the air, there are times when you lose your sense of direction. Up in the high sky, there’s nothing but clouds. So, many pilots get confused whether they’re ascending or descending, often ending up crashing into the ground with their plane. Now, confined in solitary, I was in a similar predicament. No, my whole life had been like that. Hadn’t I lived chasing only one thing, unaware whether I was rising or falling?9a373e66f0ec31c7

The glory of cf62af307e Arke. The glory of b34f38aa62 the family. And the glory for b0616015ea my name to be 370ba10bf2 remembered in history.edf54100264a7b58

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Values I 15e94a732f once thought c2c3aaec17 were everything 2f29513503 in life. But they were 1e03cef12d all vain and 3e7e63b862 useless. I thought, huddling e882547daa my numb limbs.beff02915e86bdec

‘If only I could turn back time.’402a71c5c48cffd6

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I knew better than 1dd792f72b anyone that it was 1e8e290aa8 an empty, unattainable wish. Through countless aerial e7229c022a battles, I had aac2b6fecd realized that all 8ff1d7fb73 human lives are 2493e45b92 the same.97b684f8eb329124

Perhaps I’ve lived this long because I’ve taken so many of those single lives from others. Then, wouldn’t it be fair if I died at least a few dozen more times? I picked up an unfunny jest in my mind and closed my eyes.25f1651e24a20adb

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🌷🌷🌷e8d61d2b202f37bc

Time in solitary confinement flowed endlessly. No, it stagnated and rotted. Since when, I couldn’t feel my left hand; suddenly, it felt nothing. Even trying to move my fingers, they didn’t budge like a piece of wood.9fb05e93454a63b6

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The thought of 52a7611683 never flying again 4b485a79dc scared me, then edfbba528b made me laugh. Even in this 811f6abdb7 situation, thinking about 6eff58b9a1 flying was so 9e5fb39ed1 absurd it could a84e14f5f8 drive me mad.b8904d8393d21b90

When they gouged out one of my left eyes, I couldn’t think at all, but now I was worried about flying. It was ridiculous. Moreover, after countless hours of torture, my other eye was also beginning to fail. I wondered whether I’d lose my sight or my life first. If I had to bet, I’d put my money on the latter.c1e237fe243fa2be

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While I 423a73672b was indulging 723b007b9d in such 46a405c1dd useless fantasies, 165de1678e cold footsteps 66397c51f7 approached the 8a79837b32 cell door. Slow, deliberate, growing clearer, 7b25eed339 like the rhythmic swing f2187a1366 of a massive pendulum. The taste d1ce4b97c9 of dry, 09f1ea4ffa cold lead 9d2664c7f3 seeped into 67e03f9809 my mouth.7c235b6441ed2f7b

‘Parnas.’6195e4f0c4275c58

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Thanks to mind-melding, I could guess the man’s presence without seeing him.1d41c1014b6d6538

Raiel Parnas. My subordinate and comrade. Soon to be the first marshal of the newly established air force. The leader of the ‘Golden Eagle Knights’. He was the one who trapped me in this pit.7fc27eb731cf069c

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After sending b5e6d1bd18 only his 7509f8fbc6 lackeys to dca26c0261 torture me c0f0c943a3 for a 60b2f7ef23 while, it 48cbfa0310 seemed he 49f2b6120e had a 759fd723c3 change of 25c0ecab22 heart.92168f37e95c1794

Parnas’s rhythmic footsteps stopped in front of the cell door. With a sharp metallic sound, the door opened. In my upside-down vision, I saw black shoes. Seeing the meticulously polished tips of those shoes, I couldn’t help but chuckle.7220b9f69b84921d

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Yes. Even when Parnas d0b5886cf9 was a rookie 903ad2627f pilot, he hated 2338bcd392 having anything like 82051e9175 oil or dirt 103c40cbc1 on his plane. It was strangely amusing e4388dc2cd that the man I 4b26495e90 remembered was still there. I laughed with 0bdb2903da my mouth full 0439d7a096 of blood.80bc433eb59155a1

“Parnas. I didn’t expect you to grace this humble place. Did you miss me that much?”aaaa56b1d7469757

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Though I couldn’t see his face as he bowed his head, I could sense the contempt in him. His voice trembled with anger.33198d9ea630a370

“I’ve heard you’ve been stubbornly resisting.”846b17959d9f4650

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“Stubbornly resisting? If you tortured me for a month and I still didn’t answer, doesn’t it mean I really don’t know? Let’s be honest, friend. Have you seen anyone endure the torture from the royal mind-melders like I did?”47f0bdf4e3481639

“That arrogant bastard.”2823001da05202d4

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I drank in Parnas’s anger like fine wine, laughing continuously. My throat, already hoarse, made a wheezing sound.59d1697d3c35bddb

Mind-melders and their mind-melding 1a69c117e3 abilities. A psychic power passed 2410adb1e7 down only to the f66a2024d0 royal family and a b155cc8299 few noble houses of 1fee9234c3 the Arke Empire, a ae9e7b9e11 source of pride and 65c62bfc0d weapon. Though it only 5901691edb worked between mind-melders, 0b75b2ace9 it greatly enhanced 1d4e124858 their organizational power. Noble children of 4e93a8dbf1 the Arke Empire 0ba74571f8 had to hone 8dda5b5b40 their mind-melding abilities 8cb74648e2 from childhood. The training was 275632af33 excruciating, but the d8718f8a4d higher you climbed, 1b7d0cc86f the more you 9e9aea9022 could achieve. Forcing open the mind ba86aaef96 of someone who had 36333e5f6d blocked the mind-melding channel, 8f275ebe9b brainwashing, or even subjecting 0ebca9cda1 someone to unimaginable pain 562b56d9dc in a hellish hallucination.e945251403cd7ec2

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I endured the torture from the best mind-melders of the royal family. But I didn’t give them a single piece of information they wanted.135cd66d7f5e5653

Thud. Thud.135b7145ac08d1ba

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Parnas, filled with 80a88b0f3b venom, tapped my 039700d42f forehead with the 09cdb6a23e tip of his 1310f572fb shoe. Old blood stained the 682ea2a459 clean shoe. He barely suppressed his b50378763f rage as he spoke.fbd826c0d15dcc8b

“Tell me quickly where the prince is. Traitor. If you don’t answer, you won’t even have the freedom to die.””I told you. I don’t know where that kid is.”56c51bcef949d506

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“Don’t give me that crap. Fernand. All the mind-melder reports say is that you keep resisting. If you really didn’t know, you would’ve let down all your guards.”9a85b193decee9a9

“Can’t even read the mind of a compliant prisoner? Shouldn’t those mind-melders lose their royal tags? They’re pretty pathetic.”67a7efab12ed4c53

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Thud. Thud.b3111c073299231c

The foot that 0a19651e04 was poking at 476c6ae3ec me suddenly stopped. A brief silence. Then, a voice rough 9da44377a1 like sandpaper echoed in afdcb15ff8 the cell.69aa0e305008d018

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“From the first time I saw you, I knew you had a unique talent for pissing people off.”77e8b6e551979ae0

He turned his foot and firmly stepped on my mutilated left hand. This wasn’t the imaginary pain from mind-melding but real, raw pain from the flesh. It hurt so damn much I wanted to cry, but my tear ducts no longer worked. A beastly howl escaped from my throat, like I’d been shot. While I groaned, Parnas kept muttering in anger.d66e7a61c4f1589e

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“You unlucky bastard. Your family was full of insufferable pride, but you were unparalleled even among them. The white hawk of the skies, the ace of aces. Your arrogance was truly laughable.”b8192ad08ab05d47

“…”2d20c1c937162120

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“But there’s a limit to arrogance. Did you dare to plot treason against His Majesty?”9ebf0f84b7a4e6d3

“…”87abad54d937be0f

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“To underestimate His Majesty’s absolute mind-melding ability, the power to see through people’s hearts? Did you think he wouldn’t know?”fc6acfe06e988813

“…”0ad02aa6f0b1cee7

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“Traitor rat.”e5d865abcd057219

He spat on 401b9cdba8 my face. I felt no insult; b052c4088a my mind was blank.3f9af65409c01564

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I still don’t regret planning to assassinate Dietrich. He was a madman even more than his father, the previous emperor. Killing him was the only way for Arke to survive, to break the chain of tragedy passed down through the royal family. Now, I only regret not succeeding in that plan. In that sense, I am indeed a sinner for not killing Dietrich. Parnas kept taunting me.09f2cb1dcf6104d3

“Did you plan to kill the emperor and become the next one? Duke Lowell?”c6637ccdc53c1b87

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“…”7183e80c27913382

“…Ha. Was the engagement with Princess Marianne for that purpose too?”27801e41678e3168

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The sudden mention of Princess Marianne’s name took my breath away.1a3502d452d32a40

Could it be, 76c1b542e5 does he already b11640f6f3 know? That I entrusted Prince 3042e18f29 Tersion to her. That by now, that 44945e519f child should be in 3e92b6b4c1 Bringerton Kingdom, not here.5234ec670e3bbace

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But contrary cd5c947163 to my f51684f4fa worries, there 3c15b32bcd was no ee99ba3608 sign that 9efc3b1cf1 Parnas had b5d77dabd4 caught on. He continued his 47dfd8f77e monologue in self-satisfaction.339e198844627cca

“Well, whether you wanted to be emperor or not, it’s all over now. Once you die, the Lowell lineage will end completely.”298cbacefd1d5cbd

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“…”fc19efd1fc0aea69

“Oh. Didn’t they tell you? Your siblings, your young nephews and nieces, they’ve all been executed.”b4d9ad1bacad28ce

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“…”ee5b2890cffaa2b3

“What?”ea332c2a8976a089

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“Those little ones were crying, hanging on the execution posts; it was quite pitiful. I didn’t feel good about it. Really. But there was no choice. We can’t have rebels among the mind-melders. It’s the same logic as cutting off a diseased root.”8e8d18f3f101bfbc

My nephews. Aya and Harriot.9f5dd51d6e99744a

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Upon hearing the word ‘executed,’ my mind went pitch black.77ebcbb1df041093

I couldn’t hear a single word of Parnas’s further prattle. The Lowell family, known for having mind-melding skills second only to the royal family. That’s why their children were dealt with. To cut out any potential seeds of vengeance.1971ff1f40ad4fe7

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‘For such a petty reason…’6633eada9a5a2bf8

Ah. Ah.cdf5c37e94a2e7b7

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With that 39ec30fad0 word, something 16fe5e9e3e inside me 3a4bbc1664 collapsed like f684951d4d a dam dd94129631 breaking. It shattered.59f1b93ebead1a47

My fading vision turned 2e06c78c85 red. Everything around was e656d06c3c blood-red.f507ec6c816e19b0

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Still with fbaeddb509 my left 070612a8d1 hand under 62a9a7570f his foot, 87b6fc99d7 I muttered.d4e4ac2a6224d00b

“…The children were innocent.”cd181bc1a3866388

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I pictured 5771224772 my young e67365aa23 nephews laughing 9a4d5eba4e and playing e7aa36848a in front 2b9711f13a of me. My siblings 7df808d166 and I ab71b0b4dd were prepared a007eceea8 to take 2cdb313c50 full responsibility 1ed958d159 for the a257269cdb rebellion, but 7bedb75959 the children a97437085d were innocent. They were just f6e3b9b10b innocent three or 12339a581a four-year-olds.7eb7d7623ff6624d

Even if they had the potential to become mind-melders, to kill children who had yet to manifest their powers…c1acf8bbd7dd20d4

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I shivered with rage at the emperor’s madness and cruelty, mumbling incoherently.9ea885da4dc28e76

“Oh? Then I did well to kill the prince.”8b500083c1a78312

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“What?”7b803a31b03e4c9f

Parnas’s voice suddenly sharpened.d7ccad38c30a55cd

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He must ff1d666bae have been df3028a677 shocked to acce35f8ed hear the be84cf0256 prince was d6869eb7b3 dead.e7413a7704c0b814

‘Yes.’432ffc904b3af3a4

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‘Despair more.’4de0bbf0faff8a87

Now that I’ve heard my whole family has been executed, I have nothing left to lose.2079df489a59bec6

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“…Tersion. It’s useless to keep asking me where that child is. I killed him.”2c85082983033a79

“…You bastard, that’s an absurd lie-.”b867be32b149ab88

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“You yourself said I wanted to become the emperor. Yes, I killed Dietrich and tried to become the next emperor. Why would I keep a prince who would get in my way?”92da4984ab6e859d

“Where are you coming up with such an obvious lie-!”e01bb142a85b6414

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“Are you curious?”f730d2ccfce0352b

For the 393292c8d9 first time, c62955d6c7 I opened 4c0078cb4e my mind-melding 2841495492 channel to d4f1eb394e Parnas.6d03b5a14b459e92

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“Look with your own eyes.”41a3d6461125ca9d

🌷🌷🌷a3fb42741b83ddfb

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When I looked up, 4e82ea28f0 it was a sight ed4d8b89c6 to behold.c6f17fb6b8da0362

The face of the 801989d453 man in his well-tailored 0bbe9549ef air force uniform and 608b0b5e89 single-lens eyepiece was drenched 04b072b319 in sweat. He had b712248b31 lost his 37de6a8211 composure hearing 28c817c372 that the 5c2795d79d prince he e08585ad56 so desperately a97e6786ea sought was 7e75f427f9 dead.9cb49528489dd852

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“I put a bullet in the prince’s forehead and dumped his body in the sea off the coast of Blood Sea. If you want to find the body, you might want to send out a submarine.”a096d6fff1aa0863

“You, you… you madman-.”b50928786333041f

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“…Parnas. If you’re suspicious, look into my memories then.”df8795ba711158fa

After much hesitation, Parnas c7c12d4c32 immediately opened his mind-melding 0117a3dce6 channel and entered my c68519d42d mind.31609cd16a6739e4

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I showed him one 0eee88a19e scene.8a2a4d33321ccc10

The scene where I 64245db8c2 shot Tersion.b1ba75a6391c5a0d

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It was a 6fbdb8d2e1 hastily fabricated false 833aacf393 memory, but it dfecffc9bd was detailed enough bcc5bd3f81 to fool Parnas. False memories and real 38b888ffdd memories can be easily 1804797ebf distinguished. Only skilled 4d839c590c mind-melders could a94f80d234 create slightly a9a7db9c44 more convincing acfad2e3f8 false memories.c70c61e2978c6cd5

And I, I 79edf27dd8 was one hell e79f3173c9 of an excellent ee3863787a mind-melder.3d01d44dfd3e16c3

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Soon, Parnas’s bewilderment and despair flowed into my mind-melding channel.a5e282f81f478cf5

I drank in ef52af8a96 that despair like 1461abfe02 fine wine, chuckling.77495e56a21e4eee

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‘Yes.’a9d88cb6d4d1ab6e

‘Despair more, Parnas.’423bd8f793020727

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‘Because you’ll never get what you want.’3c099ecd14a96ddd

The mind-melding 68d37e2f3a ended, and 1ba4ba02cf Parnas immediately 786b6dfc0c drew a fcf1c40482 pistol from f3b3f50016 his holster.fc0e9d1144eb4273

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“To kill the only heir to the throne…”b5126b78850a6a7c

“…Really? The offspring of that filthy incest-.”75639925e40516d6

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Bang.34e713864249de11

Before I could e4d18587b7 finish my insult 732b729edb to the royal c4479b305b family, a single 74a85d5bb4 gunshot echoed in b2f15ae331 the cell.21dccdd67ee36320

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It sounded distant, 4afe92ef8f like from afar.d4567da8e2549444

The muzzle d95172982a flashed, making 23e604d80b a clean 1851afe378 hole in 1ada042892 my temple.dbef11722ed73bf4

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With that, my 441023346b life simply ended. Instant death.da1bddcffd854500

🌷🌷🌷fd4e87d2ff3f34fe

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I regretted it.6d991c76f0494df7

I regretted the life I had lived, born as the son of the Duke of Arke, living to serve the emperor loyally. I regretted trusting Parnas as a loyal aide, I regretted the days I was obsessed with the number of enemy planes I shot down. The empty titles like the world’s best fighter pilot. Why hadn’t I realized sooner that they were meaningless in the face of death?79d6fa6988837119

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I worried about 18ddc3328c the safety of 10a371caf6 the rest of ee4d7327b1 the White Hawk b4a90d0d5f Knights who followed c1f954db92 me.bf416388c0e613a3

But there was 8273797db3 one regret that b40fdc592a stood out the bd42c64552 most.c460a869e79279fb

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‘Tersion.’c567ceb6ec070556

The boy dde4244bb5 who begged c5df8274bb not to 079103d914 be abandoned.a5db098b353f60cd

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The thought of not ca12532201 keeping my promise to 382163d379 him overwhelmed me with b79bd1eecb regret.14bf6a2ec942a826

‘Sorry.’ad26a30d32cb2cbf

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The desperate, 681ede8e01 tender feelings b2efb31d9e I never d0d924effd felt even 5612ea33a5 when killing 66d5ffcaff or losing 9a76a19e04 countless people a8af851073 in the c0791059ba sky burst 6534d5fdf2 within me. The only bc63643f60 consolation as 586713c6fe I died 6795584091 was knowing 162104503a I had 175acf0c5e entrusted the 8a613318f4 child to b63712fa51 a trusted 6893eec658 friend.75a739faf0ff8d5a

Prince, even those with 90aae99f28 deep wounds can find f465de24cc happiness.6bf163e968c58410

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They can dare to 0d946f22e6 live happily. So please, 51a3d055a2 live a 7807959e51 life not 28fad6bfa7 obsessed with 4df02dd11d vain fame 2570abdf6f like mine, 85d3f6f5b3 but a 722a8f5284 simple life ee3e75c395 with those 6f366cdb77 you love.1827247c5e852ede

Goodbye.155cb4960013823f

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